CUMBERLAND – Cumberland has some new residents, and they’ve arrived with a purpose – to create calm for people who may be searching for a way to find some tranquility. They’re intuitive, non-judgmental, authentic … and they also happen to be horses.

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Equi Evolution, a therapeutic experiential learning program where people interact with horses to improve mental health and wellness, arrived at 215 Scott Road about two months ago, said Executive Director Sam Thorpe, after running the program for more than two years out of Rehoboth, Mass.

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Thorpe said that while many people are familiar with the idea of therapeutic riding, or hippotherapy, which typically addresses physical disabilities, learning disabilities and cognitive functioning, “our program is a little different. It is geared toward mental health,” she said.

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Equi Evolution’s programs do not generally involve riding (though they will refer people who are interested to other riding barns), but instead focus on connecting with the horses on the ground. Thorpe said sessions are uniquely tailored to meet clients’ goals and may be geared toward managing anxiety, depression, trauma recovery, or PTSD, or toward boosting confidence, communication skills, and more.

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What the sessions look like depends on each individual.

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“The really cool thing about this work is that working with horses, we’re working with sentient beings. No two sessions look alike,” Thorpe said. “The horses will respond to the energies happening in the moment.”

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People may arrive at Equi Evolution for a variety of reasons, Thorpe said. “Really we find sort of this general feeling of being stuck, feeling lost. We focus on understanding and finding your authentic self.”

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Thorpe said the program teaches the concepts of mindfulness, or of living in the moment, through working with horses. “And practicing strategies clients can apply to their everyday lives to help them find joy no matter what’s happening in their outside experience. Bringing that joy inside,” she said.

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Mindfulness involves not dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future, and it turns out horses are pretty good at that, said Thorpe.

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“There’s a whole bunch of things that make them really great for this work,” said Thorpe. Horses are always mindfully present, she said. They don’t live in the past and dwell on mistakes they may have made, and they don’t live in fear of the future.

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“Any experience you have with them is genuine,” Thorpe said. “What they’re feeling is what they’re telling you. It may not be verbally, but it’s going to be in alignment.”

 

Interacting with the horses could range from simply sitting by them to learning everything about horsemanship, grooming, haltering, leading them and more.

 

Thorpe said some clients just want to be present in the environment. “There’s a calm here, a presence here – we don’t all have access to spaces like that.”

 

“One of the things my horses are really great at is something called holding space,” Thorpe said.

 

She said that since horses are herd animals, they always “have each other’s backs.” When people are introduced to the horses she said they become like a new part of the herd. “Horses feel that and they will hold space for people in need of it.”

 

Thorpe said someone who has been through a trauma or who is going through a rough time may be tired of sharing their story, or may be triggered by talking about something over and over.

 

She said they might put chairs out in the paddock so the person can simply sit and be present. “One, two, three horses will just come stand with that person, and offer their support.”

 

She said that while well-meaning friends or colleagues will often have opinions and input on a situation, horses “just have their back … without judgment.”

“Horses don’t care about your gender identity, what color your hair is, what you do for work, how much money you have,” she said.

 

Equi Evolution often shares on its Facebook page examples of how people have been affected during their sessions. One post tells the story of a client who was wondering why a particular horse was leery of his presence and would move away from him. “For weeks we touched on what this meant to the man and the similarities this interaction had to his experiences with other people in his life,” the post states.

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“… the gentleman questioned the history of this particular horse, and then each of the other horses in the herd. We talked about the lives they lived before coming to our farm as well as some of the experiences they have had while with us. Experiences that have shaped their behaviors and shifted their own perspectives. Traumas that live within them, motivating their responses to each and every situation. As the tears flowed at hearing these stories a weight was simultaneously lifted. It was energetically palpable in both the man and the horses. An understanding had been reached and compassion replaced fear. Moments after this conversation, the energy of the herd shifted from cautious to playful. The horses began chasing each other around, rolling in the dirt, and kicking up their heels all around us. One by one they approached the man, some simply to check him out, others engaging in playful nudges. Even the horse who had been the most cautious of all walked over to acknowledge him. It’s amazing what can happen when we take a moment to recognize that everyone has a story and we’re really not so different from one another after all.”

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While Equi Evolution is not a nonprofit, it has a sister organization called The Evolution Foundation geared toward helping its clients by setting up scholarships. Donations help to make the Equi Evolution programs available to those who would otherwise be unable to afford them. More information is available at www.equievolution.org 

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For those who have never been around horses, Thorpe said every new program starts with the very basics of interacting with horses. She said even just the act of getting comfortable around them can be a confidence boost. “Horses are huge. When our clients are able to overcome that fear, it’s really empowering,” she said.