It has been a busy week, what with Baxter’s surgery and the challenging weather, so I’m a bit behind on this!
PETS ARE FAMILY TOO
A pet can be a model for a functioning family member. Pets offer not only love, trust and acceptance, but also demand a consistent responsibility to be provided food and shelter. When a family is experiencing difficulty, s pet is often a haven for those who feel unable to reach each other. Regardless of the situation, the pet remains committed to the family and expects to be cared for. Pets are a powerful reminder of how we should approach family life.
Many of our clients lack stability in their lives, 
so pets may not be an option. However, we encourage our clients to build bonded trusting relationships with their horses. We often talk about how no matter how we are feeling, our horses deserve kind and patient attention “they depend on us”. We also work on empathy, helping our clients understand and see things from the horses’ (prey animal) perspective. It’s easy to laugh at a ‘silly horse’ when they are afraid of blue barrels that weren’t sitting there yesterday, but once you understand 
that it costs nothing to be cautious, and that horses prove the old adage ‘Better Safe Than Sorry’. That’s how come they are still on the planet. The relationship a client forms with their horse may be the closest bond they have with another living creature.
We are here to help in many ways. If you know someone who is struggling with social, emotional or behavioral issues, why don’t you schedule a visit? We will show you around, introduce you to our wonderful horses, learn more about the challenges you are dealing with and share how we may be able to help. Give us a call or send us an email.
People who feel their family is experiencing a lot of conflict are 22% more likely to feel hopeful about the situation if there is a pet in their life. Bussolari 2002