(Horse) Play in a Pandemic
Who has the time or energy to play right now? Our animals do, and they can help us out! We revisit here the importance of play – especially in the midst of a worldwide pandemic when play may be being squeezed out
Three Steps a Day
Join me in my commitment to talking three simple steps a day which will hopefully make life a little brighter during this difficult time. As always I’ll be turning to our animals as role models, guides and for some inspiration for putting this commitment into practice!
Horse Play – Part Two
This final article in our “Why Horses’ series continues the discussion on play, exploring two key benefits play can provide for our emotional health and well being, and three ways animals can help us find more true play in our lives and in the lives of those we care about.
Horse Play: part one!
As humans, and especially as adults, we may have lost sight of what ‘true’ play is and why it matters. Fortunately our animals remember. This two part article explores what we mean by true play, how it benefits us, and how our animals can help us find our way back to play.
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...
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’.
Why Horses: Understanding the Research
The benefits to humans of being with and around animals are well documented and supported by research. This article explores three key explanations for this: The Biophilia Hypothesis, the Social Lubricant Effect, and the Person Centred Conditions of Congruence, Unconditional Positive Regard and Empathy.
Why Horses (or dogs, or cats …)?
Why are so many of us drawn towards working, healing or simply just ‘being’ with these magnificent animals? This post introduces a newly updated series within which we will aim to shed light on that age old question: Why Horses?
An Argument Against Animal Experimentation
This article was written by my daughter and makes several important arguments relevant for any field that involves animals, including a discussion of the evidence supporting animal sentience.