Creative Achievement Academy is partnering with Taking the Reins, Inc. to bring an Equine Assisted Therapy Program to students. Through this program students interact directly with horses to build social and character skills under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals and EAGALA trained instructors.
The therapeutic effects of human/equine interaction are becoming an increasingly mainstream tool to to promote communication and healthy relationships in individuals who suffer from social, emotional, and behavioral disorders.
Equine Assisted Therapy can be an effective tool in treating Autism, ADHD/ADD, Reactive Attachment Disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Students will develop in areas such as confidence, responsibility, communication, and healthy relationships.
EAGALA Model
Creative Achievement Academy will be using the EAGALA model of Equine Therapy to bring this new and innovative program to our students. The EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) model uses ground based equine activities and exercises to bring about personal growth and change in the participants through their personal experience with the horses.
This model utilizes a Licensed Mental Health Professional, an EAGALA Trained Equine Specialist and horses to create a team approach to individual and group therapy. Horses have the unique ability to sense and react to human emotions, making them an invaluable partner in a therapy program.
Why Horses?
Horses are very much like humans in that they are social animals. They have defined roles within their herds and would rather be with their peers. Horses have distinct personalities, attitudes, and moods.
An approach that seems to work with one horse does not necessarily work with another. At times, they seem stubborn and defiant. They like to have fun.
In other words, horses provide vast opportunities for metaphorical learning. Using metaphors, in discussions or activities, is an effective technique when working with even the most challenging individuals and groups.
“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man”
~Winston Churchill