Equine Therapy

Equine therapy, also known as equine-assisted therapy or hippotherapy, is a form of experiential mental health treatment that involves interactions between our clients and horses. Unlike traditional talk therapy that takes place in an office setting, equine therapy (a type of  holistic therapy) occurs in barns, arenas, or outdoor spaces where clients work directly with horses under the guidance of trained mental health professionals and equine specialists.

This treatment approach isn’t about horseback riding. Instead, it focuses on ground activities. These activities serve as metaphors for challenges in the client’s life, providing opportunities to identify and process emotions, behaviors, and patterns.

Your equine therapy journey at Time Wellness Arkansas begins with an assessment to determine your goals and comfort level around horses. You don’t need any prior experience with horses—our team will guide you through every step.

A typical session includes:

1. Introduction and Safety Briefing: You’ll learn how to safely approach and interact with horses.
2. Meeting the Therapy Horses: Time to get acquainted with these gentle animals in a controlled environment.
3. Guided Activities: Your therapist will lead you through various exercises with the horse, tailored to your therapeutic goals.
4. Processing and Reflection: After activities, you’ll discuss observations, emotions, and insights with your therapist.
5. Integration: Your therapist will help you connect experiences with the horse to your everyday life challenges.

Research and client experiences have shown numerous benefits of equine therapy:

• Improved Emotional Awareness: Working with horses helps identify and express emotions more effectively.
• Enhanced Mindfulness: The presence required when working with horses naturally encourages staying in the present moment.
• Reduced Stress: Time spent outdoors with animals has been shown to lower cortisol levels and reduce stress.
• Better Communication Skills: Learning to communicate with horses improves non-verbal communication abilities with people.
• Increased Self-Regulation: Managing your emotions and behavior around a sensitive animal teaches valuable self-regulation skills.
• Boundary Setting: Horses require clear boundaries, helping clients practice this important life skill.
• Empathy Development: Caring for another being fosters empathic thinking and behavior.
• Trust Building: Developing trust with a horse can be a stepping stone to rebuilding trust in human relationships.

At Time Wellness Arkansas, we integrate equine therapy into multiple levels of care to ensure this powerful healing modality is accessible to clients with varying needs and schedules.

Our specialized mental health programs combine traditional therapeutic approaches with equine-assisted interventions, creating comprehensive treatment plans tailored to each individual’s recovery journey. Each program level maintains the same high-quality equine therapy experience while offering different intensities of support and structure.

Residential Program

Our comprehensive residential program integrates equine therapy as a core component of treatment. Clients stay on our peaceful Arkansas campus and participate in daily therapeutic activities, including regularly scheduled equine therapy sessions. This immersive approach allows for deep healing work with the horses while having continuous support from our clinical team.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

Our Arkansas PHP option includes structured equine therapy sessions several times per week as part of an intensive treatment schedule. Clients spend their days engaged in various therapeutic modalities, including equine therapy, while returning to supportive housing in the evenings. This program is ideal for those who need intensive support but can maintain evening stability. Equine therapy sessions in our PHP focus on developing practical coping skills that clients can immediately apply to home situations.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

IOP at Time Wellness Arkansas incorporates weekly equine therapy sessions as part of a flexible treatment schedule designed to accommodate work, school, or family responsibilities. These sessions provide valuable therapeutic touchpoints throughout the week, reinforcing recovery skills and providing emotional regulation tools through horse interactions.