The healing power of horses
If you would like to be involved with Dare2Dream, contact Brenda on 083 398 2520.
World Horse Appreciation Day was celebrated on November 16 as a remembrance of the bravery and sacrifices that horses have made throughout history.
Apart from horses’ bravery and sacrifices, there is also a side to these majestic animals that one can only stand in awe of.
Horses have been used in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) since the 1970s as they can sense your deepest emotions and mirror those emotions back to you.
In this light, we catch up with Dare2Dream who not only uses horses for therapy but also rescue these brave and wondrous animals.
Dare2Dream is a non-profit charity based in the south of Johannesburg where it rehabilitates abused and neglected horses.
Dare2Dream offers AAT and has in the past worked with organisations like Abraham Kriel Children’s Home, St Nicholas, Don Matara and St George.
They offer programmes aimed at addressing PTSD, sexual abuse, substance abuse, physical and emotional as well as mental development problems because of various reasons.
Equine therapy is emotional healing encouraged by interaction with horses. This helps people with various needs, ranging from anxiety and depression to therapy for people on the autistic spectrum.
Horses can read human body language.
One study by the University of Essex found that horses can tell the difference between submissive and dominant stances even with people they are not familiar with.
They are able to achieve this due to the social skills they have developed as herd animals.
Horses detect the slightest sound, smell or movement, any of which might indicate the presence of a life-threatening predator.
They can read with uncanny accuracy, not just the behaviour of others, but also their silent intentions.
Since this hypervigilance is also commonly observed in those with PTSD, it makes horses the perfect therapy animal for assisting those who live with this condition.
Dare2Dream also focus on creating awareness around the benefits of AAT with horses, for children to discover and explore for themselves to their full potential without constraints.
They also offer support for children and their parents who are experiencing development problems and also give children contact with nature and animals they never would have.
If you would like to be involved with Dare2Dream, contact Brenda on 083 398 2520.
