Horses can help facilitate wellbeing for Aboriginal peoples

In the final report of last year’s Royal Commission into the Detention and protection into children in the Northern Territory, it stated that 75% of Aboriginal youth in detention have one or more diagnosable psychiatric disorders. This statistic is heart breaking to read. The Royal Commission states that culturally safe and competent programs are needed to address this issue. In fact, the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) stated in a response to the Royal Commission that they would like to see the Government “give consideration to more culturally appropriate method of rehabilitation such as equine (horse) therapy”.

Since colonisation, we have a long history of dispossession, oppression and marginalisation, resulting in widespread socioeconomic disadvantage and health inequality.  Our experiences of colonisation have culminated in much trauma, and have contributed to transgenerational trauma – the collective emotional and psychological injury experienced by our peoples since colonisation has been passed down the generations, and is still evident as trauma for us today, both as Aboriginal individuals and as communities.

Trauma is linked to numerous negative outcomes, including suicide, mental illness, substance misuse, aggression and other destructive behaviours.  These outcomes make it hard for our people to live full and enriched lives and participate in their communities.

Mainstream methods of healing trauma can often be criticised for their cultural inappropriateness in an Aboriginal context – failing to accommodate Aboriginal conceptualisations of health, ill-health, trauma, healing and helping; using tools that lack cross-cultural validity; and the lack of culturally competent service providers.

One new area that shows great potential to improve wellbeing in a culturally safe way is the use of horses by suitably qualified professionals to supplement the therapeutic setting.  This can include activities such as grooming, handling, riding, training and generally interacting with the horse.  Using horses specifically focuses on the delivery of mental health and counselling interventions through an alternative means to the more traditional sit and talk therapy, recognising that horses can be a powerful and effective tool for helping people.

Using horses to give an experiential and solution-focused therapy, humans participate in on-ground activities that may be processed by discussing emotions, behaviours, thoughts, feelings and actions.  This approach allows clients to see and experience metaphorically what is happening in life with the support of trained counsellors and can lead to increased awareness and personal growth.

Horses can be effective because the opportunity to interact and build trust with a horse rather than a person can be less threatening, less verbally reliant, and less intrusive. There is no judgement, no ridicule – but there is acceptance.  Horses are also very receptive to emotional cues from people.  This means that successful interaction with the horse relies on the person effectively regulating and managing their own emotions, communicating effectively, being present in the moment, and developing problem-solving and coping strategies.

Horses are currently utilised within Native American and Canadian Aboriginal contexts to heal trauma, and outcomes have been reported to include reduced distress and increased wellbeing – benefits that have not just been immediate, but sustained over time.

Aboriginal people have been working with horses since they were first brought to Australia – working on stock stations, rodeos, as jockeys and for pleasure. We already utilise horses in therapeutic contexts. For example, Phoenix House in QLD provide intervention for Aboriginal youth who have experienced sexual assault. Phoenix House together with Central Queensland University have completed research that shows working with horses and survivors of sexual abuse result in significant positive results. Mona Aboriginal Corporation’s cultural horsemanship program began in response to a lack of culturally appropriate healing programs. The Cultural Horsemanship Program runs for 15 weeks and teaches children and young people respect, mechanical training and skills, meal preparation, fencing and yard building, animal husbandry, cultural education and skills such as hunting and gathering. After an initial trial in 2012, a program evaluation showed clear indicators of success, including cost-effectiveness and behavioural changes.

Although using horses is building momentum in Australia, this area has not yet been fully researched or documented with Aboriginal peoples.  Horses certainly could be a good match given their ability to respond appropriately and flexibly – in some ways showing cultural responsiveness.  Horses appear to have the potential to provide a culturally relevant approach to Aboriginal promotion of wellbeing and healing from trauma.

It seems imperative then that we conduct further research in this area to gain a more in-depth understanding of the dynamics of healing with horses and the possibilities of utilising them with Aboriginal peoples.

Bindi was a  participant in an IndigenousX pitch & publish masterclass in November 2017