How Equine Therapy Builds Hope for People with Disabilities
Equine therapy is more than just an activity – it’s an opportunity for personal growth, confidence-building, and emotional connection. In Flight’s Catskill Day Habilitation Program participants have had the chance to work with horses at Breezy Lawn Farms, learning essential life skills such as patience, responsibility, and communication. The bond between individuals and horses fosters a sense of trust and self-awareness, helping them develop skills that carry over into their daily lives.
Life-changing programs like Equine Therapy are not covered by Medicaid. They rely entirely on the generosity of our community. However, for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, working with animals has shown a decrease in challenging behaviors and significant stress reduction, and promotes overall mental health. Moreover, engaging with horses helps individuals develop communication and employable skills, just like Titus has in our program.
Titus’s Story: Growth Through Connection
When Titus first started, he struggled with focusing and following the directions of the handlers.While working with horses, you must be vigilant about what the handlers are telling you about your safety and the animals. For Titus, following directions, focusing, and being patient can be difficult. Through each session, however, Titus developed more patience, self-control, and listening skills. He learned communication and safety go together, and for both him and the horses to work together, he must listen to both the horse and their handlers. The bond he formed with caring for the horses and the staff at Breezy Lawn Farms became a source of motivation and joy – he looked forward to every session, excited to learn and grow.
This program gave Titus more than just a fun experience – it provided him with a foundation for success in other areas of his life. He made significant improvements in life-skill areas such as communication as well as self-regulation. Titus’s progress shows just how essential programs like equine therapy are in helping individuals with I/DD build upon needed life skills and build confidence.
Jamell’s Story: Overcoming Fear, Building Trust
For Jamell, the idea of working with horses was intimidating at first. A tall man himself, he wasn’t used to being around things that were taller than him – and these horses were huge. At first, he was hesitant, unsure about getting close to them. But through the patience and support of the staff, and by pushing his own boundaries, Jamell slowly started to trust – not just the horses, but himself.
Session by session, he gained confidence. He learned how to approach the horses, how to communicate with them, and most importantly, how to trust that he was capable of handling something outside his comfort zone. Now, instead of seeing their size as something overwhelming, he sees them as powerful partners in his journey.
Equine Therapy: A Program Worth Sustaining
Titus and Jamell’s growth happened because of equine therapy in just a few short months. Imagine what can be accomplished with more time and more people in our program utilizing this form of therapy. This program fosters patience, confidence, and emotional growth. These skills carry over into everyday life and may regress if not continued. However, at this time, we cannot continue to provide this therapy again due to a lack of sustainable funding.
Be the Reason This Program Continues
The only way programs like this can continue is through the generosity of our community. By becoming a Hope Builder – a member of our Multi-Year Giving Society – you ensure that individuals like Titus and Jamell have access to life-changing experiences. By giving just $10 a month, you create a reliable stream of support that makes programs like equine therapy possible. This is not just today for today, but for years to come.
Help us build hope this Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month – take action! Join In Flight’s Multi-Year Giving Society and be part of something that truly changes lives.
Help us reach our goal of 20 Hope Builders!
