How do we get our Mini Therapy Horses ready for visits?
Lots and lots of training!
One of the facilities we train at (and get our horse feed from) is Bishop’s at the Mill in Swansea. The feed shop provides lots of opportunities to navigate different challenges in a low stress environment.
The training visit today we had a freight train come by on the nearby tracks as the horses were entering the building, narrow pathways to navigate, a ramp and doorway between the building and warehouse. All these experiences help our Therapy Horses Muffin and Mila gain more confidence in a unknown setting.
We teach our horses to regulate and process with stress and things they do not understand. The goal is helping our horses think through challenges instead of reacting or shutting down. This is why Muffin and Mila do so well when we visit prisons, hospitals, or individuals that may be dysregulated. They have learned to regulate despite what may be happening in the environment around them.
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