Equine Therapy

Equine Therapy

--Brenna Mantz                                                    

Equine Therapy is a type of therapy that helps people with emotional and mental issues by letting them interact with horses. This therapy helps children and adults with Asperger’s, autism, bipolar disorders, ADHD, and ADD. Equine Therapy also helps children and adults in overcoming drug addictions, and helps prevent people from committing suicide, as it changes people’s lives. Equine Therapy has been offering relief from problems for years and it now helps about forty thousand children and adults worldwide (Gilbert). For example, Equine Therapy is a long part of the rehabilitation that has been offered across the United States, according to Holloran and Werstine, who are spa owners. Most of the people who participate in this therapy are not actually riding the horse but they learn how to achieve their own personal goals and they learn how the horses behave by taking care of them (Allen 2012). This is a good thing and parents should think about this therapy. Equine Therapy could be used by parents to help their children who have emotional and mental problems.

There are children in this world who have severe emotional and mental issues. Equine Therapy has been helping children learn about themselves for a while now. Children in this modern time can interact with horses to learn social skills, self-confidence, and learn how to trust others.  For example, the horses react as if they were a mirror when a human is with them, one on one, according to Franklin Levinson who is an Equine Therapist. The horses want to feel safe and secure. They are also on the lookout at for any predators that are dangerous. If someone is aggressive, loud, rude, or being a control freak, the horse will become frightened. Children who have mental and emotional problems can handle a horse faster than adults can. Horses are good for children in this type of therapy (Brown 2011). Equine Therapy can also be used to help disabled children. Disabled children who are doing Equine Therapy are learning how to groom the horse, lead it with a halter, and they are learning a lot of social skills.

For example, there is a child named Teddy Sargent who has severe autism and he is also developmentally delayed, as well. He is a bright, loving, and an amazing person. Teddy loves sports but he was never popular at all. His parents, Rebecca and Dan Sargent, were struggling for a pretty long time to help their son control his violent rages. They were also trying to help their son experience the happiness of joy and to communicate with the outside world. Teddy’s parents were very concerned that he was getting worse. Within time Teddy had gotten so out of control with his violent rages there was no happiness or joy in his life. Then his mother, Rebecca, decided to try Equine Therapy to help him with his mental problem. When they started, Teddy was nonverbal at the time. Then, within time, he learned to express his happiness and he would be whinnying, snorting, or laughing to show it. The parents of Teddy can tell it was helping him to feel better about himself. Equine Therapy was one of the biggest benefits for Teddy and he enjoyed being around horses, and riding them as well (Therapeutic Riding).

Parents have a hard time when their kids are teenagers because they make poor decisions and usually end up getting into trouble. Teenagers may want to experiment and see what drugs and alcohol would be like. These types of issues can be caused by living in an unsafe home, living in an unstable life, or hanging out with the “wrong crowd”. Parents would become worried if they found out their child is addicted to drugs and alcohol. The child would become dangerous to her or himself, also to family members and their friends, as well. For example, a girl named Susan Smith, a sixteen year old troubled teenager. She was attending the Copper Canyon Academy (CCA). Basically, her problem was that she had a hard time controlling her anger. Susan was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder and ADHD. Susan was having a hard time sitting still because she has ADHD, which caused her to have more problems.  In the past, doctors had tried to adjust her medication and they were hoping it would calm her down. She had been going to therapy since she was six years old and after ten years it got boring for her (Copper Canyon Academy).

The solution to Susan’s problems started as she began to use Equine Therapy. When Susan was doing Equine Therapy it turned out to be a great learning experience for her. While Susan was doing Equine Therapy she would play with the horses a lot and work with them, as well. So even though Susan was getting therapy since she was six it was not helping her at all, but with an animal it is different. Susan was also playing a lot of games in Equine Therapy and she was enjoying it. Susan had the chance to ride horses and she also took riding lessons, as well. What Susan learned from Equine Therapy was body language, which she was having a hard time understanding for quite long time. Then, one day, Susan returned home because she did not have enough money for the program. Susan had really enjoyed doing the Equine Therapy Program at the CCA. It had helped her to become a better person and she feels a lot calmer than she did before. Later, on Susan began working with horses near her home and she still enjoys working with them (How Equine Therapy Helped).

Equine Therapy has helped adults, as well, who have emotional, mental, and physical challenges. When adults have depression, ADHD, multiple sclerosis, bipolar disorder, or Asperger’s, then adults also look for therapy that might help them with their problems. Adults need to see if Equine Therapy is the type of therapy that would help them with their challenges. For example, a woman named Rebecca Sargent, who has multiple sclerosis, was having a hard time finding the right treatment that would work best for her. Rebecca wanted a treatment that would help her treat the illness that she would have for the rest of her life (Therapeutic Riding).

The solution to Rebecca’s problem was using Equine Therapy to help her with the illness that she has. She would do her exercises to work her muscles. She would have to do cantering, posting, or doing dressage exercises. Rebecca would go through the exercises to prevent her muscles from going stiff and becoming more painful to her body. When Rebecca is doing Equine Therapy it helps build her self-esteem and she has learned to be more positive.  She felt that Equine Therapy was the best way to help her illness as she also has a love of horses. The greatest thing about Equine Therapy for her was that she did it with her son, Teddy. Adults like Rebecca need to take a look at how Equine Therapy can change a lot of people’s lives. It’s amazing that horses can feel what humans can feel (Therapeutic Riding).

 In conclusion, parents who have children with severe emotional and mental issues should use Equine Therapy. Also, adults who have emotional and mental problems should use Equine Therapy, as well. Equine Therapy has been proven to help children, teenagers, and adults who suffer with emotional and mental issues. The horses are good to use in therapy to help people overcome challenges. Horses are good at detecting how people feel, whether they are happy or sad. If the person is happy, the horse will come to them, but if they are mean and rude they will back away. Therapists who are involved in Equine Therapy recommend that their patients use Equine Therapy to help them with their problems. Equine Therapy can be a hugely positive influence in people’s lives.

References

Allen, E. “Finding Inner Peace, Not Your Inner Cowgirl” nytimes.com New York Times News Paper. 13, July 2012. Web. 4 Apr 2013

Aspen Education Group equinetherapyprograms.com “Equine Therapy for Children with Asperger's and Autism.”.n.d. Web. 4 Apr 2013.

Brown. J. “Horse Therapy-Changing Lives” Way of the Horse. Franklin Levinson. 2011. Web. 4 Apr 2013.

Copper Canyon Academy equinetherapyprograms.com “How Equine Therapy Helped A Troubled Teenage Girl” .n.d. Web. 5 Apr 2013.              

Equine Psychotherapy equine-psychotherapy.com “What is Equine Therapy?” 2008. Web. 4 Apr 2013.

Gilbert. C. “Equine Therapy: Healing Horses” promises.com Promises Treatment Centers n.d. 7 Apr 2013

Human-Equine Alliances for Learning (HEAL). Human Equine Alliance “Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy” Web. 4 Apr. 2013

Institute of Developmental Psychology equinetherapyprograms.com “Animal Assisted Therapy for Troubled Teens”.n.d. Web. 5 Apr 2013.

Therapeutic Riding equinetherapyprograms.com. “Mom and Son Find Help through Therapeutic Riding” n.d. Web. 7 Apr 2013.

Gentle IronHawk Shelter

Gentle IronHawk Shelter

            In the southwest corner of Blanding, Utah, sits a maroon and beige building, at the end of a private road, surrounded by vacant lots. Shikera Jones and I had been driving around town, trying to locate an interesting building to write about; this one seemed promising. When I first got a glimpse of it, I thought it was a chapter house, but many chapter houses don’t have any signs indicating the building’s name. I pulled in to the parking lot, to observe this unknown area. Shikera and I had begun writing possible interview questions when a man pulled alongside us, a couple of minutes later. The man was Navajo, judging from the way he looked and how he spoke. “There are two young ladies out here,” he said. I explained the situation and then he said there was a lady inside, waiting for us. Looking around, we noticed for the first time the building was pretty secure; there were cameras all around and the doors had to be opened from the inside. There was even a button and a speaker box outside. I took a quick look around the grounds. We were surrounded by yucca plants and rabbit brushes. There were chairs outside, and up top were thick maroon bars, that seemed to be a shade from the heat.

            As we entered, we approached a petite lady wearing a green blouse with a large green beads necklace. We explained the reason we were there, joking about how we thought we were in trouble, due to the man asking us if he could help us. She laughed with us and smiled. After she agreed to be interviewed we sat down with Kristine Paul, the director of The Gentle IronHawk Shelter. She provided a relaxing, warm-hearted presence, for both of us. This interview was fairly easy because she answered all of our questions without us even really having to ask them. I asked questions and then Shikera asked question of her own. From there Kristine Paul had great responses.

Every now and then throughout the interview Kristine would point out pictures in the room and describe either an event or people that had helped with the shelter.

According to Kristine Paul, Gentle Ironhawk Shelter was named after two young girls that were brutally murdered by their own father, in September 2000. The two girl’s names were Dakota Ironhawk Black and Nicole Gentlehawk Black. The shelter was built to honor and remember them. They built this shelter to provide a place of safety for people of the San Juan County community. It is a refuge for those that are in violent homes or in dangerous domestic relationships, including elder abuse. Mrs. Paul was the main person who founded the money to help build the shelter which cost up to a million dollars. It was first used ten years ago but the place was officially opened in 2004.

Gentle Ironhawk provides shelter for individuals that are physically or sexually abused. It also provides teachings including spiritual guidance, western religions, other religious teachings, and how to heal within. These are programs that are provided for the San Juan County community. They help provide shelter for women, children, men and elders. Gentle Ironhawk teaches the importance of family and how to be respectful towards other people, including interventions on how to deal with disappointment, poverty, substance abuse, prejudice, etc.

Gentle Ironhawk Shelter also provides safety planning, GED classes, the opportunity to of learning a second language, and helping to apply to trade schools. They also help clients get scholarships and grants. They help clients with job training or getting in to higher education system. They help clients with resumes, interviewing skills, and job searches. They offer alcohol and other drug recovery programs; mental health services, and children’s counseling services; parenting programs; support groups through the women’s center; grief groups; and a Parents Without Partners program.

The shelter has two full-time working attorneys that help set up court dates for those who need it. They work with the Navajo Nation Court and Ute Tribal Court as well as Federal and Utah State Courts. There is also a team of advocates who do most of the legal planning and activities that go on at the shelter. Gentle Ironhawk Shelter is a non-profit organization and people do donate here and there. Half of the people that stay at the shelter are natives.  The people who come seeking shelter can only stay up to 30 days but most of them stay a maximum of 190 days. The shelter has eight bedrooms.

The residents that stay in the Gentle Ironhawk Shelter have their own responsibilities. They must keep their spaces clean and abide by the rules that are set within the shelter. Adults are to keep their children clean. Everybody has to wake up by eight in the morning and they must be properly dressed. Residents must keep clean, even with their own rooms, because it must be clean at all times. The parents are responsible to pick up after their children. The television cannot be turned on unless a child wants to watch TV, but a staff has to assist when they want to watch TV. Everyone in the shelter must do their part in keeping the shelter clean and to keep up with the chores that are given to them. From 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm is the time used to work on projects with the staff. The ladies from the shelter share with one another so that they may bond. As for the children, the rules include putting away all their toys. If they play outside the shelter they must ask their parent for permission and then that parent has to supervise them. They must eat in the kitchen at all times. There is a certain bedtime for different ages. For those eight years and under it is at 8:30 pm; nine years to 11 years old is 9:00 pm; 12 years and older is at 10:00 pm.

Originally, the shelter was supposed to be built on the reservation, by Bluff, Utah, but Father Ian from the St. Christopher mission, said otherwise. The mission is located three miles east from Bluff. Another reason for not building it on the reservation is because it would be more dangerous in an isolated location. If something were to happen, like a breakthrough or somebody comes up acting crazy, then the shelter has no protection because the police are so far away from them.

The shelter is open 24/7 to help those that are seeking help, and even though all we needed was help with our interview, they were there for us.

 --Dasjon and Shikera Jones

Comb Ridge Coffee Shop

Comb Ridge Coffee Shop

In the town of Bluff, Utah, you will find Comb Ridge Coffee Shop. It is a small coffee shop which offers you very high quality coffees. Tourists from different parts of the world have commented that this little shop is comparable to Starbucks coffee. There, you will find not only “the best” coffee, but also a short menu of vegetarian foods to eat and art work and jewelry to buy or just to look at.

The establishment started as a post office around1900. From a gas station, it then turned into a trading post. The building was made out of hay bales, sand bags and the walls plastered with natural clay. Its structure was built with natural resources. The floor cement was laid on top of the ground with no foundation and totally laid on dirt. Around 1998, the previous owner built an apartment behind the building as their residence.

In 2006, Andrea and David Carpenter bought the place to start a business that serves excellent coffee and healthy organic food in the middle of nowhere. The coffee shop has been in business for almost 7 years now. It started as a drive-in that served only coffee to locals and travelers. As years passed by, the owners started to add more variety of foods and drinks. The Carpenters also made some renovation in the building; additional structures include the back door, the front porch and the two bathrooms, to meet the expectation of the business growth.

As you observe the place, you can see the colors of the walls are very well planned to make the ambiance very relaxing. The mixture of brown, red and yellow adds an earthy look that blends not only with the outside environment, but also with the color of coffee beans. The outcome of the remodeling of the building enhanced the rustic, authentic and live-in look that gives the relaxed atmosphere to the coffee shop.
  The Coffee Shop has outdoor seating where one can enjoy the sunshine during summer, while drinking your coffee or eating your ice cream or you can go inside and check out the variety of jewelries and arts that are on display. As you enter the shop employees will greet you with a smile and friendly tone of voice. You will also smell the tempting aroma of coffee and the fresh baked goods coming from the kitchen oven.

Comb Ridge Coffee Shop supports local artists by displaying and selling their art work. All kinds of art media are featured at the coffee shop. These include paintings, photographs, pottery and jewelry.

This season the paintings that are hanging on the walls were done by J.R Lancaster, Lancaster’s works with mixed media. It is very textural, earthy and unique. The pottery and clay-made crafts are by Linda Moore and Chris Blackhorse’ works are in Native-American modern designs. The jewelries like earrings, necklaces, and bracelets that are on display are made by Louise Young, Amanda Bouchard, and Ernie and Rebecca Washee.

            The new managers of the coffee shop are Brandon Thompson and Chris McGuire, who were employed just 6 months ago. They made an acquaintance with one of the owners who gave them an opportunity to run this small business in Bluff, Utah.

            “First, I didn’t know what I would respond, I couldn’t imagine myself living in Utah. The fact that I lived on the east coast before I work in Grand Canyon was one thing, but Utah, I don’t think so. But, when we visited and saw the place I fell in love with it, it’s just so beautiful.” Chris McGuire shared.

            The two young co-managers feel that working and managing the coffee shop at the same time, is exhausting, time consuming and stressful, but it is also a very fulfilling for both of them. Though there are some minor problems dealing with some foreign customers, like language barrier, McGuire and Thompson are enjoying their job of running the small business in Bluff.

            Comb Ridge Coffee Shop serves a breakfast menu, sandwiches, and coffee to locals and tourists,  they serve: breakfast muffins, fresh baked goods, Panini, red bell pepper quiche, homemade granola, organic oatmeal and the pancake they are famous of; the blue corn pancake, that has a sweet taste and grainy texture. They also serve sandwiches as healthy snack, they also offer unlimited cups of coffee when you stay for a while, and they also serve fancy coffee such as Americano, café latte, Chai latte, cappuccino and organic tea’s. They also serve freezes that are named after tourist destinations in four-corners, like Hovenweep and Honaker.  The owner and the managers are looking forward to put more variety of food to choose from on the menu.

            While the tourist trade is the main income source of the coffee shop, local people love to stay for a while too, just to relax or to wait for other locals to come around. They usually go every Sunday morning to get a cup of coffee and eat breakfast. Students like to come and stick around for a while for the free Wi-Fi connection .Some people who love to sit on the sofa and read while sipping their drinks. Customers love to come back after they have breakfast just to pass the time again or to get a cup of coffee. You will see some familiar faces coming back again not only once but twice or more.