Somatics for Horses and Humans by Eleanor Criswell Hanna, Ed.D

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EFMHA Preconference at Green Chimneys New Board Members Measuring Impact of Horse on Humans News from Australia Art of the Horse

A Special Interest Section of NARHA VOL 12 • ISSUE 2 • Summer 2008 Somatics for Horses and Humans By Eleanor Criswell Hanna, Ed.D. and Barbara Chasteen

Innately curious, generous and kind, horses are invaluable in the horse is a restored awareness of himself, his environment equine facilitated work, where they are often compared to mir - and his relationship to his surroundings, including his fellow rors: reflective of the human’s state of mind and heart. A mirror, beings. A fully integrated horse is able not only to mirror the like a reflecting pool, presents a surface that’s serene and clear. A human condition, but also to model a serene and joyful pres - consideration in choosing effective horses for equine facilited ence in the world. work is whether they are in a state in which they can be pres - ent to a situation and a person, take in information and be able Respond in the Moment to reflectively respond appropriately to the situation. The horse and human participating in equine facilitated mental health activities may experience stress from time to Relaxed or Stiff: Who Can Help? time. The physiological changes caused by stress include elevated Consider two horses. One is clear-eyed and aware. His pos - heart rate, elevated blood pressure and muscle contractions. The ture is relaxed and balanced; he can bend comfortably through effects over time can lead to increasingly contracted muscles, his body, and raise or lower his head to view his surroundings restricted movement and discomfort. Keeping the horse and or the approach of others; he can adjust his position easily. His human comfortable and moving easily is essential for effective movements are flowing, his footsteps precise and coordinated. mental health work and maximum career life. The somatically He is curious and attentive, able to size up a person or a situa - tion and respond coherently. Using Equine Hanna Somatics, Lisa Pruitt is inviting JJ to Look at another horse. His eyes are dully focused inward; contract and slowly relax certain muscles of his left forelimb. his mouth is pinched, tight, ears askew. His back and neck appear stiff and straight as he stands heavily still or randomly paces. He might respond to a stimulus with a sudden jerk, and move off stiffly; he might only dully notice someone’s approach and appears ill at ease or confused when addressed. n

Which of these horses will be able to fully a m

participate in an activity such as an equine h s u l

facilitated psychotherapy session? The answer F

a r I

is both of them; but the second horse needs y b some help. Equine Hanna Somatics (EHS) is a o t o

technique that extends to horses the same h benefits that Hanna Somatic Education offers P to humans. By mirroring muscle contractures and assisting the horse in performing basic limb movements, EHS restores a healthy con - nection from the brain to the body, reducing pain and enabling the spine and limbs to be balanced and coordinated. A direct benefit to Continued on page four.

EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Summer 2008 • 1 President’s Letter We also explored how to The commission, which reach out to people doing does not provide training EFMHA'S human development work itself, is not affiliated with Vision Statement with horses in ever increas - EFMHA but does provide A world in which the ingly more professions, made certification for professionals, wisdom of equus moves us tough decisions for our independent of any training to develop and deepen our budget in a challenging organization like us. Our greatest potential. economy, and reviewed the workshops are not only for work of all committees. those wishing to be certified. EFMHA 2007-08 They offer our members and Board of Directors Curriculum Development others new ways to enhance In particular, though, we President safety and professionalism in Trish Broersma, MA, LMT welcomed four new board the many forms of either Ashland, OR members who have been equine facilitated learning or [email protected] appointed for the particular equine facilitated psy - Past President focus on our most important chotherapy. Ann Alden strategic task—the imple - ear Colleagues: Collegial Gathering Sonoita, AZ This issue of mentation of more training [email protected] opportunities for our mem - On another note, on the DEFMHA News first evening of our gather - President Elect demonstrates in some meas - bers, as well as others. Our Jody Enget ing, we welcomed local resi - ure the growing internation - new board Palmer Lake, CO members are dents who might [email protected] al scope of work in equine EFMHA, working have an interest in facilitated activities. We offer Leif Hallberg, Vice President Jan Loveless, our work to Joseph Callan, LCSW a sampling of some of the for a world in Jannalee spend an evening Tampa, FL many faces that this work is which the sharing how [email protected] Redmond, and taking as it is being devel - EFMHA might Continued on page three. oped by people in various Tanya Welsch. wisdom of equus They come from better support professions around the moves us to their endeavors. The Equine Facilitated Mental Health all across the US: world. It is gratifying that so More than 20 Association (EFMHA) is a section of Montana, develop and many welcome the building people responded NARHA. EFMHA’s mission is to of a global community by California, advance the field for individuals who Virginia, and deepen our to our invitation, sharing their work in our something of a partner with equines to promote News. Our thanks to them. Minnesota, with highest potential. human growth and development so surprise in our I hope you enjoy these new long and varied that our members, clients and equines rural area where perspectives. experience in writing cur - can succeed and flourish. Equine- riculum for equine facilitated we all tend to feel like we facilitated psychotherapy (EFP) is In early May, the EFMHA psychotherapy and learning. are pretty much working on experiential psychotherapy that Board of Directors gathered our own. They underscored includes equines. It may include, but in Ashland, Oregon for our In this issue as well as our next issue of EFMHA News, the interest in the benefits of is not limited to, a number of mutual - annual planning retreat. We EFMHA and the desire for ly respectful equine activities such as we will feature short biogra - met in one of the most more training. In addition, handling, grooming, longeing, riding, phies about each of them. beautiful landscapes of the they birthed an enthusiastic, driving, and vaulting. EFMHA has its Pacific Northwest, a valley In the meantime, they own board of directors and bylaws are already diving into the ongoing collegial gathering surrounded by forested hills once a month for sharing of and operates within NARHA guide - and acclaimed by thousands preparation of an impressive lines and standards. EFMHA News ideas and resources, as well who return here every year array of educational offerings editor seeks unsolicited material. as support for challenges for its remarkably rejuvenat - for you, our members. All of EFMHA Professional Membership the offerings are geared we face. is $70 and includes NARHA mem - ing aspects. Buckhorn toward preparing people I encourage all of you to bership and its benefits. Contact Springs, a rustic retreat cen - who may choose to sit for explore the benefits of such a 1(800) 369-RIDE for address changes ter just outside Ashland, collegial gathering in your and membership requests. housed us for four days of either of the tests for certifi - cation in mental health or own communities, however intensive planning that were small or large. Please feel free NARHA • PO Box 33150 education with the inde - enhanced by our rich sur - to contact me if you’d like to Denver CO 80233 roundings. We focused on pendent Commission for (800) 369-RIDE (7433) Certified Equine Facilitated discuss the details of how to the implementation of our launch and enable such a (303) 452-1212 strategic plan, looking at, Mental Health and Fax (303) 252-4610 group. Email [email protected] among other things, the Education Professionals www.narha.org details of how to forge a (CCEFMHEP) Want to Join Us? stronger working partnership www.equinefacilitatedprofess We noted that several with NARHA. ional.org). committees are seeking a few

2 • Summer 2008 EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION ( Secretary 2008 EFMHA EQUINE Susanne Haseman EFMHA News Wilder, VT Editorial Board SPECIALIST WORKSHOPS [email protected] Georgetown (near Austin), Texas Treasurer Design/Layout: Ride On Center for Kids (R.O.C.K.), August 5-7 Suzen Dyslin Beckie Smith Windsor, CA Hartville (near Akron), Ohio [email protected] Text: Pegasus Farm, August 22-24 Pam Kaster EFMHA BOARD Laurinburg (near Fayetteville), North Carolina MEMBERS St. Andrews Presbyterian College, October 10-12 Spring Issue Features: Leif Hallberg Lisa Reeves Cost Bozeman, MT [email protected] Summer Issue Features: $450 EFMHA Members Kristin Mason $525 Non-EFMHA Members (The Non-Member fee includes Louanne Kamienowski a one year membership to NARHA and EFMHA.) Mesa, AZ Fall Issue Features: Includes materials, lunches and a snack [email protected] Jan Loveless for the three days. Miyako Kinoshita Focus of Training New Milford, CT Educational Opportunities: [email protected] Eliza Love • Role of the Equine Specialist when assisting or collaborating with human service providers. Jan Loveless, PhD Advisory: • Designing safe, mutually beneficial and effective activities to Visalia, CA Ann C Alden enhance participant outcomes. [email protected] Barbara K Rector • Determining specific horse handling methods. Maureen Vidrine • Understanding students with mental health and/or learning Kristin Mason Old Lyme, CT issues. [email protected] • Assessing the horse’s response to student behaviors and needs. President’s Letter continued • Helping prepare qualified participants to take the NARHA Martha McNiel Equine Specialist Certification once available. San Martin, CA dreampowerhorseman more members to help with Training is designed for: [email protected] their tasks. Besides your love Equine professionals Janalee Redmond of horses, do you have another Therapeutic riding instructors skill that would enhance Bethesda, MD Those who wish to enhance their ability [email protected] EFMHA’s work? We are look - to work with mental health and education ing for skills like attention to professionals and their clients Clare Thomas detail and note-taking, finan - Dover Foxcroft, ME cial expertise, public relations To Register [email protected] and marketing savvy, internet Application forms must be submitted two weeks before the date of the workshop you wish to attend. Tanya Welsch technical know-how, and St. Paul, MN non-profit administration. If Mail in or fax registration forms. (download forms [email protected] you’d like to know more, in pdf format at www.NARHA.org) please contact Miyako Articles in EFMHA News Contact Kinoshita, chair of our Board do not necessarily reflect Tara McChesney ([email protected]) or Meghan Tawney the opinions and/or Development committee at ([email protected]) at the NARHA office for questions standards of [email protected]. related to your application or the workshop. EFMHA or NARHA. Don’t forget to check out elsewhere in the EFMHA News our extraordinary EFMHA THUMBNAIL GLOSSARY October 28 pre-conference EAA equine assisted activities this year at the acclaimed, EAT equine assisted therapy world famous Green EFP equine facilitated psychotherapy Chimneys School. This is a EFL equine facilitated learning rare opportunity to learn how ES equine specialist this pioneering program can HPOT hippotherapy enhance your own work. HPCS hippotherapy clinical specialist TR therapeutic riding Trish Broersma EFMHA President More information on these terms and others is available at the EFMHA website page: http://www.narha.org/SecEFMHA/Glossary.htm [email protected]

EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Summer 2008 • 3 2008 EFMHA REGIONAL LIAISONS Welcome Aboard! Jan Butler Loveless, New EFMHA Board Member CHAIR ...... Ann Alden Jan Butler Loveless, PhD, is a life- [email protected] long student of horses and humans and REGION ONE president and founder of the J-Bar Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, New Hampshire, Ranch Center for Experiential Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Rhode Island, Vermont Learning. She has experience as a K-12 EFMHA Region Liaison: Boo McDaniel teacher and administrator; a designer of [email protected] training for corporate employees; and as human resources development and REGION TWO public relations consultant for industry Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and education. EFMHA Region Liaison: Open Jan has a Ph.D. in English; an M.S. in landscape horticul - ture; a B.A. in English and biology, and she holds Equine REGION THREE North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia Assisted Psychotherapy I certification from Equine Assisted EFMHA Region Liaison: Barbara Ford Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA). She is an [email protected] equine-facilitated learning intern of Adventures in Awareness, working with Barbara Rector and Ann Alden. She has studied REGION FOUR equine-facilitated learning and therapy at Epona, and Human- Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario Equine Alliances for Learning at Strides to Success. She is a EFMHA Region Liaison: Kathleen Pryde member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped [email protected] Association, the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association and the Equine Guided Education Association. REGION FIVE Jan writes regularly for Texas Horse Talk magazine, Equus Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Puerto Rico Spirit, and Blaze: The Magazine for Horse-Crazy Kids. In Jan’s EFMHA Region Liaison: Starla Raiborn “Horse and Writer” courses, she combines equine facilitated REGION SIX learning with reading/writing improvement for at-risk kids, Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Wisconsin and horses with narrative autobiography for learners of all ages. EFMHA Region Liaison: Nikki Cohen-Wichner You may read more about Jan’s work at www.jbar.com or reach [email protected] her via e-mail at: [email protected].

REGION SEVEN Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska EFMHA Region Liaison: Open Continued from page one. iSntegoratemd hoarset anidc hsuman can respond to a situation more REGION EIGHT authentically in the moment instead of dealing with prior trau - Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas mas and residual muscle contractions. The somatic work for EFMHA Region Liaison: Leslie McCullough Moreau [email protected] horses and humans can help both maintain a comfortable and relaxed state. REGION NINE Because horses are prey animals, they are “hard wired” for Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington the startle or fight-or-flight response. Humans also experience EFMHA Region Liaison: Heidi Howard the startle response. When horses are startled, a brainstem reflex [email protected] occurs which causes muscle contractions and an increase in adrenaline level heart rate. Horses are frequently startled REGION TEN throughout their lives; it is a survival mechanism. As the mus - Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming cles contract, horses move or run. When the stretch reflex is EFMHA Region Liaison: Lisa Reeves triggered and the muscles re-contract the strength of the re- [email protected] contraction sometimes creates a muscle spasm. Horses can REGION ELEVEN become chronically contracted over time. Due to chronic mus - California, Hawaii, Nevada cle contractions, horses and humans develop characteristic pos - EFMHA Region Liaison: Martha McNiel tures, movements and behaviors. They also develop pain, dis - [email protected] comfort and restricted movement.

4 • Summer 2008 EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Somatics Is Not Just for Humans Reset Major Muscle Groups Over the years, I have worked with a number of eques - Pictured on page 1 is Lisa Pruitt, an equine facilitated trians from a variety of riding disciplines, teaching them educator, and her horse JJ, an equine co-educator. Lisa is facil - Hanna Somatics (HS), a hands-on technique of exercises itating a pandiculation with JJ from the EHS basic protocol. developed by Thomas Hanna in the late 1980s. She asked JJ to pick up his forelimb. Then she guided him Approximately 10 years ago, Dennis Reis—the founder of into abduction of his forelimb, which asked him to contract Universal Horsemanship, Reis Ranch, Penngrove—invited certain muscles (deltoid, rhomboid, trapezius, supraspinatus, me to work with the riders in his month-long horse riding and infraspinatus muscles). Following voluntary contraction of clinic. During that time, Reis asked whether I thought the muscles, she will invite him to slowly lower his hoof to hands-on Hanna Somatics could be done with horses. I said, the ground to its original position, which allows him to “Probably” and set about figuring out how to adapt Hanna decrease the output to the muscles and relax them. The basic Somatics to horses. EHS protocol allows him to reset the tonus of all of the major In some ways horses are very much like humans, and in muscle groups in about an hour. other ways they are quite different. Based on thousands of The basic somatic exercises for humans are described in somatic sessions with humans, a study of horse anatomy and the book Somatics by Thomas Hanna. The exercises only take kinesiology, and 30 years of horse ownership, I developed a about ten minutes to complete once you know how to do basic protocol for working with the major equine muscle them. Usually done lying on the floor, they can be adapted to groups. Since 1997 people throughout the United States have sitting or standing. Other exercises for equestrians or equine learned to do EHS with their horses through demonstrations professionals can be added. The exercises are done slowly, gen - or the introductory DVD. I have heard wonderful accounts of tly and with awareness. The movements are repeated three to their horses’ responses. Jonathan Hunt (England), Brian Ingle five times in rhythm with breathing patterns. Many people do (Ireland and India), Gayatri Schriefer (Sweden and India), and them twice a day: in the morning to prepare for the day and Barbara Chasteen, Phyllis Victory, and Eleanor Criswell in the evening to relax the muscles that have been used dur - Hanna (United States) are the first certified Equine Hanna ing the day. Somatic Educators. Harmony between Horse and Human Different Parts of the Brain The human-horse relationship is by nature somatic: It is Horses have many reflex movement patterns, but they the integration of two minds and two bodies, the mind and also have voluntary motor control. Voluntary movements body of the horse and the mind and body of the human. The require a different part of the brain from that required in relationship is most effective when there is maximum somatic involuntary movements. In EHS the horse is asked to use the integration of both horse and human. As human mind-body frontal lobe of its brain to control movements rather than the integration can be enhanced, so too can equine mind-body brainstem motor tracts. The frontal motor control areas are integration be enhanced. The result is a greater harmony the only part of the brain that can relax muscles. between horse and human. Unlike other approaches to equine somatic work, EHS is more horse centered, i.e. the horse does the work; the practi - ...... tioner facilitates the process. EHS is based on a natural ten - Eleanor Criswell Hanna, Ed.D., is Professor dency of the horse to pandiculate, a sign of wellbeing. All of Psychology, Sonoma State University, in vertebrates pandiculate, a full body contraction and relaxation California; editor of Somatics Magazine, and that looks on the surface like stretching. EHS is not a stretch. Director of the Novato Institute for Somatic A stretch triggers the stretch reflex, a spinal cord level Research and Training. Her books include response, which results in the muscle re-contracting to its Biofeedback and Somatics: Toward Personal original tonicity or beyond. In this case, the horse is changing Evolution and How Yoga Works: An Introduction the muscle tonicity from within using its frontal cortex to Somatic Yoga. She developed Equine Hanna Somatics, an adapta - motor control areas. tion of Hanna Somatics for horses, in 1997. Eleanor can be contact - ed at: [email protected]. Many Benefits EHS is appropriate for all breeds, all disciplines, and can ...... be adapted for different ages. From rescue horses to equine Barbara Chasteen, BA Zoology, has studied athletes—all can benefit from EHS. Benefits of EHS for the equine anatomy, biomechanics, bodywork and horse include increased comfort, ease of movement, better rehabilitation for 20 years. A teacher, writer and circulation to muscles, ability to follow rider’s requests more illustrator, she lives with and rides her horses in easily, improved conformation/posture, enhanced joint func - Northern California. She can be contacted at: tion, improved balance and coordination, increased precision [email protected]. of movement and happier mood.

EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Summer 2008 • 5 Preliminary Practice in Measuring the Impact of Horses on Humans

By Beth Duff

Background I am currently investigating why learning with horses is so effective for a Ph.D. at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom. I am coming to the end of my first year of part-time study—so I am still very much in the early stages. In terms of learning with horses, we have been offering The Red Horse Speaks™ programmes mainly to the corporate market for about five years. The feedback from participants has been A sample read out from the HeartMath® equipment showing very positive and so I am inspired to find out why this is so. I what lack of coherence looks like. hope that this will make learning with horses more credible in the corporate training market as apparent lack of credibility is often a barrier to sales. have gotten to know Sue Wahl more recently also through To date, many possible reasons have been put forward about house sharing at EGEA. what happens when horses and humans get together and there I am delighted to have this international aspect to my work. is plenty of anecdotal evidence about its power. But there is I have many years of experience working internationally as a very little quantifiable evidence of the benefits. The objective facilitator and business consultant; and I know that I need to be of this work is to find and test methods of providing such evi - able to flex my style depending on the nationality and cultures dence in a way that honours the participants, the horses and represented within the groups with whom I am working. The the educators. same may apply to working with horses so having the interna - tional input to my research from the outset is a great bonus. Objective Last summer, I joined up with Wisdom Horse™ Coaching Method of Minnesota and The Healing Arts Wellness Centre in One of the pieces of equipment we chose for this early Hudson, Wisconsin. My research was at a very early stage and study was the HeartMath ® stress relief system which I have I was keen simply to explore possible methods of collecting used for my personal well being for some time. It was selected quantifiable data which, if successful, would form the basis for as being reliable and easy to use as well as offering equipment further studies. The planning for our study was all done via suitable for both office and field based testing. email and a couple of conference calls. The HeartMath ® stress relief system measures Heart Rate I have known Ann Romberg and Lynn Baskfield from Variability which indicates the regularity and evenness of the Wisdom Horse™ Coaching since we met at an EAGALA individual’s unique beat to beat dis-similarities—known as a conference in 2004. We quickly realised that we have a very sine wave—within the heartbeat as well as the number of similar approach to our work with horses and, more impor - beats per minute. Having a very regular and even sine wave is tantly, share the same values both personally and professionally. described as being in a state of psycho-physiological coher - We have always stayed in touch and look forward to our time ence. Put simply, reaching a state of coherence requires warm, together each year sharing a house at the Equine Guided positive thoughts felt in one’s heart as well as regular breath - Education Association (EGEA) conference. We did a joint ing. Coherent sine waves are seen most easily in people well presentation on Perfect Partnerships at EGEA in 2007 — so we practiced in meditation. knew we could do transatlantic partnership working too. I We were joined at Healing Art Wellness Centre by eight volunteers (seven women and one man) all of whom were coaches, equine guided educators or both. Ann and Lynn A sample readout from the HeartMath® equipment showing what coherence looks like. invited the volunteers although I knew several of them through meeting them at conferences. The horses we worked with were mainly Quarter Horses or Quarter Horse crosses and all were accustomed to doing equine facilitated work. Our initial experiment was very simple. Sitting inside, we linked each person to the PC based HeartMath ® programme using a finger pulse sensor and noted how long it took each person to reach a state of coherence and for how long they could sustain it. None of the participants had used the device

6 • Summer 2008 EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION do so or felt any anxiety—and yet something was clearly triggered by this action. This was a very small scale initial preliminary study. However, we can now design a more comprehensive study specifically to examine the hypothesis that being with horses is an effective means of achieving coherence – and thus well being—a brain state associated with increased capacity to learn. We will repeat it this year with a larger number of people, including some who may be anxious around horses at the outset. The method itself needs to be refined as there was an element of “performance anxiety” at the start of the test. We also need to correlate the PC and portable monitors more precisely to ensure that the timings are completely accurate. A control group would also help show if the coherence readings were due to time spent with horses or to continued practice without horses present. Preparing to test with the PC based equipment Significance before. It was noticeable that those people who included some While we are aware of some other studies (Gehrke & form of meditation in their daily practice found it easier to Walters) working with the HeartMath ® technology measuring reach and sustain coherence—in one case even when a tele - the impact of people on horses, none appear to be looking at phone rang very loudly in the room we were using. the possibility of enhanced learning capabilities in humans. We We then moved outside into the pasture with the horses and feel successful in that we appear to be developing a process for ® repeated the exercise with the portable HeartMath device quantifiable measurement. We are aware of extensive research by while the person being monitored was stroking or standing HeartMath ® in psycho-physiological coherence states in near the horses. We didn’t do any set activities. We simply let humans and the resultant ties to enhanced health and cognitive people be with the horses for about half an hour. capacities. www.heartmath.com We did not have a control group for this portion of our ini - We know from existing knowledge about learning environ - tial experiment; thus, we are unable to say if the participants’ ments that people learn most successfully when they are shorter time to coherence was the result of initial practice or relaxed, free from stress and in a positive state of mind—which the actual presence of the horses. is why punishment for failure to achieve is counter-productive. It appears from our preliminary experiment that just being Results around horses may actually help to put us in a frame of mind to In all cases, people reached coherence and sustained it for learn. This combined with our coaching; solution-focused longer in the presence of the horses. This very simple study not approach during the actual learning itself is starting to give us only gave us some measurements, it did appear to indicate that some possibilities for further examination as to potential reasons just being with horses was good for our volunteers. Clearly the why our programme works so well. activities many of us use when working with people and horses I am in the process of designing more experiments and can provide additional and valuable learning but it would seem look forward to doing further work with my colleagues and that just being with horses also has a value and perhaps con - friends in the USA this summer. I am grateful to them for tributes to our readiness to learn. their support and to Ann Romberg and Nancy Peregrine for There was one interesting reading, however, which is wor - the photographs I have used in this article. I am also grateful thy of further investigation. Several people walked around the to HeartMath ® (through Hunter Kane, their licence holders horses while they were stroking them and, in all cases, there in UK) for allowing me to use their equipment for my was a momentary loss of coherence whilst walking round the research and to Lisa Walters, Director of EquuSatori for shar - back of the horse. This was surprising as no one was afraid to ing the work she has done with Dr. Ellen Gehrke using HeartMath ® equipment...... Testing out in the field. Reaching coherence in the presence of a horse. Beth Duff is a coach, facilitator and equine guided educator who works with individuals and companies worldwide, helping them grow and flourish through developing their people and their business. She holds an MA (hons) in Philosophy and is currently researching for her PhD at Nottingham Trent University in England where she also lectures from time to time. She is based in Midmar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland and can be contacted by telephone on +44 (0) 1330 833556 or by email: [email protected]

EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Summer 2008 • 7 NEWS FROM Riding for the Disabled Association New South Wales (RDANSW), Australia

By Kerry Johnston

I am delighted to write this article on Equine Facilitated grow personally through interaction with horses. Connections Mental Health “Australian style”. The mission statement of is not a traditional horse riding program. Most of the results Riding for the Disabled Association New South Wales is: to come from the work the clients accomplish from the ground. provide equine assisted activities to people with disabilities in While Equine Facilitated Mental Health programs are rel - order to develop and enhance their abilities. This non profit atively new in Australia, at present there are three Riding for volunteer organization is comprised of thirty eight (38) the Disabled Centres conducting programs aimed at the area member centres throughout the state catering to approxi - of mental and behavioural disorders. These programs are mately 1,600 riders. offered by centres at Tumut (260 miles kms south of Sydney), Riding for the Disabled Association New South Wales is Wagga Wagga (290 miles south of Sydney) and Ballina (600 administered by a board of directors which organizes insur - miles north of Sydney). At Ballina there are groups attending ance for its member centres and sets the coaching and safety from a drug rehabilitation centre, Department of Community standards and qualifications for the coaches. Riders pay an Services, Support Services for people with a mental illness and annual affiliation fee of $55 and each aged care facilities. centre is responsible for the fee charged Many coaches are interested in this for the sessions. “I have been involved area of work and are invited to partici - Part of the organizational structure pate in an equine experience first hand is the Coaching and Safety Panel with horses since I was at the Ballina and District Centre. The whose role is to oversee and encourage program offered by the Ballina and the implementation of a quality coach - tiny and know only too District Centre is based on the knowl - ing system which strongly emphasizes edge I gained in the United States the safety of riders, coaches and volun - well the emotional well during my participation in Adventures teers. The Coaching and Safety Panel is in Awareness Workshop with Barbara linked to the Discipline Committees of being they create and Rector, various other workshops and Dressage, Carriage Driving, Vaulting, my own personal experiences with Hippotherapy and Mounted Games. he love they give .” horses throughout my life. Members of these committees plan The program at Tumut is coordi - their activities and provide reports to -Coach Bulger nated by Margot Bulger, Senior Coach the Coaching and Safety Panel. at a Riding for the Disabled Centre in New South Wales. Margot has the support and interest of the New Subcommittee Formed mental health workers in that area. In 2006 a subcommittee on “Equine Facilitated Mental Health” was formed as one of the Discipline Committees of Coach Bulger the Coaching and Safety Panel for Riding for the Disabled My name is Margot Bulger, I am 44 years of age, and a Association New South Wales. Its four subcommittee mem - mother of an adult daughter who is happy and successful, two bers (three coaches—Margot Bulger, Fiona Little and myself beautiful teenage sons and the proud grandmother of two and a psychiatrist, Dr. Jo Shannon) created the Connections very precious granddaughters. I have a fine son-in-law and am Program and provided the following information to coaches the wife of a wonderful giving and caring man. Yes, I am at the Riding For the Disabled centres in New South Wales. extremely lucky. As long as I keep realizing this, I will stay “Connections” is an equine facilitated mental health and centered in my life. Some people aren’t that lucky or don’t experiential learning program in which horses are the pivotal have the life skills to achieve this. That doesn’t mean that they force in creating positive outcomes and benefits. The term will never have a chance and all is hopeless. I believe that “Connections” refers to thoughts, feelings and actions with somewhere in their life there is a positive which they can the co-facilitators (coaches and horses), clients and the wider draw upon. If someone holds out a hand to them, they may community. The clients learn to apply skills they have learned have a chance. into their homes, schools, work places and communities. The I live in a small country town of Tumut in Australia, with purpose of the program is to become more self aware and to a population of 6,500. In the past year we had approximately

8 • Summer 2008 EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION six suicides, the majority of those young males. It terrifies Anne explained that Sue could be a bit erratic especially me that these young lives were wasted and the thought if she was uncomfortable, but she was not violent. Anne becomes more terrifying when I see how little help is avail - wondered if Sue could join RDA (Riding for the Disabled able for them, their families and their schools. The teacher Association). With some trepidation I agreed to meet Sue who brings out a group of teenagers for our Equine and her mum at the RDA Centre. One of my most trusted Facilitated Mental Health program has a saying which is only helpers and I waited after the class to meet them. Luckily we too real, “A community raises a child, not just a family”. had turned the horses out for the day. When Sue arrived I I have been involved with horses since I was tiny and did the same as I do every time someone new comes out know only too well the emotional well being they create and greeted her with a handshake. It was all too much for and the love they give. I am a Senior Coach with Riding for her and we experienced some very bizarre behaviour. Sue’s the Disabled (New South Wales) and have witnessed first- mum assured us that she had never been violent and was so hand the therapeutic benefits horses bring many times over desperate for help we decided to try another day. the past twelve years at our centre in Tumut. Beau’s Gentle Manners Equine Program Offers a Mental Health The next time Sue came out I was very low key and Resource quiet. I slowly introduced her to Beau, a lovely, good natured The Equine Facilitated Mental Health program began quarter horse who stole Sue’s heart. As soon as the smile here in Tumut nearly four years ago, almost completely by came across Sue’s face we knew we could do this. From that chance. I was contacted by the mental health worker, Anne, day on Sue hasn’t had a bad day at RDA. Sue also has sight for teenagers and adolescents from our local Community impairment. One sign of how ill Sue was when she first Health Department. These workers are in high demand in joined us was that the doctor who signed her medical form country areas as are all the resources for young people in didn’t even mention the sight problem. Sue had to spend six need. Anne contacted me saying she had a 16 year old girl months in Sydney while her medication was regulated. Sue who had recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Anne went on the following year and competed at the Royal said that the only thing she could find that Sue (student’s Easter Show in the Mounted Games with Riding for the name has been changed to protect confidentiality) was inter - Disabled. As long as we use only positives and accept that ested in was animals and she thought she would like horses. some days are better than others, she is fine, and yes Beau still holds her heart......

Beau stole Sue’s heart Kerry Johnston is a founding member of the with his quiet manners. Riding for the Disabled Association New South Wales (NSW) Ballina and District Centre on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. She has been coaching at this centre since 1979. She is a Senior Coach and State Assessor with Riding for the Disabled Association NSW and is a member of the Coaching and Safety Panel of Riding for the Disabled Association NSW. In 2000 she travelled to the United States (US) on a Churchill Fellowship to study horse programs for people with mental and behavioural disorders. During this visit she attended the Horses and Healing Workshop at Horse Power with Boo McDaniel in Temple, New Hampshire; Adventures in Awareness Workshop with Barbara Rector in Arizon; and Horse Time with Maureen Vidrine in Atlanta. She also attended workshops and conferences in the United States in 2001 and 2005. She can be reached at kjohn - [email protected] or [email protected]

Editor’s Note Each country uses varying terminology. In the United States we use the term “instructor;” in Australia the term used is “coach.”

EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Continued on page eleven. Summer 2008 • 9 Serves as Model for Equine Facilitated Art of Lteahrneing iHn Upostartes Neew PYorrk ogram By Robin Parow, NARHA Registered Level Instructor

Exploring the world of the horse by combining thera - dents to compare the magical *tolt to Big John’s trot, and peutic riding and art has been an interest of mine for many Black Jack, a Welsh cross, is the class “demo horse” on the years. My college degree in photography provided an artis - longe line and at liberty. tic background to truly see and capture the beauty of the horse, while being a NARHA instructor routinely brings Starting Small with an Eye for Safety and me students who could deepen their experience through Personal Growth expressive art as a conjunct to therapeutic riding sessions. Starting on a small scale with three adult students pro - My desire to provide a venue for adults to experience vided an ideal situation for one-on-one work. Over a period equine activities, riding, and art culminated in the creation of six weeks, we met at the barn just before sunset and of “Art of the Horse” near Albany, New York. worked through the “magic hour”—the time of day when My teaching team includes Pamela Smith, a talented, the sunlight becomes soft and the long, late afternoon shad - licensed art teacher, and my three horses: Big John, a mas - ows turn to dusk. I am fortunate to call a rural valley my sive draft cross, provides safe, comfortable opportunities to classroom, with barn, arenas and paddocks surrounded by a explore bareback riding; Osk, an Icelandic mare, allows stu - frame of farmland and forest. As the sessions progressed from late summer into autumn, we all marveled at the quality of Journaling and sketching help the students draw on the the light, the leaves’ changing colors, and the deepening creativity they feel in the presence of the horses. thickness of the horses’ coats.

10 • Summer 2008 EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Pamela and I discussed students’ needs and progress Osk, the Icelandic Horse, the Beautiful Mare from week to week to ensure an overlap of experience and As I adjusted myself upon her and expression for each participant. Sessions began by setting up walked, at first uneven, then gradually easels, stretching and grooming/tacking a horse. An equine our gait became one. theme, like anatomy, evolution, senses or herd dynamics was discussed. One by one, each student left the group for a Another journal entry described riding Big John: private riding lesson. Pamela worked with the remaining Riding Big John students on drawing and painting techniques as our equine I felt on top of the world, perched on his models stood grazing or looking back at the group. Pam back high above the chirping crickets. His also provided inspiring examples of equine art by the massive, wide back was accepting and Masters, and close up sketches of horse legs and hooves calm, and as he started to walk I adjusted for reference. by sitting deeply, and relaxed as his hips swayed. I could close my eyes confidently. I Providing a Creative Flow between Riding and felt safe, as he was attentive to me as we Artistic Expression walked along. He seemed to be happy to I teach balanced seat riding with no saddle to get in carry me… He was a sweet gentleman. the way of the movement between rider and horse. Riding bareback with a thin pad and surcingle was a challenge for Art Exhibits and Future Plans all three students. Although two of the three women had Closure each week involved discussing the horses, the some riding experience, none were prepared for the move - feelings that surfaced during riding and painting, and an ment and rhythm of Big John’s walk. All were faced with opportunity to share journal entries. A few months later, we the challenge of sitting deep, allowing the therapeutic all met up again to hang an exhibition of student work at a motion to rock them side-to-side and trusting the four local café, providing the opportunity for all of us to regularly strong legs beneath them. Each student addressed the issues visit the paintings and drawings with friends and family; and of trust and control independently. In her own way, each revel in the accomplishments we all shared. met the challenges through various exercises like riding It is my hope to use this class model to expand the pro - with closed eyes and learning to sit the walk with hands on gram to include “Word of the Horse,” combining therapeutic hips, shoulders and helmets without pitching forward or riding with writing short stories, prose and poetry, and “Music tightening the legs. Each student learned to breathe deeply of the Horse,” where the rhythms and gaits of the horses will while riding, and learned to identify when she wasn’t inspire music composition. breathing at all. They learned that halting Big John and Osk simply meant breathing out and sitting deeply, and *Definition of tolt from http://tolt.8m.com/tolt.html that the cue for walking on was merely sitting upright and In addition to the traditional walk, trot and canter, the breathing in. Icelandic Horse performs two extra gaits, the TOLT Big John and I have been a teaching team for 11 years. and FLYING PACE. The tolt is an extremely smooth He knows his job so well that I see his eye and ear switch four-beat gait, much like the running walk that allows between me and the rider as each session progresses. He the rider a virtually bounce-free ride at speeds up to 20 waits to see me begin to back off, allowing the student mph. The tolt is a natural gait, no artificial aids are more independence, and meets them where they are. Both needed and you often see foals tolting in the pasture. he and Osk (a therapy horse in training with only four years on the job) explore space with each rider, adapting to ...... the amount of instruction they are getting from the rider. During one lesson, a student was amazed that turning a Robin Parow is a NARHA instructor horse in a circle was 90% preparation and 10% effort. As who manages a program near Albany, long as she focused, looked where she was going, and New York. Her program provides riding brought her inside shoulder slightly back, Big John lessons and equine activities to both able- turned—without reins! Doing this exercise empowered her: bodied riders and riders with physical her posture changed, her voice became stronger, and her art challenges, ages 3-65. took on a bold style. Over the six-week period, all students progressed to ride bareback independently in the arena and She has been featured on Animal Planet sat comfortably to John’s trot and Osk’s tolt. for animal assisted activities in nursing homes with the country’s first equine to Journaling Adds another Perspective be certified by Delta Society’s Pet After riding, students returned to the group to silently Partners Program. Her therapy horse, Big John, was featured in make journal entries about their riding experience. One Equus magazine, after his transformation from rescue horse into a student expressed a breakthrough in her comfort level and reliable teammate in her therapeutic riding program. Robin can be ability to trust in this entry: reached at [email protected]

EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Summer 2008 • 11 EFMHA “Listserv” Trends

We’ve been calling it our “Listserv” for years, but just as all tissues are not Kleenex and all copiers are not Xerox, EFMHA list Traffic over time not all email groups are LISTSERV ®. EFMHA has an active Yahoo! Group. It isn’t a LISTSERV, but it works somewhat similarly, and regardless of the name, our Yahoo! Group is both useful and engaging.

What’s a Yahoo! Group It's where people with a shared interest meet, get to know each other, and stay informed. Your group gives you instant access to: • Shared message archives • Photos and photo albums • Group event calendars • Member polls and shared links 1

EFMHA has recently looked at the use of our Group from its beginning in May of 2005 through the end of 2008. There has been strong, steady growth over time in the number of members participating and the number of posts, with some occasional spikes. At the end of 2008 we EFMHA list Traffic, Total Posts stood at 769 Group members, and we are still growing. & Average, by Month

To join the EFMHA Group, • Log on to the NARHA website at www.narha.org or to http://heatlth.groups.yahoo.com/group EFMHA-Open/ • Click “more” inside the EFMHA box • Click “join the EFMHA listserv” • If you have a YAHOO! ID just sign in and follow the directions to join the EFMHA Group (“listserv”) • If you don’t have a Yahoo! ID just click on the text that says “Sign Up” • If you have any problems or questions about this process, email Brad Lewis at [email protected]

Be a part of the discussion. Join the EFMHA email Group today!

Listserv Traffic for the Past Three Years

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Totals

2007 70 135 124 121 169 100 295 268 208 143 125 96 386

2006 125 87 129 175 128 112 138 22 73 101 72 78 324

2005 000110 338 157 72 44 55 60 44 74 295

Total 195 222 253 406 635 369 205 334 336 304 241 248 1. www.yahoo.com

12 • Summer 2008 EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Green Chimneys to host EFMHA Pre-conference at the NARHA National Conference October 28, 2008 EFMHA is excited to announce that Green Chimneys will host this year’s EFMHA Pre-conference workshop in Brewster, New York, October 28, 2008. The Annual NARHA-EFMHA Conference is scheduled for Oct 29–Nov 1, 2008 in Hartford, CT, with more EFMHA forums and equine facilitated mental health and learning seminars. Green Chimneys is a pioneer in providing animal assisted therapy in a residential treatment setting for children. Check the Conference section of the NARHA website for more details as they become available at www.narha.org.

The 2008 EFMHA Pre-Conference Workshop participants will gain a programmatic overview of how Green Chimneys (a NARHA Premier Accredited Center) provides a variety of treatment services to students with special needs and maintains a therapeutic milieu that incorporates animals, plants and nature.

The presentation will introduce a brief history, theoretical foundation and extensive tour of the program. In addition it will examine detailed aspects of how animal assisted therapy, animal assisted activities, horticultural therapy and nature based therapy are conceived, applied and evaluated by a variety of profes - sionals (including special education teachers, psychotherapists, social workers, speech therapists and occupational therapists) in order to support and enhance the educational, social, emotional and medical treatment of 180 children ages 5–15 who have been identified as having psychological, social emotional or behavioral special needs.

This workshop is ideal for the educator, mental health professional or other practitioner interested in implement - ing a diversified nature-based program for special populations. While working with horses will be an integral part of the presentation, this is a unique opportunity for both EFMHA and NARHA members to experience a more integrated approach to working with the world of nature in a therapeutic setting. Come join us for this exception - al workshop followed by the NARHA National Conference and Annual Meeting, October 29-November 1.

The cost of the pre-conference workshop is $145 for EFMHA members and $175 for non-members. The fee includes lunch and transportation from the Hartford Marriott Downtown Hotel to Green Chimneys (about 90 minutes away).

EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Summer 2008 • 13 EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

For Further information on these Events please contact: Leigh Shambo, MSW Phone Number: (360) 266-0778 Email: [email protected] Website: www.humanequinealliance.org

STROZZI RANCH

HUMAN-EQUINE Sept 29–Oct 3, 2008 ALLIANCES FOR Sonoma County, California, USA LEARNING (HEAL) Equine Guided Education- 1 This program is ideal for folks who want July 11–13, 2008 to expand their experience and knowl - Bellingham, Washington, USA edge of equine behavior and communi - The Horse-Human Connection: cation and who want to focus on refin - Equine-assisted Psychotherapy and ADVENTURES IN ing their personal and professional goals. Learning AWARENESS January 29–31, 2009 August 15–1,7 2008 July 30–August 3, 2008 Sonoma County, California, USA Chehalis, Washington USA Blacktail Ranch 5th Annual Big Sky Horse Conference Energy and Grace: The Horse-Human Wolf Creek, Montana,USA Connection HEART BEATS AND HOOF BEATS: For further information on these events: Practicing the Art of Presence Contact: Ariana Strozzi September 6–8, 2008 Facilitators: Melissa Shandley, Laurie www.strozziranch.com Cornwall, England Levon and Barbara Rector www.equineguiededucation.org The Horse-Human Connection: Revitalize your self while experiencing 707-876-1908 Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy and the creative gifts of expressive arts with Learning the help of horses. This workshop involves at least two days of riding on September 12–14, 2008 well-seasoned ranch horses. Educational Opportunities Near Newtown, Powys in Wales have not necessarily been Invisible Horsemanship™: Riding from ADVENTURES IN AWARENESS reviewed by NARHA or Inside AT ESPERANZA STABLES EFMHA and should not be September 17–21, 2008 considered sponsored or September 19–21, 2008 Sonoita, Arizona, USA endorsed by EFMHA or Gloucestershire, England Facilitation Skills Taking the Reins: Healing Human Residential experiential learning and NARHA. They are offered Trauma with Horses practice with core essential elements of here as an informational Adventures in Awareness. 55 minutes service to our members. See 2009 southeast of the Tucson airport in the the last page of EFMHA June 15–20, 2009 high cool country. News to submit information Chehalis, Washington, USA Contact [email protected] HEAL Facilitator Training Program for on your own events in EFL (Equine Facilitated Learning) INTEGRAL HORSE MAPPING entries of 250 words or less. Onsite instruction weeks; four-month Spring, 2009 program also includes distance learning Apache Springs Ranch Anyone who submits an edu - and individualized mentoring Sonoita, Arizona, USA cational opportunity must Train the Trainers seminar in Integral be a current NARHA- October 19–24, 2009 Horse-Mapping with Gerhard & Karin Chehalis, Washington, USA Krebs of Erbach, Germany. EFMHA member, and if they HEAL Facilitator Training Program for Empowering process working with the have a website, EFMHA EFL (Equine Facilitated Learning) horses for clinicians, educators, horse must be mentioned on it Onsite instruction weeks; four-month professionals and life coaches. and listed on any links page. program also includes distance learning For morew information & to register: and individualized mentoring www.adventuresinawareness.net

14 • Summer 2008 EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Fall is nearly here, show your colors!

Visit the EFMHA website to purchase stylish and durable clothing that shows our EFMHA pride! From extra-heavy, 100% cotton shirts embroidered with the EFMHA logo to hats, warm vests and hooded jersey jackets you can wear for work or play, the beautiful stone washed colors or rich hues make our EFMHA brand colors pop!

Purchase your EFMHA wearables at the National Conference, or go the NARHA Store. www.narha.org

I would like to become an EFMHA Membership Level: EFMHA member! Ë EFMHA Professional Membership $70 (NARHA Individual Membership Ë I am already a NARHA member. also included) Please add EFMHA section to my membership $25

Ë My gift in the amount of ______is enclosed. Please check one: Name______ Ë Check enclosed payable to NARHA. Ë MasterCard Ë Visa Ë AmExp Company/Center Name______Card#______Exp _____ Address______Signature______City/State______Zip______NARHA Home Phone______PO Box 33150 Work Phone______Denver, CO 80233 (800) 369-RIDE (7433) Fax______(303) 452-1212 FAX (303) 252-4610 E-mail______www.narha.org

EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION Summer 2008 • 15 Too Hot to Trot? If the heat is keeping you from enjoying your summer with a horse, please consider a gift to EFMHA instead. It is a cool thing to do for yourself and for EFMHA. Ë $25 Ë $50 Ë $100 Ë Other______

EFMHA News Needs You! Our newsletter is a primary way that we can communicate with each other, offering ideas, questions, answers, and opinions. It is important to fill our newsletter with information that is of interest to you, our members. What would you like to see in these pages, and more importantly, what can you contribute? Please share your writings and photos on the following: • Rider/Client Profiles • Therapy Issues • The Nuts & Bolts/Oats & Picks of Teaching • Mental Health Related Items • Events at your Center • Photographs of your program • Creative Writing/Art by Riders/Clients • Profile of your Services • Favorite Lesson Activities Please submit any of the above for consideration by January 10, April 10, or August 10 of each year to: Pam Kaster, email: [email protected] or phone: (225) 658-2323 Eliza Love, email: [email protected] for submissions to Educational Oppurtunities For details of submission, see Guidelines for Authors on the NARHA/EFMHA website: www.narha.org/SecEFMHA/EFMHA_Author_Guidelines.htm Thank You!

North American Riding for the Handicapped Association NON-PROFIT ORG. EFMHA News U.S. POSTAGE P.O. Box 33150 PAID Denver, CO 80233 USA BROOMFIELD, CO PERMIT #74

16 • Summer 2008 EQUINE FACILITATED MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION