Equine Therapy: Horses Helping Humans Thrive

Hey Everyone!

Here’s a little bit of my story and plans for my gofundme, I hope this can inspire you to donate and if you can’t, please share to help me with my dream and vision that I hold deep to my heart…

My name is Taina and I want to start an equine therapy program that incorporates gardening, horseback riding, and non verbal therapy to children and adults struggling with day to day life. Whether it be family issues, PTSD, developmental disabilities or if you just want to learn more about yourself through the eyes of one of the most empathetic creatures of this planet. Horses have been apart of my life since I was 5 years old. I wouldn’t be where I am today had it not been for them. I thank my grandmother for introducing them to me. I know without them in my life I’d be a much different person.

I grew up with a rare genetic neurological disorder that was difficult for me to fit in with other kids and peers growing up. I wasn’t allowed to eat many foods because it would affect my brain; people always felt bad for me and they would always treat me differently as soon as they found out. They would never want to invite me places for fear of my condition. I grew up feeling like I had the plague because I’d never be invited to birthday parties, I could never go on field trips, summer camps were always something I wanted to do to make friends but my diet got in the way. I started to grow up angry and resented my parents because I didn’t understand why this happened to me. I became disinterested in almost everything. Nothing made me happy, and I felt like I was just going through the motions of living but never truly living. When I was about 6 or 7 years old, my grandmother decided to take me and my mother my aunt and my cousin on a trip to puerto to visit some extended family. My grandma grew up in the country side of Puerto Rico in a town called Moca, Aguadilla. While we were driving through the town, everywhere you looked there were horses. Big and small all different colors, my grandmother had them when she was younger and told me that when she was a young girl she use to get around the island on horseback. We got to our families house and my grandmother walked me to the backyard where I saw the most beautiful horse I had ever laid my eyes on. He was giant, all black, strong and he had the most kindest and deepest brown eyes I had ever seen. My grandmother introduced him to me, his name was Cielo. I had never been around a horse before so the thought of touching a horse scared me. However, while I stood there looking at him, I started to calm down. I felt like I had nothing to fear. When I completely relaxed I felt he could sense it; he walked right up to me and let me pet him. I couldn’t believe I was touching a horse. He felt soft and smooth, his nose had whiskers that would tickle him everytime my fingers passed over them. He was kind, patient and didn’t create fear. I looked over to my grandma and I started crying tears of joy. Through this horse I felt happiness like I had never felt before. I couldn’t explain it. Before I could even go back to pet him my grandmother picked me up and placed me on his back. I froze but Cielo stood still but he looked back as to make sure I was ok. Just as I was comfortable my grandmother told Cielo “ve a buscar mi cerveza”. I had no idea what that meant but all of a sudden she opens the back gate and Cielo walks out. I felt every muscle moving, with every step he took I felt my hair flowing, the air felt different, amazing. I had no idea where I was going but I trusted him to take me wherever I was supposed to go. We crossed over highways, dirt paths, even a slight detour on the beach; he liked to paw at the ocean water, then we arrived to a small little bodega where there were 4 men sitting outside with a 12 case of Budweiser beer. They all greeted Cielo and handed me the beer and said hold on tight he knows the way back. I thought wow this horse is smart and brave and I felt safe with him despite never having ridden a horse before. We get back home, my grandma grabs her beer lifts me off Cielo and for the rest of my trip I spent everyday brushing him, riding him and taking care of him. I learned he was very intuitive, observant and patient all the things I had never been. I learned that he felt what I felt, if I was sad he was more affectionate, if I was angry he would have a particularly bad attitude and when I was excited he was very antsy and hyper. He helped me to regulate and remain neutral and in control of my emotions. I didn’t realize how much that has helped me throughout my life and career with horses. What Cielo gave me was a new view on life, he helped me to let go of feeling such strong unhealthy emotions. He made me feel safe, he made me feel confident, he made me feel like nothing that was troubling me could trouble me forever. He taught me that being angry or irrational in my behavior makes bad company and that if I wanted to be accepted and over come life’s obstacles I had to be level headed, positive and calm.

That is what I want to bring to my business. I want to make an environment where the lessons I learned from Cielo; everyone can learn and experience that. Through riding and learning how to balance and connect with a horse, learning how to garden which can help with mindfulness, peace and breathing techniques as well as planting tasty snacks for the horses or yourself and through non verbal therapy with horses. Learning to trust, learning to regulate emotions, learning to be more confident, being able to take care of yourself and what it’s like to care for others. My business focuses on a wide variety of agricultural practices that can help anyone and provide a safe space for healing.

I thank you all for reading my story and hope you can see my vision and made this goal and dream a reality.

Please share and donate if you can; i want to be apart of making peoples life thrive and be the best versions of themselves.

Thank you all so much!