Equine therapy for troubled teens

Agitated teenagers release endorphins when angry or defiant, or in an otherwise aggressive mood. When endorphins are released, these hormones create a healthy and balancing effect that decreases the stress-causing chemicals.

An opportunity to interact with animals like the horse provides the troubled teenagers a chance to learn how to control and manage animals. This helps keep a healthy chemical balance. In effect the chemical connection between the horse and the teenagers will help them in interacting with others.
Troubled teenagers can see in the horse’s stubbornness and reluctance to follow orders.

This makes the teenagers realize how similar their behaviors are and understand their emotions and body languages, too. The sessions teaches him or her to work with the horse and recognize its body languages as he or she is taught to lead, groom and care for the horse in the horse therapy group sessions. They learn how to be sensitive and be aware of the horses’ emotions such as when horses feel nervous, relaxed, excited, frustrated or dangerous. Because the key to training and understanding a horse is the ability to identify the horses’ body language.