The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

Equine-facilitated therapy is a relatively new (1999) therapy that evolved out of hippotherapy, which originated in ancient Greece. Equine-facilitated therapy is similar in technique regardless of the varying labels, such as equine-assisted psychotherapy, equine co-facilitated therapy, equine experiential therapy, etc.

The therapeutic team is composed of a licensed mental health professional, a person with horse experience and horses. The goal is to set up meaningful encounters or exercises that enable the client to see the macrocosm of choices and consequences in an immediate microcosm. Although it could be classified as an Animal Assisted Therapy (ATT), which has a long and proven track record, it is different in that interactions are with larger animals with herd dynamics.

Horses serve as a social group, and their dynamics for self-preservation have not changed in millions of years. Part of their socialization and connection to man has come from moving from the larger reacting part of their brain to the thinking part of their brain. In this manner, they teach the clients that work with them how to move out of reactionary instinctive behavior to autonomy in both thoughts and actions.

Horses have always served as symbols of power and freedom, which, in combination, can be perceived as will power.

Our therapy begins with a brief office session to assess the problem. Participants have the choice to have parents come with them on their sessions or not. Even the decision of which parent the client chooses is a therapeutic sign in itself. As time goes on, the decision to go alone is an indication of increasing autonomy and trust.

The first session is called Meet and Greet. The client is introduced to all of the horses and reactions to specific horses are noted. Clients are also allowed to name the horses any name that they find meaningful to them. Information is gathered as to why the name was chosen for the specific horse. This often leads to much more revealing information than the client realizes at the time. This process can take place in a single session or over several sessions, depending on the client. It may also take place in a herd setting within a pasture or in individual stalls. During this process, a safety demonstration is given as well as basic instruction on horse behavior and horse communication. Exercises or tasks are set up in subsequent sessions depending on the client’s needs.

Case Study #1

Diagnosis: High-functioning autism

Issues:

-inadequate social skills

-anger management

-ADHD

-repetitive motions

-binge eating

Treatment: 5 months (29 sessions)

During Meet and Greet, this client formed an immediate and strong bond with Willy. He identified with Willy because Willy was into mischief. Willy could open the door of a refrigerator in a chained feed room, run away when he didn’t want to come, and other behaviors with which the client closely identified. We began with leading Willy and used metaphors about relationships. Leading a 1,500 pound horse involved not only the relationship between the client and the horse, the lead rope and the halter, but thinking ahead to ensure that there was enough room to make it around tight spots.

Another aspect of leading was to help the client control his temper. Leading involves two hands on the lead line. Often when a horse tries to get away, the first hand loses its grip immediately and the second hand is the one that has enough time to tighten the grasp. This metaphor was used to help the client identify what he had as his “second-hand chance” when he began to lose his temper.

As he gained control of his temper, he began to ask his sister and father to participate in the sessions with him. After we had been working together for a while, he went on vacation with his family. His mother said he demonstrated loyalty for the first time when he wouldn’t go horseback riding with them because he said Willy was his horse.

As he improved, he began to spend most of his time grooming Willy. He began to braid manes, which helped improve his patience. He carefully attended a wound on Willy and remarked after several weeks that “Willy is healing.” The last information that we had was that he was doing well and had been mainstreamed at school.

Case Study #2

Diagnosis: Autism and sensory integration disorder

Issues:

-toe walking

-pica

-aversion to food

-lack of eye contact

-repetitive motions

-easily frightened

Treatment: 2 months (four sessions)

This young child had been removed from his home for severe medical neglect when he was two months old. He wanted his mother and grandfather to come with him to meet the horses. His mother told me he had no words for internal feelings. We began with external paired opposites such as

- The nose of the horse is soft.

- Hay is rough.

We had him feed the horses to see that each horse received a different portion and type of food based on its needs. We sent a stimulus package home with him consisting of hay, grain and salt -- all rough textures --  and a sweet orange. When he returned, we asked him what type of a week he had had. He said it was “soft.”

Next time during feeding, he remembered all of the items that went into the feed and was ambidextrous for the first time. He also left his mother in the barn to go with the horse person to get a horse. His mother reported an increase in the variety of food he was eating as well as decreased toe walking.

We have no further information about this child.

Although this is a small sample size, the implications for possibility are endless in using equine-facilitated therapy for autism. Clients connect with horses both consciously and unconsciously to allow healing on many levels.

Advantages and outcomes of equine-facilitated therapy are improvement in the areas of

-building trust

-communication

-assertiveness

-decision making

-increased ability to listen and follow instructions

-understanding consequences of personal actions

-ability to stay on task

-emotional connection