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.