A horse is powerful indeed, and in our community, horses are a therapeutic tool for individuals with special needs. Children have said their first words on the back of a horse, adults gained confidence and independence while grooming, and the volunteers hearts have been touched by the impact they see each day. HorsePower provided 1,662 therapy sessions to 110 participants last year. One participant noted:
I’m a veteran who’s received services from HorsePower. I can say without a doubt that my PTSD treatment and overall healing journey would not be where it is without them. The first time I worked with them was a two-day retreat for veterans. This was my first experience physically being around horses without a barrier between us. We talked about our fears and then considered that the horses may be just as anxious to see what will happen next. As we talked about the traits of horses – their prey responses, herd mentality, and body language – it gave us invaluable language with which to translate and talk about our own experiences. My work with my individual therapist (who was actually present at the retreat!) absolutely ignited into new levels of understanding, identification, and processing of my issues.
- Former Navy Service Member
Your support of Sioux Empire United Way helps individuals across our community experience the power of the horse. To learn more about HorsePower visit their website.