Horses Are Complex Creatures
Throughout history, horses have been used by humans for transportation and recreation, but horses are not just inanimate objects that get us where we need to go. If you spend any time with them, you know they have complex emotions, deep communication skills, and an ability to sense things in people that even other humans sometimes miss.
There is evidence that horses have been used therapeutically for centuries, but it was not until the 1960s that they were formally used in more clinical settings to help individuals with neurological diseases or disorders such as cerebral palsy, movement disorders, and balance problems.
Every Horse Has a Personality
Horses come in all shapes and sizes, and they also come with very distinct personalities. I have two horses, and they could not be more different. My daughter’s thoroughbred, Graycie, is energetic, sweet-natured, impatient, and she loves to work. She will follow you in from the field at the slightest chance she might get to go barrel racing or jumping. My horse, Tucker, is lazy, easy to handle, incredibly patient, and would rather stand in the field eating all day. My daughter loves a challenge. I like having a couch with hooves.
Download the WeAreKentucky Mobile App Now
Healing Reins and the Power of Equine Assisted Services
Stacy Denton is the owner of Blue Moon Stables in Henderson and the lead instructor with Healing Reins of Kentucky. She is a PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor who helps people of all abilities through equine-assisted services. The mission of Healing Reins is to assist individuals with all abilities meet their full potential through interaction with horses.
For years, Stacy felt a strong pull to offer certified lessons to people who needed horses in their lives but could not afford the cost of riding lessons on top of conventional therapies…