---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <steve.sundur@...> wrote:
Thank you. It really opened my eyes to the potential that a horse can have in
helping to heal lives that have been broken.
And what a moment that must be when the horse lowers its head and signifies
acceptance. I can see where they could have a profound effect on someone.
And it was a nice thing to see individuals in the racing thoroughbred world,
whom you might picture more as stuffy 1%ers, using their resources to support
such a worthwhile program.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for taking the time to watch. I have thought about what it is about
animal therapy that works for people. You have the old folks having visits from
dogs, you have prisoners working with horses as well. You also have many
associations for disabled riders who can come and sit on a horse and be led
around that are very successful.
I think in the case of the veterans with PTSD it involves a feeling of being
in some position of control and yet also vulnerable to being rejected (no join
up) or even becoming too afraid of the physical perils (bitten or kicked or
knocked down). I feel these damaged men are already fearful, unsure, deeply
wounded and just the fact that they would enter into a program like this takes
courage and a sort of faith that their participation won't make things somehow
worse. So, when they begin working with these animals who are so big and who
were great athletes themselves and are no longer wanted or needed (are virtual
dog meat) they can relate - a sort of fallen hero similarity. The fact that the
horse eventually chooses (not forced or coerced in any way) to come to them, to
accept them and to do them no harm is beyond moving for these vets. The men and
women understand that these animals don't need to do any of that and the
element of unconditional acceptance and fondness (maybe not love) touches these
people at the deepest level where all of their pain resides. For me, these
horses become a sort of personal, loving God - the embodiment of a kind of
compassionate power. I am a true believer that God works through animals very
powerfully. This documentary allowed a little of that to show through by
allowing us to see how deeply effected, and how positively effected, many of
the men and women were. If this isn't spiritual, if this isn't, in fact, God
then it is a close second.
