There
is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of
a man.
Sir Winston Churchill
Churchill was right. That's why my family wants to see more children have time with horses of all sizes.
If you google programs for a children and horses, thousands will come up.
What makes Stable Moments different? Several of the board members are adoptive families and have witnessed the power of horses in the lives of our own children.
Our niche is working with foster and adoptive families. .. providing resources to all of the family members, especially the parents and the fostered or adopted children. Services start as young as 2 ..working with Pistol Pete, a miniature horse... and Gigi, our blonde miniature horse.
Even Farm cats are great cuddlers.
Pistol Pete with John-Michael
Why horses with kids? Due to trama of being neglected or abandoned, part of the brain can shut down. This part of the brain controls survival, which relaxes heart rate, adrenalin, and relationships with people. When a person is traumatized, the limbic or paleomammalian brain
puts them into a uninterrupted state of caution.
When we are in that state, it is not possible to form normal family relationships, or any other kind of relationship. Therapists cannot heal the limbic part by talking to it, assuring the traumatized child that everything is safe and there is no need to worry. The only way to start healing that part of the brain is through experiential learning. This learning is a process through which children develop knowledge, skills, and values
from direct experiences.
Horses’ brains are almost exclusively limbic in nature. Since they have many natural predators, horses absolutely must be in relationship with the horses in their herd and/or people in their lives for survival. They are in constant search of relationship. Just take a horse away from its horse buddy just to groom him or her, and you will hear what I mean.
Children cannot trust people when they have been betrayed by people, but often children will trust a horse. When horses and children are together, they temper each other’s behavior and their own behavior. That ability to adjust behavior and to open up their ability to be in real relationship, then transfers over to relationships with the people in their lives. That's the beauty of Stable Moments.
Stable - balanced, calm, durable, fast, lasting, permanent, reliable, safe, secure, solid, steady, strong, substantial, anchored, enduring, sound...... just some of the synonyms for the word Stable. That's what we want. Stable moments which lead to stable relationships, which lead to stable situations which lead to stable lives.
Gigi gives a kiss
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