Dogs and horses both show up in therapy, but they do very different jobs.
“Dogs comfort. Horses reflect emotions,” said Kelly Canzone, a clinical social worker and founder of Equine Therapy of New Jersey.
Canzone said that difference helps explain why equine-assisted therapy can work for some people. Dogs are social pack animals that naturally bond with people and provide reassurance and comfort. Horses are prey animals that are highly attached to their surroundings. If a person approaches a horse while feeling anxious or unsettled, the animal may respond by pulling away, prompting the person to recognize and regulate their own emotions.
Canzone spent nearly two decades working as a traditional psychotherapist before launching Equine Therapy of New Jersey in 2019. She said her interest in horses’ therapeutic potential grew from personal experience.
Her daughter, then a toddler, became increasingly anxious after the death of a family member, Canzone said. “When she rode horses, her anxiety went away,” Canzone said.
Years later, a friend connected Canzone with a horse farm owned by an older couple facing health challenges. The couple could not care for the animals on their own and accepted help from Canzone and her daughter. The farm once housed about 30 horses but eventually downsized to two because of the owners’ circumstances. Canzone later adopted both horses.
Through her daughter’s involvement in the equestrian community, Canzone stayed connected to the farm and the animals. She eventually became certified in equine-assisted psychotherapy and opened her practice at a private facility.
Today, she works with 12 horses and serves clients with a wide range of needs. Canzone said most clients have never ridden a horse.
“Ninety percent of our clients have no horseback riding experience at all,” she said.
Throughout her career, Canzone has worked with people with developmental disabilities, trauma survivors and inpatient psychiatric patients. She said horses can sometimes help clients make breakthroughs when traditional therapy has been less effective.
“People come to the farm and do the work, and they say, ‘Gosh, I had no idea this existed. This was the most powerful therapy I’ve ever had,’” she said.
Canzone said part of that impact comes from a horse’s ability to read and mirror human emotions. She also said the setting matters.
“It’s getting them out of four walls,” Canzone said.
She said moving therapy outdoors and away from a traditional office can create opportunities for more experiential and hands-on work.
“Horses themselves are able to mirror things in clients, connect with clients, and reflect back to us,” Canzone said. “Clients interpret it as being able to open up.”
She said the response is consistent across many client populations, including people with autism and post-traumatic stress disorder. As Canzone puts it, horses don’t discriminate.
A typical session includes several components. An equine-trained therapist often begins with groundwork activities, such as grooming and feeding, to help clients relax and focus on the present moment. Therapy is then tailored to each person’s needs.
Some clients move on to therapeutic riding, which can build confidence and improve motor skills. Others take part in ground-based exercises that incorporate traditional approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
Looking ahead, Canzone said she hopes to expand access to services. While Equine Therapy of New Jersey will continue operating as a for-profit therapeutic program, her nonprofit organization, Horses for Healing Foundation, is designed to provide free services to veterans and individuals with developmental disabilities.
This article was originally published on MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Co. network.
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