2018 Miniature Horse World Magazine SUMMER Volume 34, Number 4 | Page 16

therapy spotlight
So, you want to get into
Therapy with your Minis?
By AMHA Canadian Director- Deb Rogers
I
t’s become one of the most popular
trends in Miniature horse circles and
it’s obvious the size of our horses make
them perfectly suited for the work. But
what does therapy with a Mini really entail?
The term “therapy”gets tossed around quite
a bit and raising questions like: What about
certifications for little horses like there are
for dogs? Are there organizations that can
help you train your mini to visit a nursing
home, go to a hospital, etc.? Do you want
to do equine assisted learning where you
can get a certification and then train your
horses? I know from experience it can be
daunting to find the answers.
I started my journey by visiting nursing
homes and I soon noticed the effect my
little guys had on the residents when they
touched them or when my horse nuzzled
them. I wanted to do more with my Minis
and do it correctly, so I started to look into
what my next steps were.
I was very disappointed to find there is
no governing body in Canada to address
what I wanted to do. I began to research
into different programs where I could get
certified. I knew I could train my own
horses to work in a program, so I was not
worried about them becoming certified.
But with no system in place to hold owners
accountable, anyone can hang out their
shingle and say “I train therapy minis”. Still
there are reputable programs out there if
you research and look.
14 Miniature Horse World
SUMMER 2018
Perhaps my biggest question is what makes
it therapy? Is the handler trained in psychol-
ogy, and are they prepared as a counselor, or
have some other qualifications besides being
a horse trainer?
I was fortunate and found a program for me
where I could become certified, one that
is recognized around the world, Equine
Assisted Learning. This program has been
researched, tried, and tested over time to
show positive outcomes for the participant.
Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) is an expe-
riential approach to teaching life skills like
leadership, communication, and teamwork
using horses. The program is an objective
based learning program where participants
work on the ground with horses through
carefully designed objective-based obstacles
and problem-solving exercises. The horses’
sensitive nature, awareness of their sur-
roundings and herd instincts make them
exceptional teachers. Working together
with groups and teams, horses look for a
leader, the same kind of compassionate,
clear and confident leader that people seek
and through the many experiential pro-
grams, the participants are gently guided,
letting them know when they get it right
and when they have opportunities to grow.
This building block program is a learning
program, not therapy. But the therapeutic
value of being with horses is undeniable.
Suitable horses have a kind eye, a bit of
spirit, gentle temperament and good at-
titude. We ask a lot of questions before
we consider buying a horse if it is for the
program. AMHA Minis do the work well as
they are not intimidating to the participant
due to their small size and we always keep in
mind the population we are working with.
Visiting nursing homes, intellectual delayed,
down syndrome, PTSD, team work, and
communication for school kids, just to
name a few.
Much of the training we do prepares the
horses to feel comfortable when doing
their job and for some, it takes longer than
others- some have high energy and some
are more laid back. The most rewarding
thing in this world is to see a participant go
from inside their shell to a smiling outgoing
person when they work with the horses. It
makes your heart sing. Therapy in Canada
is growing in popularity using Miniature
horses, and it all depends on the individual
as to what you want to do with them and
which direction you take.
I would personally like to see the AMHA
become a governing body for people who
want to do therapy with their horses- a place
where people can come together and get
questions and answers. A framework of ref-
erence on how the horse should be trained,
when to call it therapy, and a reference for
how the general public, nursing home,
hospitals, etc. can find a trained person in
their area with a trained horse. It would give
so much accountability as there is still much
more to be accomplished in this realm with
our little horses.