A beautiful example of reciprocity within equine assisted psychotherapy

What is reciprocity? At The Heard Therapy we talk about reciprocity, the mutual benefit shared between equine and client in our sessions. We feel this is important to consider so that we are not taking from the horse and in doing so missing an opportunity to consider the horses needs and preferences. If we create conditions of connection and safety, the horse may also share in the benefit of equine assisted therapy sessions. When we let go of what we think should happen, and allow the process to unfold, what wants to happen can emerge.

I would like to share (with permission) a beautiful example of this which I felt honoured to witness.

During an equine connection facilitation, the client had been drawn to Star. The exercise involved focusing on the client’s chakras, and then on the horses’ chakras without touch. The client felt drawn to Star’s 3rd eye chakra and spent some time focussing their attention here. Star then turned to the client and moved towards them and presented her forehead, which is the location of the 3rd eye. My client offered their hand there for a few moments and felt a surge of emotional energy rising through their body before Star then moved away. The client reflected after the session that as they experienced the emotional energy, they sensed a meaning connected to Stars early life.

I don’t know Star’s history, I bought her when she was approximately 15, which was 8 years ago, she had come from Ireland with no previous history. Star was a very compliant horse and very tolerant, her eyes were dull, and she couldn’t be fully present. I have been working with her to bring her back to herself and allow her to express her preferences, she has come out of her shutdown state, but is often still reserved when offered human connection.

As I witnessed this interaction between the client and Star, I sensed something had happened, how Star had approached the client was different, she seemed responsive and connected to the client, which filled me with joy to see.

The presence and the energy of the client and Star could be felt in my own presence and experience, I felt a beautiful warm energy and softening in my torso, and felt grounded and connected, absorbed in the energy of the moment as I watched this interaction unfold.

The next day, we welcomed our usual group of volunteers, and I noticed a change in Star. We walked around the site and ended up in the presence of the horses, there were a few of us around and the horses were all eating together. Star approached the humans and stood with them; she went into a very relaxed posture, soft eyes, soft ears, gently dozing with people around her. To me she felt different, I sensed a feeling of peace, contentment, and safety within her system, I noticed how she seemed happy to relax with the human connection. I was deeply moved to see this change in her having known how Star could be compliant and tolerant, and now being able to see her comfortable and seeming to enjoy human connection.

To witness how the session the previous day had shifted something in her was beautiful, I felt honoured to see this, and encouraged that our herd can benefit from the interactions shared with humans.

The client had been present and open to what wanted to happen and unfold, and Star sensed this connection and safety and allowed herself to be met by someone who knew and understood. This moment of connection within conditions of safety, without expectation and surrendering to what wanted to emerge allowed something to settle and change for both the client and the horse. There was a shared new experience for both participants, that both benefited from.

This to me is reciprocity in relationship, in action and shows us how valuable and supportive it can be to client and horse and how we can also touch into a field of awareness and potentiality that is beyond our cognitive minds.