Equine Therapy for Foster Parents

Foster parenting is an amazing way to give back to the community all while helping a child find a forever home. For many foster parents, engaging in this type of service is often filled with reward, especially when they see their foster child join a family for good.

Before being able to be a foster parent, those adults looking to do so must meet certain requirements, which include:

• Being 21 years of age
• Having a room for a child in their home
• Being financially stable
• Having a home that meets safety requirements
• Being in good physical and psychological health

In addition to these technical requirements, foster parents must also be realistic when it comes to being able to foster for a short or a long period of time, understanding that fostering is not the same as adopting and feeling comfortable letting go of control. All of these characteristics, plus being able to devise a plan for care, are all crucial things that foster parents need to take into consideration as they make their way through the process.

How Can Equine Therapy Help Foster Parents?

While many foster parents gain the majority of their fostering knowledge and support from other foster parents and the social workers they interact with, obtaining additional forms of guidance can greatly improve both theirs and their foster child’s experience. Equine therapy is able to help foster parents better understand their foster child all while helping them develop themselves into more suitable foster parents. Some of the many ways in which equine therapy can benefit foster parents can include the following:

• Increasing communication – Just like humans, horses communicate in many different ways. Whether it is with a flick of their tail or a nod of their head, horses are sending messages all the time. By working with an equine therapist, foster parents can begin to recognize various subtle forms of communication that can help them begin communicating with their foster child on a deeper, more intense level.
• Developing understanding – For some foster parents, it can be challenging to understand why their foster child might be acting out, isolating themselves, etc. Through constant contact with both horses and therapists, foster parents can learn how experiences can mean something different to everyone, all while learning how to be accepting of their foster child’s feelings and emotional responses.
• Controlling impulses – Foster parenting is not easy, and while it might seem exciting at first, some parents find themselves stressed out during the process, which can make them more likely to grow impulsive in their behaviors. Being around horses in an equine therapy session can teach a foster parent the importance of controlling his or her impulsivity, especially since engaging in this type of behavior can make horses extremely skittish and put them into a fight or flight mode. In order to be successful in their therapy sessions, foster parents must work to control their impulses. In turn, controlling their impulses at home with their foster child can also benefit their relationship in ways that promote trust, honesty and respect.
• In addition to the above listed behavioral issues see previous posting regarding adoption and reactive attachment disorder as well.

Equine therapy is extremely beneficial in addressing many of the complications that foster parents can run into while providing a home for a foster child. While many people might feel that the process of foster care is often more beneficial for the children, it can also serve as a highly effective process for foster parents, as they are given the ability to grow into better people not only for another individual, but for themselves as well. Herd By A Horse is offering a Parenting Communication workshop May 11, 2013 to address some of these issues. See workshop page for more information.