The Healing Hooves Blog
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Keep your Equine Therapists, and Practice, Thriving in Winter Weather
Keeping an equine therapy practice running year round can be quite an endeavor when you live in Canada, but it is possible. Learn what you need to think about to keep your animals – and your practice – healthy during cold weather.
One (Horse) Step Removed: The Gentle Power of Being Indirect
“Why won’t she share this with us?”“How can I get him to tell me what he’s feeling?”“I just don’t know what I’m feeling.”I hear these concerns regularly in my practice from parents, from spouses, from people seeking support for themselves. It seems to be...
Take Our Pony Personality Quiz – Which One Are YOU?
Welcome to the Healing Hooves Pony Personality Quiz! This is a short, simple and fun quiz to help you determine which Healing Hooves Pony Personality you are the most like. Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) that fits you best for each question below. If two fit...
Attachment Theory
This explanation and review of attachment theory explains a key aspect of the theory underpinning the approach followed at Healing Hooves. It is a good read for anyone interested in attachment theory, whether as a part of an equine therapy approach or elsewhere.
Top Ten Attachment Friendly Books for Children
Reading stories together can be a wonderful ways to connect with our kids. It can also help us address areas of concern or need without overwhelming a child or triggering defenses. Th books on this list have been tried and tested at Healing Hooves and are both attachment friendly and simply great books which kids love!
Top Ten Attachment Friendly Books for Parents
A key goal at Healing Hooves is to support parents in ways which are informed by attachment theory and, of course, by all we learn from and experience with our animals. We hope this list of our favourite parenting books helps!
Why Horses: Relatable Role Models
Close enough to be relatable, yet distinct enough to show us a different option. Through a real life example, learn how horses can be powerful role models and teachers, inviting us to a place of emotional congruence and well being.
Horse Lessons: Animals and Psychoeducation
“All I need to know, I learned from my horse …” Explore how and why to draw on the human animal bond to create psychoeducation opportunities, both within an animal assisted therapy program and at home.
Why Horses: All We Have in Common – and Not
We share much in common with horses and other mammals – including many of our emotions. Read how these similarities – as well as the ways we differ – can be drawn upon to both enhance the effectiveness of counselling and wellness approaches, and to explain why so many of us find it healing to simply have animals in our life.
Why Horses: Making it Safe to Show Up
Many of us have good reason NOT to seek help; to say “I’m fine’ when we’re not. We may have experienced relationships and the helping professions as unsafe. But we can’t even begin to seek and receive, or provide, help or support unless something provides the motivation and safety needed to show up – both physically and emotionally – and trust someone, despite all the reasons not to. This article explores how and why horses are often that ‘something’.