Hearts Therapeutic helps humans heal mentally through horses

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - May is Mental Health Awareness Month and at Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center, they believe connecting humans with horses together can help with physical and mental healing.

For Jessica Simon, a rider at Hearts Therapeutic, this is ranch is more than just a place to visit horses - it's a sanctuary of healing and empowerment.

Each rider gets a specific horse that helps them with their needs. The way Dillon, Simon's horse, helps her with the feelings of anxiety.

Equine Therapy, also know as adaptive riding, can be done in different ways.

 “First and foremost it is horseback riding," said therapeutic riding instructor, Kelly Fields-Meyer Gould, "but along with that we also end up emphasizing a lot of things like patience, empathy for your horse, communication, listening skills like that, that you might not hit as directly or as intentional in a typical riding lesson.”

According to Hearts Therapeutic, horses are born to form bonds with people.

Although Hearts helps people with their specific needs, many volunteers and instructors say they also get inspired and feel something in return as well when helping.

“A lot of what we say is..people come for the horses and we stay for the people," said Kirsten Kallai, director of operations. "That is the case in so many ways..Being able to witness what happens with our riders when they connect with these animals.”

For participants like Jessica, mastering horseback riding or working around horses, can be a huge confident boost while also learning to navigate life.

It brings her a greater sense of connection to the world around her.

For Simon, she has been herself grow throughout her time at Hearts Therapeutic and is happy she took action to help improve her mental health.

She wants others to do the same.

“I do my best to lead by example and to um, hone in and to put your best self forward," says Hearts Therapeutic Rider, Jessica Simon.

For more information on Hearts Therapeutic, you can visit their official website.