Supporting Mental Health and Healing Trauma through Equine-Assisted Activities

We provide individualized programs of equine-assisted activities including therapeutic riding and horsemanship to help clients navigate challenging emotional experiences, including trauma (PTSD), depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. The benefits include increased confidence, emotional awareness, empathy, impulse control, self-regulation, problem solving skills, trust and empathy. The power of a 1,000 lb. majestic animal to bring peace and emotional support is both experiential and being proven as an effective means of improving mental health.

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We can also provide direct psychotherapy with our team of a mental health professional professional, equine specialist in mental health and learning, our healing herd of horses, and the client acting synchronistically together on a journey of healing.

Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship

Therapeutic Riding (TR) teaches a person with disabilities how to ride a horse while incorporating a wide range of therapeutic goals. Each lesson is designed to meet physical, educational, emotional and/or social skill goals based on the rider’s individual needs, interests and goals.

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We serve people with a wide variety of disabilities, including autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, cognitive impairments, visual and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, developmental delays, neurocognitive disorders, chromosomal anomalies, amputations and other physical disabilities, degenerative diseases, including dementia, spinal cord and brain injury, and speech and language disorders.

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Each potential client is given a thorough assessment of their physical and mental strengths as well as needs. From that assessment, we pair the client with a horse (or horses!) and volunteers. Benefits of our programs include improvements in fine and gross motor skills, communication and social function, self-regulation and cognitive skills, sensory integration, balance and coordination, memory, concentration, and self-esteem. In addition, clients learn to connect with and partner with a majestic animal valued throughout Puerto Rican culture.