Even though horses are herd animals, they have a lot to teach us about assertiveness and leadership skills, says Nichols. "I recently got a phone call from the mom of a girl who said, 'You know, something's going on here. Something's happening. Things are changing for her at school. She's standing up to the bullies; she's holding her own.'"
A Trail to Self-Realization
There's something about girls and horses that's everlasting—a sense of connection between a young person and an animal that is very real yet seems enchanted. But equine-assisted therapies can extend to all sorts of populations with seemingly endless applications. Nichols uses the EAGALA model for couples' therapy and family therapy, finding it particularly useful for blended families to facilitate bonding. It can be an adjunct therapy consisting of six to nine sessions—or it can have impact as a single, stand-alone session. "Because it's so powerful, people have the ability to find their solutions quickly," says Downes, who leads EAGALA trainings at TEC that attract students from across the United States and Canada. (Downes recently held a Part I EAGALA training in late June.)
Just why this happens is not such a mystery to people like Nichols. "There's something about being outside with an animal that's very liberating," she says. "I've seen very withdrawn people shed their bags at the door. There's a letting go of ego, of restraint. People drop their shell; they don't bother being shy around horses. It promotes a really authentic sense of being."
