The Salem Equestrian Center is in the process of pursuing accreditation through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International to offer professional Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Sessions. Currently, our two instructors are PATH certified as Equine Specialists in Mental Health and Learning.
Psychotherapy
Therapeutic riding programs and lessons at The Salem Equestrian Center are tailored toward equipping youth to become confident community members through mounted and un-mounted lessons, geared toward physical, cognitive, and psychological gains. We apply basic Equine Assisted Learning Techniques (EAL) in a program which seeks to join the efforts of mental health professionals, equine professionals, and horses to offer a unique environment wherein participants learn a combination of horsemanship and valuable life skills such as developing appropriate social and communication skills, the importance of responsibility and personal care, fostering leadership skills, and improving focus and perseverance in reaching goals.
For example, our riding lessons help teach and reinforce appropriate social and communication skills. This works because horses communicate via facial expressions and body language, both of which are subtle forms of communication that are often difficult to grasp and easy to misinterpret. As lessons proceed and riders begin to build a relationship with their horse, they learn to be aware of, and communicate through this new language. As they develop the spatial and observational awareness necessary to communicate with the horse, they simultaneously develop and strengthen the relational skills necessary to improve social interactions and communication with people.
In the lesson setting our horses also help teach their rider’s patience. Because effective communication between two different species, with two different personalities, who converse in two totally different languages is often very challenging, it requires a vast amount of patience through challenges as horse and rider begin to learn how to work together. In addition, personality differences and the horse’s natural instincts may require a rider to think beyond themselves. Learning to have patience, consider others, and problem solve in frustrating situations are very important life skills for success!
In addition to teaching patience, Salem Equestrian Center horses also help our riders improve their leadership skills. As herd animals horses are programmed to follow a good leader. Riders must learn to be attentive, effective, fair, and compassionate in order to be the leader their horse requires for successful riding. Riders who lead must learn both the importance of controlling anger and being compassionate, and the importance of being firm and effective. They must be able to appropriately and enthusiastically reward positive behaviors yet also effectively apply consequences, without being influenced by their emotions, for less desired behaviors. All of these experiences help them to understand that healthy relationships require boundaries and compassion.
Along with all of these skills our programs teach riders focus and attention in the moment, and in delayed gratification circumstances. Horses are very distractible animals programed to be attentive for survival, and as such they have their own mind and agenda. When a rider loses focus, the horse will also lose focus on the task at hand. To be successful in reaching their goals, our riders must learn to channel their energy and attention into keeping their horse on task. As riders begin to experience success they work harder to maintain focus and are able to progress towards their loftier goals! Through this progressive experience our riders are developing the skills necessary to keep themselves focused for success!