Horse Therapy Benefits for Children and Young People in Foster Care
Today is Gold Cup day at Cheltenham Races! Horses can have a great impact on children and young people living in foster care in multiple different ways. In this blog we will be focusing on ‘Horse therapy’.
What is horse therapy?
Also known as equine therapy and equine-assisted therapy (EAP), horse therapy is a type of therapy involving horses, used in order to help people improve their emotional, physical and mental health.
What can horse therapy help with?
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Abuse and drug and alcohol addiction
- Anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions
- Dementia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Building confidence, self-awareness, and empathy
Benefits of horse therapy?
There are social, mental and physical benefits when it comes to equine therapy. Socially, it can help reduce loneliness and feelings of isolation as well as assisting with the development of social-emotional skills. Mentally, it can help individuals process their feelings as well as helping them learn and understand themselves. Physical benefits of horse therapy involve the improvement of coordination, balance muscle tone, flexibility, endurance and strength.
Why horses?
Animals have been used for therapeutic purposes for thousands of years. We may frequently turn to them in times of need because of their innate honesty and capacity to read human emotion. Although many animals are known to provide therapeutic benefits, horses are particularly well known for their ability to foster change.
How can horse therapy help foster children?
Horse therapy is a great idea for foster children! Children and young people often love animals and horse therapy can combine a love and passion with encouragement to open up. Foster children and young people have experienced a tough start to life and many have experienced trauma, using horse therapy could be exactly what they need!
Interested in fostering with us? Click here to enquire about becoming a foster carer!