{"id":169682,"date":"2021-02-26T07:40:28","date_gmt":"2021-02-26T12:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=169682"},"modified":"2021-04-27T12:47:37","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T16:47:37","slug":"hartford-program-offers-healing-and-empowerment-on-horseback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2021\/02\/hartford-program-offers-healing-and-empowerment-on-horseback\/","title":{"rendered":"Hartford Program Offers Healing and Empowerment on Horseback"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of young Black men confidently guides their horses through the streets of Hartford\u2019s North End. They smile and wave to friends and residents as they ride through the neighborhood. As surprising as it may sound to encounter horses in the capital city, this is no anomaly: the young men are members of the Junior Mounted Patrol Unit at Ebony Horsewomen, Incorporated<\/a>, a non-profit equestrian and therapeutic organization located within Keney Park.<\/p>\n

The patrol is a familiar sight on the trails that wind through the 693 acres of the largest municipal park in New England. They report trail hazards to the Keney Park Sustainability committee, help with trail maintenance, permanently mark trails, and provide hospitality for visitors on their weekly Sunday patrols.<\/p>\n

Ebony Horsewomen and the myriad of programs they offer have been a vibrant part of life in the North End for over 36 years. Ebony Horsewomen is well-known for their youth programs, but the services they provide extend to a wider population and address mental health issues across all ages through their certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapy services. Staff members receive training and continuous education through The HERD Institute, a National Board for Certified Counselors-approved continuing education provider that offers training and certifications in equine facilitated psychotherapy and learning, and through the UConn Equine Extension program.<\/p>\n

Growing up as a Black youth in Hartford can be stressful, challenging, and dangerous, says Patricia \u201cPat\u201d Kelly, the founder and CEO of Ebony Horsewomen. Ebony Horsewomen provides a point of connection, a safe place to learn, a home, a family, and guidance during the critical early years in the lives of young people.<\/p>\n

The Ebony Horsewomen programs become a catalyst for participants to help them find their voice, their path, and reach their full potential. The impact of Ebony Horsewomen\u2019s programs is larger than the number of youths served, or hours of programming provided. It\u2019s about the individual lives that have transcended the circumstances that they were born into to achieve success, Kelly says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many intricacies to what we do,\u201d Kelly says. \u201cWe are a herd here. When we all come together people understand there is a level of responsibility. It\u2019s about training our participants to handle the situations they\u2019re going to encounter in the rest of their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Healing Power of Horses<\/strong><\/p>\n

Equine therapy is a widely accepted form of therapy. Young people and adults can work through their trauma in a safe place during equine therapy. The format allows the individual to open up on their own terms. A licensed clinical therapist works with participants, and sessions can be covered by health insurance providers.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the clients at Ebony Horsewomen are people of color,\u201d Kelly says. \u201cTo better connect with the audiences that we serve, all of the therapists at Ebony Horsewomen are Black and Brown. It\u2019s easier for a Black or Brown therapist to provide therapy to a white client than the reverse.\u201d<\/p>\n

During a session, participants may go for a walk in the park or brush a horse: the session is based on whatever works for the participant. It helps them open up to the therapist and talk through the issues they\u2019re having. Equine therapy is a healing process so the participant can meet the challenges of the society they live in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe horse becomes the instructor and our staff serve as guides. The horse is the master teacher,\u201d Kelly says. \u201cSome of these are young men that could be dead, but the horses have provided them a path and made an impact. Equine therapy changes how the participant manages and approaches society. It is the horse that offers that healing. When they walk out of here, they still have to worry about being targeted but their mindset isn\u2019t reactionary. They have learned to manage an 1,100-pound horse that\u2019s misbehaving. Later, if they\u2019re stopped by a police officer, they know how to handle the situation from a calm mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has seen an influx of new families and individuals participating in the equine therapy sessions. A recent study from the National 4-H Council found that 81% of teens cite mental health as a significant issue in their lives, and the pandemic is intensifying the problems many face. Some participants can attend therapy as much as two or three times per week. But it isn’t only adolescents: Veterans and first responders also participate in the equine therapy programs at Ebony Horsewomen. Another course was offered to the Hartford Police. Since the the start of the pandemic, the sessions at Ebony Horsewomen have been tailored to adhere to social distancing guidelines.<\/p>\n

\u201cMental health is the bottom line of what we do \u2013 it\u2019s one of the greater challenges these kids have living in America as a Black person,\u201d Kelly says. \u201cWe have three boys that are old enough to get their drivers\u2019 licenses now. It\u2019s a rite of passage for young people but it scares me to death. Now, I\u2019m not just worrying about them getting home safe, but about them driving while Black. That daily stress is layer after layer after layer.\u201d<\/p>\n