Horsing Around
Some animals have a unique sensitivity to humans, and can actually help people in some pretty special ways. Most of us would think of certain breeds of dogs that fit that description, and that is very true. But what many of us don’t know is that horses have a wonderful ability to connect with us on an emotional level that is pretty surprising.
At Engedi Refuge, our holistic program includes Equine Assisted Therapy, which is a fancy way of saying our residents get to interact with horses on a regular basis in a guided training program that teaches them to care for and ride horses, and experience these large and powerful animals in a personal way. Promise 23 Ranch Ministries handles this program component exclusively for Engedi; and they are really good at it.
The process is really cool to watch, and super fun if you get the chance to experience it yourself; but it is particularly interesting to witness this interplay with highly traumatized, sex trafficking survivors. Our residents have been betrayed, abandoned and abused in the worst ways you can imagine. They come to our program with all their emotional walls up (to put it mildly), and sometimes paralyzed with fear. It takes great effort and time for our staff to prove our good intentions and win their trust. But to watch a 1,000 pound, four legged animal do the same in much less time is truly humbling.
The Promise 23 team coaches each resident through an encounter with one of their horses, and this is usually how it goes:
The handlers arrange a ‘meet up’ between the horse and the client. Often the client is afraid, but the horse is kind, and is patient with the woman’s feelings. The horse is gentle, staying present, inviting and unthreatening for the woman. She learns how to approach and touch the horse, and how to read his signals. The gentle and powerful nature of the horse calms her anxiety and lowers her heart rate. With each successive encounter with the horse, the client experiences progressive acceptance and familiarity, and starts to really ‘communicate’ with the horse.
Our women are not used to receiving kindness, and this experience can often bring them to tears. They start to let themselves feel vulnerable and open with the horse. Their own internal walls start to come down, piece by piece, and that is a healing experience for them. In fact, many of our women describe their experiences in Equine Assisted Therapy as the place where they are most learning to love, trust, hope, and truly feel free. And for some, it’s a first-time experience.
Engedi Refuge is all about healing the soul of hurting people. Horses have a very special role in that healing process. Join us as a financial partner in holistic healing today.