Expanding the Hoofprint for Healing

“I’ll never forget this one veteran who came through our program a while back,” shared Christianna Capra, Co-Founder and Equine Specialist at Spring Reigns of Life. Andrew, an Army Ranger who served in Iraq, had been dealing with the ramifications of his experiences in war and made his way to the Spring Reins of Life program after trying a range of other solutions like talk therapy and medication. Initially he wasn’t particularly interested in participating, and he spent much of his time sitting on the corral, watching the other program members interact with horses.

Andrew and Syri

Throughout his first half hour not much happened, yet seemingly out of nowhere a thoroughbred named Syriana (Syri for short) who was known for acting out participants’ emotions, began to engage with Andrew. Syri would saunter up to his perch on the fence, trying to get him to interact. When he made eye contact, she would prance her feet and then jog off, looking back at him as she made a circle. Syri repeated this one-on-one game consistently until Andrew became curious about the horse with the red coat trying to get his attention. The next time Syri did this, he leapt down and began running alongside her and it became a horse-human race.

The two ran together for a time, staying in stride while the rest of us just watched. Afterward, Andrew’s demeanor and attitude noticeably changed.

“Syri knew he needed to run,” said Capra. “That horse helped him rediscover a part of himself he’d lost.”

He had been an avid long-distance runner in his youth, though he’d given it up since joining the military. After the program, Andrew returned to find his running mate and began to enter ultramarathon races, thus, the Spring Reigns of Life staff made t-shirts with the phrase, “I Run for Syri” to cheer him on.

The horse-human connection

Andrew's story is just one example of the powerful, transformative experiences many people have with equine-assisted services (EAS) programs. At Zoetis, we know the incredible power of the horse-human connection and the profound impact it can have on both horses and humans alike. It’s that connection that powers our passion for improving the health of horses and inspires our rallying cry, Long Live the Horse. What’s more, many of us have experienced this connection first-hand-as horse owners, veterinarians and team members who have been impacted by EAS programs.

Horses for Mental Health

Most, if not all of us, can relate to navigating trials and tribulations and not knowing exactly what we need to move through. We have all met life’s ups and downs, and at times didn’t feel like we had the resources or tools to move forward—whether that be in facing a difficult diagnosis, the loss of a loved one or a sense of heightened anxiety associated with burnout. Mental health programs that incorporate horses are growing what we like to call ‘the hoofprint' for healing: Every person's journey is so unique, and different therapeutic modalities meet people exactly where they need the support. EAS happens to be a therapeutic blueprint that resonates beautifully with many participants. We’re thrilled to see awareness of it expanding so that more and more people can seek this type of program as a viable option.

It’s because of this belief and our understanding of the healing power of horses that we support Horses for Mental Health’s Seen Through Horses campaign, which takes place annually in May during Mental Health Awareness Month. Seen Through Horses is a peer-to-peer awareness campaign in which people, nonprofits, EAS specialists, celebrities, influencers and businesses help increase awareness and public engagement while raising critical funds to improve access to programs incorporating horses into mental health and personal growth services.

C. Thomas Howell and Trick

EAS programs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, many tailored to assisting people with specific needs. For example, some help patients improve motor skills while others focus on emotional wellness and self-actualization. Whatever the program, they all have one thing in common: the power of the horse. By allowing people to interact with and achieve tasks with horses, whether grooming, riding or conquering an obstacle course, these programs instill a unique sense of accomplishment and increased self-esteem.

C. Thomas (Tommy) Howell, actor, lifelong horseman, cowboy, rancher and a Horses for Mental Health ambassador shared a similar experience, remembering how growing up on a ranch with horses made his day-to-day life easier as he started his career. “It made Hollywood meetings so simple. When you’re pushing 1,200 cows along the side of a hill on your horse over a weekend, going into a meeting and saying a few lines for a director seemed so simple. There wasn’t pressure for me after growing up taking care of horses and other animals,” said Howell who was 15 when he landed the lead role of the character, Ponyboy Curtis, in the Francis Ford Coppola film “The Outsiders.”