How Equine Therapy Can Help?

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Process Groups utilize the sensitivity of horses to reflect human non-verbal communication and intention. Everyday situations and struggles are used to help clients interpret the horses’ reactions and relate them to their personal lives. This can help improve social interaction, conflict resolution, relationships, and motivation for change.

My Limitless Journeys provides Equine Assisted Therapy with specialized equine experts who work with horses to address client-specific problems, particularly for addiction and trauma treatment. Our therapy approach aims to help clients connect their behavior, motivation, and personal growth. The equine therapist facilitates this process while the equine specialist ensures the client’s safety and educates them about equine behavior.

Horsemanship Program

Our horse trainers have developed a comprehensive program, specific to My Limitless Journey, that includes the following curriculum:

• Introduction to horses
• Horse Behavior
• Haltering, Leading & Grooming
• Lunging, Tacking & Safety
• Language
• Mounting & Dismounting
• Riding on and off the lead
• Heals down
• Posture, Reins & Balance
• Trail riding & trotting
• Canter & Obstacle course

The horsemanship classes will be offered to all of the clients as part of their SOAR Program (Sober Outdoor Adventure Recreation) during the Transitional Living phase and will be able to participate once they have complete about 6-8 weeks of program.

Equine Safety Program at Benchmark

The Equine Safety Program at My Limitless Journeys is performing well and we take pride in it. Our risk manager, Brad Flanders, has developed a basic checklist for assessing the safety measures which we use for ongoing evaluations. His expertise has produced consistently positive outcomes.

“We have implemented a horse evaluating tool that has a good common sense approach for evaluating the horses,” states Flanders. “This helps us to identify focus areas for particular horses and ensures that the therapeutic process is facilitated in a safe environment. This tool can be used to build upon our training plan to focus on specific goals for each horse. Additionally, it may help us identify any horses with regards to future purchase or adoption for the Benchmark Transitions equine program.”

Each new staff member and new client completes an initial round of training classes (short 20-30 minutes) covering horse behavior, basic safety, catching, haltering, gate procedures, back injuries and slips/trips/falls, helping our clients and staff get off to a safe start with all of our equine programs!