Equine Therapy
Connecting Horses & People

Contributing Author: Shelley Lovell The bond humans have with animals dates back for centuries. Animals, especially horses, have been around to help with the duties of living such as pulling plows, carts, rounding up cattle and moving people across the country. Today, horses still help humans in daily living and survival. Our horses are the heart of Courageous Connections. Our four, (soon to be five) very special horses do the work of guiding people through many lessons and a

Contributing Author Susan Brown At Courageous Connections, all the people and horses have a history – not always a happy one. But at this farm, healing is possible because understanding and acceptance grow and thrive, twining through each vastly different being. “So, Ari, do you have time for a cup of coffee? No coffee? Just oats? But you’ll give me your time anyway? You’ll come in from the pasture? For me, you’ll leave behind the greening grass, the buzz of half-awake bees,

Contributing Author Shelley Lovell I have been reminded lately of what it means to sit in “ It ”, to let It be, to let It wash over you, to let It move through you, to let It pour out. The “ It ” could be so many things: anger, despair, confusion, uncertainty. Sometimes It is welcome, and sometimes It is knocking and you don’t want to answer. But It will be there no matter what your logical mind says. Sometimes our hearts need what our logical minds overlook or try to o

Contributing Author Michael Hughes The bond between humans and horses has been forged over thousands of years. Modern interactions benefit from this bond. Horses provide companionship and contribute to therapies that promote mental and physical well-being. It is a relationship that greatly benefits humans when it comes to the healing powers that horses provide. How does this happen? Horses are able to sense human emotions and body language, which provides immediate and tangib

By Susan Brown I’ve spent a lot of hours with Courageous Connections – making friends with the folks who imagined and then built it; witnessing the clients who came in search of both courage and connection; greeting the patient horses who give freely of their spirit and strength. Way back when, while completely unsure of what I was getting into, I began meeting with Kathy Sanders, one of the founders of Courageous Connections. While we sussed out what I could do to help, o

Molly has been at Courageous Connections for a couple of years and is always excited to be with her instructors. Every week she pulls on...