1. Like humans, horses are social animals. They live in groups called herds in which each horse has a defined role; this is similar to how we live in our family systems.

2. Horses are prey animals, and therefore rely on instinct. They live in the present moment.  Because of this, they are able to identify when something is incongruent in their environment.  In our interactions with horses, they are able to respond to our actions immediately, reflecting back to us how we present ourselves.   Our connection and relationship with a horse provides the opportunity to reflect upon our relationships with other people, as well as the relationship we have with ourselves.

3. Through interaction with horses, people become aware of how they are effective in relationship and how they are ineffective. It is up to the client to then work with this and remove the obstacles that are keeping them from making contact, building trust, and creating intimacy in their relationships.

4. Horses can teach us how to live in the present and not dwell on the past or look only to the future.

5. How an individual relates to a horse mirrors how that person has learned to relate to other people.

6. Having a horse as co-facilitator is helpful with individuals who find it difficult to trust another person.  Horses help to build this trust with other people.

7. Horses also promote self-care as well as the development of empathy toward others.

Benefits of working with horses:

1. Enhance self-care
2. Develop Body Awareness and Intuition
3. Deepen relationships with others and the self
4. Identify communication styles
5. Develop trust
6. Decrease anxiety
7. Build confidence
8. Develop leadership skills
9. Discover patterns and family/relationship dynamics