Mental health issues really seem to be on the increase in recent times. Perhaps this is due to our fast paced lives, or the fact that with all our new Technology we seem to spending less time in nature or with actual face to face social interaction, other than the kind we get with a device. Here I am going to share with you my 5 Top Reasons Why Horses are good for the soul.
1. The Freedom of Horses
“In Riding A Horse We Borrow Freedom“
Helen Thompson
Ever since I was a Pony Crazed Kid, I believed completely in my heart, that Riding my horse gave me great freedom. I came from the city and it was a big ask to get a pony, as we were not in slightest bit wealthy. Thankfully the Gods saw fit to grace me with the care of a Dun Connemara gelding, a hardy chap called Sandy, nickname phrase, “Sandy, Sandy, Sugar Candy”. Sandy was not only eye candy but was the ultimate dream of this pony mad girl. This gorgeous pony helped me come out of my shell and meet other Kids at Pony Club, and that is where my real sense of freedom kicked in.
For some reason my mother, who needed to know where I was every second of the day when I was in the city, would happily drop me off at the Stables early in the morning, and collect me late in the evening, giving me the day to spend with Sandy and my Pony Club Pals as I liked.
We would take long hacks up the Dublin Mountains to Hell Fire Club, Tell Jokes, jump the picnic tables(luckily with no one sitting at them), all while learning and sharing knowledge of how to groom, plait and care for our Ponies. This time all passed while having incredible water fights on those long hot summer days that seemed to last an eternity. My Pony Club Days were some of the most wonderful days of my life, I gained a great education, all while spending a wonderful time in the company of some Amazing Ponies and Pony Friends with fun sleepovers in a tent on a lawn telling spooky stories, along with the odd Midnight Feast!
For sure the freedom those days taught me were food for the soul and I reckon that any child, teenager or Horse Mad Adult that gets to do even some of those things that I recall, will agree, that in Riding a Horse we do indeed borrow freedom and that freedom is food for the Equestrian’s Soul.
2. Social Interaction
“Use Each Interaction to Be the Best Most Powerful Version of Yourself.”
Marianne Williamson
Social Interaction with our horse and other people is so important for our mental health. If you keep your horse at a livery yard, this allows you social interaction not only with your horse but with other horse mad people. This is a great way to meet new people with similar interests and also meet friends that will be fun company as you and your Favourite Horse head off over the hills on leisurely hacks or trail rides. Commercial yards offer the opportunity for extra training and also for learning and sharing information, which I believe is so beneficial for equestrians.
However, if you keep your horse at home, remember just getting out and being with your horse and giving them a groom is social interaction. Plus horses are a herd creature and grooming each other is important part of their social interactions, so make it an important part of your social interaction with your horse. I love grooming my horses, I usually spend ages chatting to them and they have become accustomed to the fact that I will occasionally hug and kiss them and they don’t seem to mind, some of them actually demand it.
Even when you keep your horse at home this doesn’t stop you meeting up with a friend for a long trail ride, or going for a lesson or attending riding club training or competition events. All these activities are so important for your mental health, believe it or not humans also thrive with social interaction we were never meant to live solitary lives, glued to a computer screen or our phone. So I believe horses help us improve our social lives.
3. Spending Time in Nature
“Being able to smell the fresh air and disconnect from the news and your phone—there’s nothing like it.”
Jason Ward
Getting out and about with our horses normally allows us to spend time in nature. Not only are we connecting with another living being, our horse, but when we go out on a hack across the hills, that’s when I believe the real magic begins. Taking those long trail rides up hill and down dale, allows us time to unwind and connect with both our horse and nature. The next time you are on a hack, remember to engage all your senses, feel the movement of the horse as you both amble along, listen for birds, breathe in the rich scents of nature and your noble stead, notice how green the leaves are or how blue the sky is. I really believe there is no better way for a horse person to relax and unwind.
4. Horse Therapy
“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of man.”
Winston Churchill
Let’s face it, if you are a crazy mad horse person, you no doubt feel the same as I do; I believe Horses are one of the most beautiful creatures on this big amazing blue planet. When I go out to spend time with my horse, even if I have been in a sullen mood all day, I put a smile on my face, and greet him as the best friend he is.
It has been scientifically proven that horses and other animals can read body language and facial expressions, so I do my utmost to greet my dear friend with all the pleasantries he rightfully deserves. But do you know, as I spend time in his company, grooming him and getting him ready for our ride, chatting to him and checking him over. Suddenly I start to feel better, because I realise that just being in the company of my wonderful horse is Horse Therapy! By the time we have finished our exercise, I am a new woman, feeling happier and renewed. Perhaps it’s the fact the every horse is a Therapy Horse, offering up regular Horse Therapy Sessions to their owner. Let’s face it, we can chatter away to them and scratch them and they don’t seem to mind, once we are being kind to them. It gives us humans a way of getting stuff off our chest so to speak, all while spending time in the company of one of the most Beautiful, Amazing, Clever and Trusting Animals on this planet. Sign me up for Horse Therapy Every Day Please😊
5. Horses Are The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of.
We can all watch films such as Avatar or How to Train Your Dragon, yes I am a Big Old Kid;-) After watching these amazing spectacles of cinema, you may think to yourself, how cool it would be to ride on the back of such a magical beast. However, remember that having a Gallop through the fields on your favourite horse gives you a similar experience.
Stop for a minute and close your eyes and just imagine you and your horse galloping across a wide open plain on a beautiful sunny day, feeling the wind in your hair, hearing the thunder of their hooves and your horse’s breath as you travel, all while sharing this exhilarating experience with one of the most magical creatures that this planet has to offer!
It is an Absolute Fact, Horses are Good for the Soul! So remember to cherish each and every moment with your favourite Equine, and treat every interaction with them as the magical experience it truly is, because my Equestrian Friend, Horses Are The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of!