Monday, July 29, 2013

Horses Help Heal

This past weekend, Fidelis was happy to host some young men from Lighthouse Care Center and some young women from Seacoast Youth Academy.  We were grateful for the wonderful turnout of volunteers. We couldn't have done it without you! It was a hot summer day and the youth enjoyed spending time with the horses as well cooling off with some popsicles.

On this particular Sunday, we spent sometime talking about our feelings.  For those of you who don't know, horses wear their emotions on their sleeves.  Or shall we say, ears.   For people who spend time with horses, we quickly learn how they are feeling without them saying a word.

For youth who are in out of home placements, sometimes due to no fault of their own, anger is an emotion they know all too well.  Unfortunately for them, pinning their ears back or even kicking the people who make them angry is not an option.  Often times their anger comes from a lack of control.

I spent some time having the youth create a visual representation of things that are in their control and things that are not.  When riding a horse, our riders need to learn how to work with the animal in order to maintain control.  This is true in other areas of their lives.  They need assistance maintaining some level of control.  Consider putting yourself in their shoes.  Imagine going through a day when someone tells you when to get up, what to wear, what to eat, what activities you will participate in, who you will live with, and when you will communicate with your loved one.  Probably not the life you imagined.  It is no wonder that some of these young people feel frustrated and lack the skills to express it appropriately.

Young people need our help.  At Fidelis we don't only teach them to interact with our amazing animals.  We are also helping them overcome their past and learn to trust again.

1 comment:

  1. Very nice, and yes, we could not do it without our volunteers! You are awesome♡ Its really heartfelt, these kids are struggling to find their place, at Fidelis, we are here to assist them on there way. Horses heal, come see for yourself. Be a volunteer! Help for kids..♡HORSES HELP♡

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