Healing Horses

Most people don't realize how much unresolved emotional pain they carry around. They don't know why they always feel depressed, anxious, victimized, or disappointed. They wonder why they keep making the same self-sabotaging impulsive decisions. These patterns often stem from their lost inner child, which carries a false narrative that has been on repeat since childhood.

Horses are sensitive creatures with hearts ten times larger than humans and much more to share with us than meets the eye. Life Lessons from the Heart of Horses offers poignant short stories about the trials and tribulations of befriending horses. Equine expert Kathy Pike brings you on a healing journey that includes lessons a wild horse taught her, how horses teach humans in her equine facilitated learning programs, and personal insights about living off the land and engaging with the dynamics of a herd each day.

At the start of this remarkable story of recovery, healing, and redemption, Ginger Gaffney answers a call to help retrain the troubled horses at an alternative prison ranch in New Mexico, a facility run entirely by the prisoners. The horses are scavenging through the dumpsters, kicking and running down the residents when they bring the trash out after meals. One horse is severely injured. The horses and residents arrive at the ranch broken in one way or many: the horses are defensive and terrified, while the residents, some battling addictions, are emotionally and physically shattered.

Illness and trauma touch us all. Into the uncertainty and pain trots a herd of tiny horses, bringing a smile, a laugh, a chance to heal. Mini Horse, Mighty Hope introduces you to Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, one of the largest equine therapy programs in the world. You'll experience moments of comfort, hope, healing, and even miracles as you follow these spirited mini horses on visits to children's and veterans' hospitals, victims of natural disasters, survivors of and first responders to mass shootings, and more.

More than anything else, this is a book about love. In this deeply moving account, you will hear about Rambo, a sheep who informs the staff when another animal is in trouble; and Paulie, a former cockfighting rooster who eats lunch with humans; Dino, an old toothless pony who survived a fire; and many more. Alongside these horses, roosters, pigs, sheep, rabbits, cows, and other animals is a staff of loving humans for whom every animal life, even that of a frog rushed to the vet for emergency surgery, has merit.

Miniature equine therapy is a powerful and versatile therapeutic tool with many proven benefits and exciting potential for growth and development. As advancements continue, it's expected to become an even more effective and accessible form of therapy. The role of miniature horses in shaping human lives extends far beyond their size. Their ability to bond with individuals, provide therapeutic benefits, and enhance lives through companionship and interaction is truly remarkable.