Why horses are good for your mental and physical health
Apart from dark and cold winter days or the pandemic, just the everyday work life and/or social life can be quite stressful sometimes. Everyone has worries or something they would like to escape from – at least for a little while. Visiting and riding your horse is the perfect solution to get rid of a dark cloud over your head. It is even beneficial for your body. Medically, it is linked to improving both mental and physical health. In the following post, we go more in-depth about, why horses are good for your mental and physical health.
Beneficial for everyone
It is not for nothing that there are “treatments” like hippotherapy/ therapeutic riding for differently-abled kids or for people with physical disabilities. There exist also horse programs for those suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) or other forms of trauma. Moreover, prisoners that can learn in those kinds of programs how to gentle and train horses who are then finding a new home. It is said that these inmates are happier and better adjusted than other inmates who do not participate in these programs.
Especially for children, horseback riding can help them to develop strong self-esteem, teach them important lessons of responsibility and build up confidence. Also, learning how to ride requires not just practice but also patience, sensitivity, and knowledge. Controlling a powerful animal that is much bigger and muscly stronger than a kid or oneself, all contributes to an increase of confidence. Besides, equine therapy helps kids who have fine motor skills and coordination development issues. There is evidence that horseback riding stimulates cognition, mood, and gait parameters.
Leadership skills
Additionally, there is business leadership training with horses for managers. It is a unique and highly effective method to improve leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and the overall team spirit. Horses reflect one’s body language, intentions actions and give clear and honest feedback to one’s appearance and practice. Groups of horses naturally have very clear social structures and therefore react to verbal and non-verbal communication very sensibly. This allows participants to consciously perceive their authenticity and gain deep insights into their behavioral patterns. Working with horses widens one’s comfort zone and helps with overcoming fears. Employees are learning new possibilities for how to better manage challenges and changes.
Physical strength
Overall, riding your horse is not just great for the minds and hearts, but also the physical exercise. The fresh air and riding strengthen the immune system, the core muscles, improve one’s posture, and has been rated as a “moderate-intensity” exercise. On the other hand, people with physical disabilities can benefit from riding as a low-impact sport that is gentler on the joints and is – for sure – more fun than physical therapies in gyms. However, the exercises are not limited to being in the saddle. Hauling hay, lifting saddles, heavy bags of feed and shoveling not only burn calories but also is a great way of increasing one’s strengths. Enjoy your free workout. You are welcome. Concluding, horses have an important role in human everyday lives.
