(Submitted Photo/EmPower U Equine)

By Mat Barrett

EmPower U Equine

Long-term care residents experience the therapeutic power of horses

Nov 6, 2019 | 2:00 PM

Some long-term care residents in Carrot River and Nipawin got to experience the therapeutic power of horses recently.

After talking to the Carrot River Health Centre, EmPower U Equine was able to bring the horses to the home. The home in Nipawin then caught wind of the interaction and also wanted to bring the horses there. Shannon Dickey is a Certified Facilitator with EmPower U Equine and said it was an opportunity to brighten the seniors’ days.

“The seniors can’t come to us, so we were going to the seniors,” she said. “They were very receptive to having us come in.”

Dickey said it was a way for them to be able to give back to the community. Residents were able to get up close and personal with the horses and got to experience the unique connection they have with humans.

“Reasearch has shown that horses and humans have developed a unique way to communicate,” Dickey told northeastNOW. “Which is not really fully understood by either of us.”

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Dickey said when at the homes, you could see the effect the horses were having on the seniors just by looking at the smiles on their faces. She added some of the residents also had memories pop up about horses they had as kids.

“We just felt that it was a really unique opportunity that hadn’t been done yet before,” she said. “And we wanted to be able to give that back to the community.”

Dickey acknowledged there can be some preconceived notions about horses, but she said horses are prey animals, and they are highly aware of their surroundings by nature. They offer immediate feedback and Dickey said they basically require those around them to bring the best version of themselves.

She said they specifically picked certain horses, and train them for specific uses. She joked they “aren’t just taking wild horses.”

Dickey said the experience was one of the most rewarding they’ve had.

“We feel very blessed that we were welcomed in there and that we were able to impact the lives of these people in just one small way,” she said. “It was a simple act of kindness that had a lasting impact on us and we hope brightens their day.

EmPower U Equines does lots of similar Equine Assisted Learning programs in the northeast. It includes women’s empowerment, youth at risk, youth leadership development, and more.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6