LEAD Contributors

Information and insight from LEAD staff and volunteers.

Surround Yourself in Kindness

This entry was posted in LEAD Contributors and tagged behavioral health equine assisted healing herd kindness may is mental health month mental health on May 4, 2023 by Louise Sutherland-Hoyt

There have been many studies on what causes humans to feel bad and why it is that people go to see mental health professionals. We have a mountain of research about depression, anxiety, trauma, addictions and too many other mental health “disorders” to count. And because of this, we also have hundreds of drug remedies that have been developed, manufactured, and prescribed for what ails us, making it oh so simple to medicate ourselves to mental health. It’s only been in the past 10 years or so, however, that research has focused upon the things that we do for the good of others (which ultimately comes back to ourselves) in our communities and how those acts benefit our sense of well-being. LEAD with Horses understands that medications have their place in the treatment of many Mental Health disorders and takes the position that the decision whether or not to take medications as prescribed is made between you and your doctor.

Having said this, we would like to share a few things that we know about some holistic ways to achieve a greater sense of wholeness and well-being. First up: Kindness. Did you know that simple gestures of kindness, whether random or on purpose, has a positive relationship with overall well-being and better health? Have you ever picked up the tab in a restaurant for a veteran or someone in the military? Have you ever paid someone you did not know a compliment? Hold the door for the person behind you? Volunteer for your favorite charity? How do these acts of kindness affect your sense about yourself as a person?

Research continues to demonstrate that acts of Kindness have been shown to increase self- esteem, empathy, and compassion, and to improve mood. Habitual acts of Kindness can decrease blood pressure and stress hormones, the ones that directly impact stress levels. People who give of themselves in a balanced way also tend to be healthier and live longer. Kindness can increase your sense of connectedness with others, which can directly minimize loneliness, improve mood, and enhance relationships in general. It also can be contagious! Looking for ways to show kindness can give you a focus activity, especially if you tend to be anxious or stressed in some social situations.

Every day as we observe our Healing Herd, we notice the subtle and not so subtle ways the horses show kindness to one another, by instinct, and without an agenda or desire for a return on their good will.

At the LEAD with Horses after school program, the children learn about being kind in their classes and they apply what they have learned outdoors among the horses. This is such a perfect set-up because horses are unique in their ability to hold space in kindness and to reflect their responses. Sometimes they will blow out when kids show their kindness, or they will walk right up to a kid and follow around without being coaxed by a treat. A study conducted in 2010 showed that horses remembered how an individual human behaved towards them based on just one interaction, even as long as eight months later, and behaved better with handlers who used positive handling techniques, such as stroking or speaking in a soft voice.

We invite you to pay us a visit to see our set-up and meet our Healing Herd and learn how you and your family can benefit from learning through horses.

For more information about kindness and mental health, a few links to help.

How Horses Show Kindness
https://www.thebrooke.org/about-us/horses-and-affection

Across the Pond
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/kindness#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20we%20found%20that,impact%20on%20their%20mental%20health

From the American Psychological Association
https://www.apa.org/news/apa/kindness-mental-health

From the Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-art-of-kindness

Introduction to Mental Health Month

This entry was posted in LEAD Contributors and tagged behavioral health environment equine assisted counseling equine assisted psychotherapy horses mental health mental health awareness on May 1, 2023 by Louise Sutherland-Hoyt

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we at LEAD with Horses are encouraging our staff, volunteers, and the children and families we serve to look closely around and look deep within. From your home, yard, and neighborhood to genetics, many factors come into play when it comes to emerging mental health conditions. We and our Healing Herd encourage everyone to consider how the world around us affects our mental health and overall well-being.

This month we will be exploring how environment affects our state of well-being for both horses AND humans. We will look at how simple changes to our surroundings can make a world of difference in levels of stress, anxiety, or depression. And, of course, we are all more than eager to provide you with what you need to know about how working with our Healing Herd can improve the overall sense of well-being in relationships among family members and with peers and/or co-workers.

At LEAD with Horses, the environment we provide for our herd fosters a healthy and clean-living environment where the horses can be outdoors with lots of room to romp around and play as well as shelter from harsh weather.

As we post information about Mental Health, Horses, and our surroundings, we hope you will be surprised and amazed at how similar the little things are that benefit both horses and humans! You will appreciate knowing how horses also experience mental health conditions of their own and learning that they’re not so different from humans.

Welcome Quest and Red

This entry was posted in LEAD Contributors and tagged equine assisted learning equine assisted psychotherapy horses rocky mountain horse therapy horse on May 1, 2023 by Jeane

LEAD with Horses recently welcomed two new horses to our herd:

Quest is a lovely 18-year-old Appaloosa. The first thing most people notice is his unusual silver color, called grulla. Quest is proving to be quite sweet and clever.

Red is a 13-year-old Rocky Mountain – the third Rocky Mountain Horse in our herd! (Gina and Lucas are also RM horses) He is a stocky boy who appears to take things slow. His playful nature is coming out now that he is comfortable in his new home.

Both horses have adjusted quickly, have been integrated into the herd, and we hope they will be ready to be part of our summer term. We look forward to seeing what these two lovely horses will offer to our students.

These two will be available to sponsor soon! Watch our horses page for important updates.

Connection LEADs to Generalization

This entry was posted in LEAD Contributors on November 28, 2015 by Casey Wold

When I worked in a clinical setting as a behavioral consultant, I often wondered, “how will this child generalize these discrete skills and use them in everyday life?” No matter how much progress a child would make in a clinical setting, it seemed to always circle back to the big question of generalization to their wider environment.

Horses have always been an integral part of my life. Through countless experiences with my equine partners, I have learned that connection and passion really are the catalyst for learning and true generalization to take place. Through work with LEAD, I am able to combine the love and respect I have for horses and all they have to offer, with my strong passion for teaching skills to children on the Autism spectrum that will enhance their whole life.

Every child comes to our program with a unique set of strengths and challenges. Each of these strengths and challenges are used to guide the equine-assisted learning process, and we pride ourselves on customizing programs unique to the individual child. Although each individual program may “look” and “feel” different, it will always start with a big emphasis on connection and trust.

A child’s trust and connection with his or her equine partner paves the way for so much learning and real skill development to take place. It is very rare for us to see a client who is not excited to come to the ranch and work with his or her equine partner. The excitement, passion, connection, and motivation to learn are the huge differences I see between equine-assisted learning and more traditional modalities.

Circling back to the question that prompted this entry: how will all of this generalize into everyday life? To answer this, I think it is important to understand why and how equine-assisted learning works.

Horses are social animals, and read and respond to even the most acute nonverbal exchanges. This provides a very organic vantage point to explore abstract concepts such as relationships, communication, behavioral organization, and follow through. The level of acuity of social responses a horse gives is very difficult to contrive through traditional modalities. The organic exchanges that happen between horse and human, coupled with the connection our clients establish and nourish with their equine partners, provides endless opportunities for very practical social and behavioral skill development.

All of this functional hands-on practice, partnered with a sincere connection and motivation to work with a horse, lends itself for a child to generalize skills more organically, effectively, and easily. Put simply, connection leads to generalization.

Why?

This entry was posted in LEAD Contributors on September 2, 2015 by Jeane

I was recently asked, “Why a horse program?” I replied with an explanation of what we do, whom we serve, and even the benefits of the work. But I did not fully answer the question, and it is an important question. The short answer is that every child deserves a chance to thrive.

All youth needs an opportunity to explore, attain, and reach beyond their potential. Yet so many programs, schools, approaches, and activities leave children behind. Too many children are not thriving, but instead are struggling in traditional settings. Not only are they not reaching their potential, the potential is not even acknowledged.

The reality is that every child has strengths, every child has abilities, every child has the capacity to thrive. How do we tap into these assets? How do we encourage positive development?

We take a positive approach. We work from a strengths based perspective rather than deficit view. We encourage and build and support. We provide an environment that cultivates creativity and exploration, risk-taking, and decision-making.

People who believe in the individual and collective strength of our youth created LEAD. We believe in equine assisted education and therapy because we have seen it work. We know this approach nurtures young people and helps them develop as individuals and members of our community. Children are recognized as valuable individuals with something to offer.

Youth are expected to take an active role in their development as partners with a horse. The program environment is one of growth and support, and participants are encouraged to try new things, learn from their mistakes, and have fun while gaining new skills and knowledge.

Youth expand their world, learn to care for others, develop relationships, improve their cognitive and social abilities; gain confidence; and develop character in a physically, intellectually, and emotionally stimulating environment that provides safe spaces to grow, learn, and enjoy life.

Then they can thrive!

Positive Change Through Horses