A geriatic former ranch horse who gently nudges visitors if he feels he is not getting enough attention is a key player in helping people deal with mental and emotional hurt, Linda Raulino said.
“He feels he is doing good, I truly believe he feels he is helping people,” Raulino, the founder of Longmont’s Horses Make Miracles, said while she scratched the muzzle of 37-year-old Dakota.
Dakota is one of five horses the nonprofit has retrained after lives of farm and ranch work, as well as at race tracks, to provide equine therapy sessions. Originally founded in 2004, Horses Make Miracle started out providing therapy for individuals suffering from traumatic brain injury, said Rauilino, who attained certification from the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship.
Horses Make Miracles now offers a variety of specialized programs including equine facilitated psychotherapy, life coaching and Hooves of Pride for veterans dealing with emotional and physical challenges after returning to civilian life, Raulino said in an email.
More than 150 people a year participate in group therapy sessions and private lessons at the Horses Make Miracles farm north of Longmont. As many as 120 volunteers help train and care for the horses, maintain the farm, do administrative work and help instructors and therapists during sessions, she said.
Raulino works closely with local therapists who help supervise activities.
Horses Make Miracles this month got a $5,000 boost for a new program that aims to build self-confidence, improve communication skills and resolve conflicts among people from all walks of life dealing with emotional issues, Raulino said.
The nonprofit’s Equus Embrace effort showcases the ability of horses to break down barriers by allowing clients to hug, groom and embrace them in a quiet pasture that encircles the Horses Make Miracles facility, Raulino said.
The program’s clients meet and then work with the horses in group classes facilitated by licensed and certified professionals, Raulino said. The horses, just being their natural selves, offer an outlet for clients.
“Horses really do mirror us,” Raulino said in her email. “The horses, being nonjudgmental and honest partners, help our clients learn about leadership, empathy, creating healthy boundaries, creativity, contact, connection and relationships in a safe, nurturing and non-threatening way.”
A participant’s issues are likely to rise to the surface much quicker in a paddock while helping brush a 1,000-pound horse than they would in an office setting with a therapist, she said. “And those issues can be dealt with sooner.”
Funding came from the Wantagh, New York-based Marilyn Lichtman Foundation which backs nonprofits across the country. The foundation lauded Horse Make Miracles for offering “activities for participants for all ages and abilities, both riding and non-riding with personalized plans specially geared toward participant’s needs, goals and objectives.”
Toothless Dakota is probably nearing 100 years old if he were human and has been with Raulino the longest. His riding days are over and he gets special food. But he is pivotal to the Horses Make Miracles’ mission.
“He is perfect for us,” she said. “He’s gentle, likes people and doesn’t get too excited about anything.”
All of the horses on Raulino’s roster are older than 20 and are naturally low-key and friendly, she said.
“They are great in this setting,” she said. “They truly do break down barriers, just by being who they are.”
