Heart and Soul Equine Foundation

May 4, 2022 in I On The Horse

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With the Kentucky Derby this Saturday, I began to think of what happens to retired racehorses, I came upon the Heart & Soul Foundation. After giving so much on the tracks, these hoofed companions would need a good way to live out their remaining years.

The Heart & Soul Equine Foundation Inc. is a non-profit organization providing Equine Assisted Therapy & Healing for Adults and Children, using horses that are retired or rescued!

The organization has built something beautiful in the form of Horse Assisted Therapy to improve the participant’s physical and emotional well-being while enhancing their quality of life.

What is Equine Therapy?

We know that spending time with animals is beneficial because of their unconditional love and the stress-reducing effects of being around them. Equine therapy is a situation where a health professional works with a horse specialist to help clients who are usually seeking help for emotional or behavioral problems.

These clients can be adults or children who learn about caring for the horses. The therapy focuses more on learning to care for the horses than to ride them.

Equine therapy can help treat;

Eating Disorders
Behavior Disorders
Traumatic Brain Injury
Dementia
Substance Use Disorders
Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Stress
Trauma
Autism, Asperger’s
Learning Challenges
ADD/ADHD
Down Syndrome

Some benefits of equine therapy for participants/clients include reduced anxiety, fewer feelings of isolation, increased trust, better impulse control, understanding of healthy boundaries, better self-esteem, happiness, and so on.

At the HSEF, the foundation works with a wide range of patients for several benefits to both horse and patient.

Kentucky Derby — Canaveral is available for sponsorship, with a rich racehorse history

Retired and rescued racehorses have both a home and a future with this equine therapy program.

Since the Heart & Soul Equine Foundation is a non-profit, they require donations to help keep the programs alive. They are currently running a “Sponsor A Horse Program” and Corporate Donations to help with the operating costs of feeding and caring for the horses.

I think their cause is wonderful and I hope you consider donating to let our hoofed friends continue to touch lives.

Enjoy the Kentucky Derby and the entire Triple Crown season!