In much of what we do, we wish to understand the significance of our activities, how they

contribute to others, and what these actions achieve. There are so many stories that describe the

success of equestrian assisted therapy and how many lives have been changed.

We would like here, to present a different aspect, the point of view of the therapist who is largely

responsible for a long journey of treatment, success and realization.

The connection with the patient

Taken from a conversation with the therapist- – “I try to identify with each of the patients, to

understand and sense them so that I will be able to understand their needs. From my point of

view, the relationship with the patient, gaining their trust, is the most important thing in

treatment. A good therapist can treat a person without ever giving them a feeling that it’s

treatment. That is how we can achieve significant change in patients of various ages, including

people with head injuries, developmental disorders –PDD or congenital diseases. The treatment

we offer with horses, is holistic therapy that relates to body and mind simultaneously, regardless

of the stated purpose of the treatment.”

Patients are not “disabled” – “I don’t see the patients as having disabilities, but as healthy people

dealing with a problem… I won’t let them feel inferior to others. That is a major achievement in

itself…”

The therapist mediates between the patient and the horse

The responsibility of the therapist is so great, the success of the treatment depends on the

therapist’s ability to get the horse to be 100% focused during therapy and to adjust to the

patient’s pace. This adaptation by the therapist leads to success of the therapy.

A unique feeling of contentment

Taken from a conversation with one of the Center’s therapists – “When I succeeded at my

previous job, some years ago, I felt successful when we finished a project or ended a long

process of developing software etc. I thought I could identify the feeling of the joy of success… I

didn’t understand how little I knew. Today, when I take a patient, and together we go on a long

journey to change his way of life, we experience success in every session. “Small Successes”

that impact a person’s life, that enable a patient to carry out basic activities which he could not

do before he began therapy. The joy of these achievements grants true meaning to our work.