MSU’s Equine Therapy Helps Individuals and Families through “healing” Power of Horse, Rider Connection
Under this arena roof at the Mississippi State Horse Park, lives are being enriched and changed… for the better. The MSU Extension Equine Assisted Therapy programs help adults, teens and children alike. Alta Knizley’s daughter, Addley is nonverbal, but since attending equine therapy sessions has started communicating in other ways.
“She’s non‑verbal, and since we’ve been coming here, she had never really done much with hand signals or really much mirroring or anything like that,” said Knizley. “And since she’s been working primarily with Makayla, she’s learned to give a high five, yeah, and a fist bump. Yeah, so she’s really just improved a lot in her non‑verbal communication being here.”
The adjustment to the horses varies depending on the rider, but Matt Molina says his daughter Nora took to the animals almost immediately. Now, it’s one of her favorite activities.
“It took about five minutes for her, and then once she was up on it, she really just kind of took a liking to it,” said Molina. “It’s kind of the energy that the human has the horse feels, and it’s just they’re kind of one big being when they’re riding. So, it’s just a neat thing to observe.”
That’s what makes equine therapy so unique. No matter who is riding, what they may be experiencing in their life. The horses have a way of knowing how to help.
“I’ve heard people say that it’s magic or things like that,” said Lori Irvin, Equine Assisted Services Director. “I really believe that God works through these horses to heal people and that God created horses to help people heal.”
Lori Irvin is director of MSU Extension’s Equine Assisted Services, but prior to this role, she volunteered in the program and is a certified therapeutic riding instructor.
“They’re each individually made to have a lower heart rate than us, so they help us lower our heart rate. Their nervous system can help calm our nervous system down, especially people that are dysregulated like maybe people with emotional things or children with disabilities or people in recovery,” said Irvin. “Almost all of us are dysregulated at one time or another and horses just do that by being in their presence, and so I think that’s divinely inspired.”
And word has spread about the program. The number of volunteers has risen each of the last two years. Now, they are trying to do more.
“The goal is to make more impact to be able to make the program expand so that we’re creating more ability, if you will, for people to get involved. It’s really a conundrum because you’re working with five or six or seven people,” said Dr. Clay Cavinder, MSU Extesion Service horse specialist. “That’s enough to help those people, but if we can help 10 or 12 or 15 at a time, obviously, that’s what we want to do.”
Currently, the program works with veterans, those suffering from addictions, as well as children and teens, but make no mistake, the stars are the horses, just ask Emily Browning.
“Ride Amos. I like his personality,” said Emily Browning, participant. “I love his heart, almost everything.”
If you would like to make a monetary donation or can help with needed equipment, please go to the MSU Extension Service website at extension.msstate.edu and search Equine Assisted Therapy or call 662-325-7466.