Many centuries ago, Hippocrates, an outstanding Greek physician had documented the therapeutic value of riding and made clear that the practice of equine therapy was beneficial in treating certain illnesses. And now, well into the 21st Century, equine therapy is still practiced with unbelievably positive outcomes.
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation, the process of completely overcoming addiction to drugs and alcohol willfully and not going into a relapse, takes place in innumerable ways. While medical detoxification and recovery with a group and individual therapy is the norm, many of the best inpatient drug rehab centers now provide facilities that were previously considered unconventional treatment options. These, for example, include the use of the fitness center, playing tennis, basketball, or other sports, participating in hiking, swimming, snowboarding, whitewater rafting, music and art therapy, and also associated therapies like acupuncture, massage, hydrotherapy, chiropractic treatments, yoga, meditation, and even equine therapy.
Equine therapy refers to treatments involving activities with horses and other equines to promote the physical and mental health of humans. But what is the connection between horses and drug & alcohol rehabilitation? Horses are social animals that live in herds. Since a horse’s life in the herd depends upon its relationship with the others in the group, they communicate well. They understand body language, react/respond to moods and even the tone of voices. Research proves that working with horses under the guidance of trained professionals in a therapeutic environment results in benefiting patients who are in rehabilitative care.
Listed here are 6 benefits of equine therapy on patients undergoing drug and alcohol rehabilitation:
- Bonding opportunities
Horses detect subtle emotions of people and behave with them correspondingly. This means patients undergoing equine therapy have to be present at the moment, observe and pay close attention to the animal and the activity they are participating in together.
- Creates peace and calm
Equine therapy works positively for patients going through rehabilitation because, in order to interact with a horse, their communication must be simple and clear, their posture and body language positive and their moods calm.
- Teaches respect
Interacting with an animal that expresses clearly its needs and boundaries teaches patients to show respect and have reasonable expectations from not just this bond but between other relationships too.
- Rebuilds self-confidence
Also, horses are non-judgemental. Hence people coping with de-addiction and putting in efforts for rehabilitation regain their confidence, without fear of criticism or rejection.
- Develops patience and trust
Developing a relationship with a horse, or any animal, requires enormous patience, trust, love, and accountability. This builds self-confidence, encouragement, and hope in individuals going through therapy for drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
- Social interaction
Interactions with horses teaches patients how to interact with people too, to be accepting, disciplined, confident and cooperative. Drug and alcohol rehabilitation is simply not abstaining from vices but goes deeper to reclaim the lives of people lost to addiction and create hope and optimism for a better quality of life.
