Equine Assisted Therapy

We are very proud to offer our Equine-Assisted Therapy program to our residents, now available all year.

Qualitative studies of equine therapy, with rich anecdotal evidence of benefits, are abundant. Working with horses offers very special opportunities for emotional grounding. If the horse instinctively perceives anger, anxiety, and fear, whether expressed overtly or covertly, a widely accepted view is that horses respond to the person’s expressed or unexpressed emotional state. Its response can direct therapy in any manner of ways. People experience immediate feedback about their behaviours and emotions from the unbiased perspective of the horse.

Dunham House Model of Equine-Assisted Therapy

Goal & Purpose of Equine-Assisted Therapy

The goals of Equine-Assisted Therapy at Dunham House are to introduce our clients to the therapeutic value of working with horses and to use these opportunities to learn, develop, and experience in the company of horses.

Objectives of Equine-Assisted Therapy

The primary objective of Equine-Assisted Therapy at Dunham House is to have each participant attend each session and participate in the activities. Each week will focus on a particular topic with instruction, hands-on activities, and journal writing exercises. The work with the horses is ground-based and no riding will be involved.

Themes we Explore in Equine-Assisted Therapy

The program will consist of four themes over the course of 6 weeks.