When the opportunity arose to come out to Sturgeon River Ranch this autumn, I couldn’t wait to hop in the saddle again. Instead of a day trip like last time, I’d be spending the night in a genuine ranch house with two whole days on the trails.
Little did I know I’d have several experiences of a lifetime while at the ranch.
Winston Churchill famously said,
“The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man”
Around the world parents with struggling kids are discovering how true this quote can be for their children. It can be challenging to raise children and teens with either developmental or behavioural issues. They might take time to respond to traditional forms of therapy, and the parents might find their slow progress demoralizing. It’s only natural for them to seek out other solutions to help their children and equine therapy is well documented to be very effective!!
Anyone who rides or spends time with horses will tell you that these awesome creatures have exceptional benefits for both kids and adults. It’s therefore not surprising that equine therapy programs are becoming more popular across North America.
These programs offer different things, ranging from those that use therapeutic horseback riding to assist kids with disabilities to improve their motor skills and ability to connect with others to actually having equine residential treatment centres for troubled teens. While these programs employ different forms of equine therapy, they all have one thing in common – using horses to change and improve lives.
Parents who turn to equine therapy are often pleasantly surprised at the changes they see in their child or teen. Horses have their own special charm, and they have a way of teaching while healing those who interact with them.
They regain the ability to trust - Trust is a delicate thing where children with emotional or behavioural needs are concerned. Due to abuse or neglect, some of these kids are unable to trust their parents or caregivers. However, they soon come to realize that horses are different. They accept you as you are and have no hidden agenda. This makes it easy for these kids to let down their guard and trust again.
They learn to pay mindful attention to the present - Children and teens who experience stress at home eventually relax when working at a ranch or barn. They forget their troubles for a while as the duties they are given, from grooming, exercising or riding horses to mucking out the stalls or cleaning tack demand their attention. They immerse themselves fully in these tasks and at the end of the day, find themselves tired but emotionally refreshed.
Improved communication - Developmental or behavioural challenges can make it difficult to identify and respond to non-verbal cues. Most children with these issues tend to lash out in anger or timidly withdraw. Interacting with horses encourages such children to change how they communicate. Horses don’t speak, so they rely on non-verbal communication to relay how they feel. If a teen is angry or aggressive, the horse startles and retreats. If a child is too shy or timid, they won’t influence the horse. These are teachable moments as the children realize how their behaviour directly affects those around them.
Nature helps- Research suggests that mood disorders can be lifted by spending more time outdoors. Looking for a simple way to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and maybe even improve your memory? Jump on a horse and ride through the boreal forests!
Our indigenous youth in particular in Saskatchewan are struggling, and a proven way of helping individuals cope with overwhelming amounts of stress and sadness is to go out on the land to smell, feel, and listen to the wind, and the creatures that inhabit them. Teen suicide is not an epidemic – except in some areas of Canada where Indigenous youth rates of suicide can be up to 10 times higher than the national rate.
“The staggering suicide rates and ongoing suicide crisis in northern Saskatchewan is indicative of a lack of readily available mental health resources in these communities,” the report states. “Our experience tells us that mental health service providers often lack the supports and resources to provide the level of services needed.”- Saskatchewan Child and Youth Advocate, 2018 Report
image credit - DAMON BADGER HEIT Sask Culture
In a 2012 article on Sask Culture this importance was explained.
“The horse is a powerful spiritual entity in Cree culture,” writes Chief Dwayne of One Arrow First Nation, “The horse gives us strength and symbolizes freedom.” The horse, or mistatim which literally translates as ‘Big Dog’ in the Cree language, has a special place of honour in the cultural heritage of First Nation peoples. The introduction of the horse during European settlement revolutionized First Nation cultures on the plains and this relationship was quickly integrated into the fabric of the day to day life. The horse greatly enhanced capabilities in hunting, travel and trade and to this day, this bond between humans and horses is considered sacred.
If you are the parent or guardian of a troubled or struggling child or teen, consider reaching out to the Cartier Farms, an Equine Assisted Learning certified facility.
https://www.cartierfarms.ca/
“Where there’s a horse, there’s a way!”
