June 19, 2025 • 24 mins
Discover the power of equine therapy through the eyes of specialist Erin Cain, founder of Grace Reins Equine Therapy in Colorado. When words fall short in traditional therapy settings, horses step in as powerful healers for children struggling with anxiety, trauma, and emotional regulation.
The science behind this approach is fascinating. Horses, with heart rates half that of humans despite their massive size, naturally help children downregulate their nervous systems through a mirroring effect. This physiological connection creates a safe space for emotional processing that bypasses the need for verbal expression. For children who find traditional therapy settings intimidating or ineffective, the barn becomes a sanctuary where healing happens through movement, trust, and connection.
What makes Erin's program particularly special is her work with rescued wild mustangs. These magnificent animals bring their own stories of resilience and recovery to the therapeutic relationship, creating powerful parallels for children who have experienced hardship. As children learn the mustangs' journeys from trauma to trust, they discover new narratives for their own lives. The program extends beyond individual therapy to support entire family systems and provide educator wellness sessions, recognizing that healing happens in community.
Even without direct access to horses, parents and educators can incorporate elements of biophilia into daily routines. Simple practices like breath work, guided visualizations, and mindful movement help children build "cellular memory" of calm they can access anywhere. These techniques offer powerful tools for emotional regulation that complement traditional educational approaches.
Ready to explore how equine therapy might benefit a child in your life? Organizations like PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) can connect you with certified programs in your area.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (00:00):
What if the most effective therapy for
struggling children happened notin an office, but in a barn?
Traditional therapy relies onwords, but equine therapy
creates healing through movement, trust and connection.
Today we're exploring biophiliaour innate affinity for animals
, and how wild mustangs arehelping children overcome
anxiety and trauma whenconventional approaches fall
(00:21):
short.
Join me with Erin Cain fromGrace Reins Equine Therapy to
discover how these remarkableanimals are transforming
children's lives and how parentsand teachers can tap into this
powerful approach.
Welcome to the brighter side ofeducation.
Welcome to the brighter side ofeducation, research, innovation
(00:45):
and resources.
I'm your host, dr Lisa Hassler,here to enlighten and brighten
the classrooms in Americathrough focused conversation on
important topics in education.
In each episode, I discussproblems we as teachers and
parents are facing and whatpeople are doing in their
communities to fix it.
What are the variables and howcan we duplicate it to maximize
(01:05):
student outcomes?
In a previous episode, equineAssisted Psychotherapy helps
ADHD students.
With therapist Joanne Tomer, weexplored how working with
horses supports children withADHD by improving focus,
self-regulation and confidence.
And if you're interested inthat discussion, as well as the
history of equine-assistedpsychotherapy, I highly
(01:27):
recommend going back to listenfor a deep dive into the ADHD
perspective, but today we'reexpanding the conversation to
look at how equine-assistedtherapy can support children
with a broader range of mentalhealth challenges, from anxiety
to emotional trauma.
Research consistently shows thatinteraction with horses creates
profound benefits forchildren's mental health.
(01:48):
Studies in the Journal of Childand Family Studies demonstrate
that equine-assistedinterventions significantly
reduce anxiety and stress inchildren with emotional and
behavioral disorders.
This therapeutic approach workson multiple levels.
Physically, the rhythmicmovement of horses activates the
parasympathetic nervous system,promoting relaxation and
(02:08):
emotional regulation, whilepsychologically, horses serve as
natural biofeedback partners.
Our innate tendency to connectwith animals, what scientists
call biophilia, explains whymany children who struggle with
traditional therapy thrive inthe presence of horses.
Unlike office based approachesthat rely on verbal expression,
equine therapy offers anonverbal path to healing that's
(02:31):
particularly effective forchildren who have experienced
trauma or face communicationchallenges, and that's where
today's guest, Erin Cain, comesin.
Erin is an equine specialist inmental health and learning and
the founder of Grace ReignsEquine Therapy in Colorado,
where she connects children withthe healing power of horses.
Her journey intoequine-assisted therapy began
(02:52):
with a lifelong passion forhorses, but it was through a
firsthand experience that shediscovered their profound
ability to support children'semotional well-being.
Today, erin is here to sharehow equine-assisted therapy
works in practice, what makeshorses such powerful therapeutic
partners, and how parents andeducators can explore this
transformative approach forchildren in need.
(03:13):
Welcome to the Brighter Side ofEducation, erin.
Erin Cain (03:16):
It's great to have you with us today.
Thank you so much for having me.
It's so important to talk abouteducation and innovation with
our kids and how we can helpthem learn things and, yeah,
this is very timely, thank you.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (03:30):
Your journey into equine-assisted therapy
comes from a place of a deeppersonal connection.
Can you share what experiencesled you to establish Grace
Reigns and then how you'vewitnessed the healing power of
horses in your own life beforeyou brought it to children and
families?
Erin Cain (03:49):
So, yeah, I mean, I've been in this field since
the mid-90s and then, havinggone back to school early 2000s
to get my education in equinetherapy as an equine specialist
in mental health and learningand also a therapeutic riding
instructor, and just happenedupon this program back in the
(04:10):
Northeast, sort of marrying mylove of horses and my desire to
be of service in this life.
So that was such a blessing tofind equine therapy and then
subsequently having loss andtrauma and finding my own way
and understanding how thatplayed an integral part in my
(04:32):
healing.
Most people can relate to howanimals help us during difficult
times and really every day, butespecially we go to them often
in crisis Therapy.
Dogs and therapy animals aremuch more prevalent in today's
society.
So once I had that experienceand understanding of what they
(04:55):
could do for us and what beingaround the horses and the many
modalities in equine therapy,yeah that was a no-brainer for
me to go back to school andpursue my education so that I
could bring it to more people.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (05:12):
What kind of observations have you made with
that human-animal bonddeveloping and those healing
opportunities that is notpossible in traditional settings
?
Erin Cain (05:23):
Well, a traditional modality of therapy can be very
daunting and very intimidatingand we don't always have the
words, nevermind connecting thefeelings to words right.
So you're sort of taking all ofthat off the table.
In an equine therapeuticsetting, you're not really asked
to articulate what it is.
(05:44):
You're there for, what it isthat you need and, honestly,
just a beautiful overall,calming, grounding experience.
And then you add to that thatyou're in a non-judgmental space
(06:15):
, a reset space, where you canbe back in touch with yourself
and find your ground and findyour baseline and begin to sort
of unfurl like what is it thatI'm trying to work with right
now in my life and how is thisspace going to mirror that for
me, you know, with the childrenin particular, it's really
(06:37):
interesting to just sit withthem and observe the dynamics in
the herd, because they're alldealing with so much in their
social lives at school and inthis environment.
We're observing the herd andwe're mirroring and actually
understanding how this dynamicworks and who we are in that
(06:57):
space.
It's very empowering for them.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (07:00):
You brought up mirroring, and so what is
mirroring and how does thataffect things like heart rate
and nervous system?
Erin Cain (07:06):
with the intention of down shoulders, to unclench our
jaws, to be in the space withthe horse.
Put our hands on the horse'sbodies.
(07:31):
They have a heart rate that ishalf of ours.
So even though they're 10 timesour size, their heart beats
half the times that ours does.
So that in and of itself, thatencompassing energy can really
help us to slow down, to breathe, to just let down our guard a
(07:53):
little bit.
And, you know, let that emotioncome up, because what's
happening physiologically withus will just invite that emotion
to just bubble up, and thehorse invites that naturally.
So if they're feelingcomfortable with you, they're
just going to drop into thatspace with you.
(08:14):
So that feels really good.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (08:16):
We work with kids on things like grief and
loss, empathy, mindfulness,depression, and so I can see
where having that physicalconnection with an animal makes
it a little bit easier, thatbridge to deal with that.
And you work with wild mustangsspecifically.
Deal with that and you workwith wild Mustangs specifically.
(08:39):
Can you talk about why the wildMustangs and what distinctive
qualities do those horses bringto therapeutic work and how are
the kids responding to that?
Erin Cain (08:46):
I don't know if you're familiar with the Mustang
population in the West and howit's been eradicated.
Over the last 50 years or so thepopulation has diminished to
near extinction.
Actually They've been rounded upand some of the government
programs have holding pens forthem, but mostly they've just
(09:07):
been gone off to.
It's a terrible thing to talkabout but they do go off to
slaughter many, many of them inMexico and that's a whole other
terrible part of the story.
But the good part of the storyfor us is that we've been able
to tap into the rescue of thewild mustangs and be able to
adopt.
That sort of started for usabout 10 years ago, moving from
(09:31):
the domestic horse populationinto the rescue, and so with the
Mustangs in particular, a lotof them are adopted when they're
very young.
They just have such a storyaround them that when we share
that story with people who havehad great loss or addiction or
(09:53):
had a dark journey of theirlives, and when you share with
them the resilience and thestory of the Mustangs and how
they you know they came fromsuch trauma and so much despair
and then coming to us and havingthe period of time where it
could be, you know months oryears really to be able to get
(10:13):
them to downregulate and be ableto trust us and build that
trust again is just a reallypowerful narrative for people
that they can relate to.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (10:24):
You have educator wellness programs as
well.
How did you carve that outspecifically for an educator
wellness session and how do theywork?
What kind of benefits have youseen?
Erin Cain (10:34):
Well, as you know, these are frontline workers,
right and in every way, and soit's an easy place to come to
when you're treating thepopulation, ie the children, and
understanding every day thatthese paraprofessionals school
teachers, administrators whattheir lives are like on a
(10:55):
day-to-day basis.
So it was just a beautifulsupportive idea, you know, just
like a field trip or a, you know, an end of year teachers
coalition out.
It has been a beautiful process, just a supportive program for
all of those people that aredoing that behind the scenes
(11:16):
work have you had anyconnections between students in
the classroom and their teacherswhere you were able to serve
the population from the sameschool?
Dr. Lisa Hassler (11:24):
I could see where that could be very
impactful.
Erin Cain (11:26):
Yes, that's exactly right, Lisa, and as you know
firsthand experience with theteachers, there's a lot put on
them and so, yes, bringing thattogether cohesively is just.
It makes so much sense and isjust a lesson for all of us of
how we're all working togetherand there is no separation,
(11:48):
really, but because we have theprivilege, modeling with
children is just so powerful.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (11:55):
Thinking about serving a community.
So you've got the child and nowthe teacher to help with that
school relationship, so thatthere's a better understanding
of a different way to approach,but also like how to handle
emotions, or like you're talkingabout the deregulating and the
grounding.
Do you do anything withfamilies?
Erin Cain (12:12):
Yes, we can see each other differently, in a
different setting.
I mean, this is a very uniquesetting for most people that
they don't have experience withit, and so they're coming with
like a freshness and an openness, and so any opportunity to see
one another with fresh eyes andin a new setting, you really
(12:37):
begin to recognize each otherindividually.
And last week there was afamily here and the dad started
to tell this story he had as achild with horses and his wife
said well, I never knew thatabout you.
And the kids said you know,they were 15 and 17,.
They said we don't know thispart of your story, we don't
(12:59):
know this about you.
And I thought that is sobeautiful and that's a lot of
what this invites.
You know to inadvertently teachthe ones they love like.
This is a part of me and thisis another aspect of me.
It changes a lot of things whenwe see each other holistically
and this environment gives thatopportunity.
(13:19):
So thank you for bringing thatup, lisa.
That's another really beautifulaspect of experiences here.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (13:27):
We had a connection problem, and so now
Erin is joining us on her phone.
Erin Cain (13:31):
Great.
Thank you so much.
Sorry for the technicalchallenges, but I'm so grateful
to have the opportunity to talkabout all of this and help
people and educate people tounderstand that there are other
opportunities and differentmodalities for getting through
tough times in school or inadulthood or whatever, wherever
(13:54):
they're at in their life orjourney?
Dr. Lisa Hassler (13:57):
Yeah, Teachers , families you're really
supporting the entire communityand a lot of educators either
might experience it themselvesor know about it because of,
maybe, children that you'reserving or families, and so I
can see where.
Then they might be excitedabout the ways that they can
promote emotional regulation intheir own classrooms and want to
(14:19):
use biophilia as a way to beable to do it.
If they have the opportunity toreference students or families
to your services because they'relocal, that would be amazing.
But let's say they don't haveany access and they still want
to have that kind of impact intheir own classroom.
Are there things that they cando to promote that biophilia in
their own classroom?
Erin Cain (14:40):
Yes, absolutely Well, any type of breath work or
relaxation exercises.
I know, when my son was ingrammar school, I remember him
coming home and saying they didyoga in school and I thought, oh
my gosh, that's so precious,it's so wonderful.
I often say.
We do a lot of kids' summercamps in the summertime,
(15:01):
obviously, and the kids get outof the van or transportation and
it's just like Lord of theFlies.
And then we gather them up andsit them in a circle and we do
some deep breath work orwhatever yoga pose and they just
are in such a different energywithin 10 minutes.
(15:21):
You know it's just really, it'sreally precious, and so you can
invite that same idea into aclassroom.
Of course, not to say that itwould be easy peasy, but
anything that you know gets on aschedule.
If they know, like Mondaymornings we're going to do some
yoga or we're going to do breathwork, or this teacher invites
us to stand up out of our desksand stretch our arms to the
(15:43):
ceiling, sit on the grass.
You can travel in your mind.
You can do a visual exercise.
(16:03):
You close your eyes and let'stravel to a farm, or let's
travel to an ocean.
It doesn't take much,especially when it's done
alongside of breath work, to getour brains to travel away from
where we are and quiet ourmonkey brains.
Even if it's for a few minutes,you're sort of building a
(16:24):
cellular memory for all of us.
But with children, who are somalleable and precious.
You can do something 10 minutesa week and it'll develop inside
of them on a cellular levelwhere they're teach the kids
here.
You know, when you leave hereyou're taking this with you.
(16:45):
It's inside of you.
It's easy for us to remember ourtrauma, it's easy for us to
access like we talk a lot abouttriggers and things in our world
but you can also access yourjoyful and happy memories.
And you can also access yourjoyful and happy memories and
you can also access your calmself.
That is all inside of uscellularly as well.
(17:07):
And so that is a good reminderfor all of us to have those
moments during the week where wesay, okay, I'm super stressed
out, I'm driving and I'm tenseand I'm well, let's just do that
five minute exercise.
Let's take, you know, justdoing that Like literally I
think sometimes I'm driving andpeople are probably looking at
me like I'm crazy, but nobody'slooking at us.
(17:28):
It's another reminder for us.
You know, just doing those jawand shoulders exercises and deep
breaths can just it changesyour chemistry really quickly.
So those are good reminders andthey can be with us.
They're with us all the time.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (17:45):
I love that and I used to do like
meditations and with childrenand we did yoga in the classroom
as well when I felt like theywere getting extra squirmy and
that was a wonderful way to beable to just kind of relax.
And, recenter, and we'd pushthe desks aside and take off our
shoes and put on this wonderfulvideo.
It was called Cosmic Yoga andshe did yoga, stretching to
(18:08):
stories, and the kids loved it.
It could do like Star Wars oryou know, and we picked it based
on time limit and theirinterests.
So it was so much fun and thekids really listened, they were
engaged, they were stretchingand I saw such a difference when
they returned back to classroomactivities.
They really enjoyed that break.
(18:30):
It was a mental, physical break.
And then also I did teach at areligious school, so we did some
prayer and um.
But I would have them do visualmeditations where I'd say, okay
, you're going to close youreyes and I put on calm music,
you know background, naturesounds and then tell them you
are walking through a field, putyour fingers out, you're
(18:52):
touching the tops of the grass,the sun is on your cheeks, raise
your face up and feel thewarmth on your face.
We would just do these visualmeditations and it was wonderful
, really beneficial and it'seasy to do.
You can do it anywhere.
You don't need anything forthat.
Erin Cain (19:09):
Yes, that's right.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (19:12):
Then, looking towards the future, how do you
envision equine-assisted therapybecoming more integrated into
mainstream mental health andeducation support systems, and
what would you like parents andeducators to understand about
this potential?
Erin Cain (19:26):
Well, thank you, lisa , and certainly people like
yourself.
Educating people is critical,getting it out there, having
people know that it's out thereand accessible.
Hopefully that will grow andgrow.
There are many, many facilitiesacross the country.
Path is the ProfessionalAssociation of Therapeutic
Horsemanship, and that is mysort of mothership, and that's a
(19:50):
global organization.
These programs are all over theworld in like war-torn
countries.
I remember working with a girlfrom Eastern Europe and she had
used caution tape to make around pen.
It makes me emotional to make around pen to work with children
in her area and to keep thehorse.
(20:11):
It's just incredible All thatto say that that is the main
organization that I work underand if you go online and look up
where these programs are,chances are hopefully there'll
be something nearby or somebodyknows somebody that's maybe
doing their own program on asmaller scale.
But getting it into the schoolsand getting it into the mental
(20:35):
health arena as an opportunityand an option for people in a
sort of non-traditional modalityis just so important and that's
what we're trying to do withthe help of people like you.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (20:49):
And then I think about you know, when kids
are saying you know, I want tobe this when I grow up.
They could do this, they couldlearn, they could become one.
Erin Cain (20:56):
Yes, that's right.
I know we do internships withthe kids at the high school, we
work with the court system, wedo community service programs,
so and people come out and theyjust go.
Oh my gosh, I didn't knowanything about this, I didn't
know this even existed.
But I love animals and I lovehelping people and so there's
that marriage there for them andwhether it be you know that the
(21:18):
people are working sort of inthe back of the house, if you
will, to support the programthat they're feeding the horses,
they're volunteering, you know,in the barn to do fencing
projects, and such an upliftingexperience whenever we're in
service to others.
So giving that opportunity isjust such a privilege.
(21:39):
And I'm just the conduit, I'mthe one that gets to hold the
space here, but there's so manymagical people, the people that
actually come are doing the workand are wanting to do better
and be better and feel better,so they're the heroes here with
the horses.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (22:00):
Well, thank you so much for joining me today
and for sharing all of theseinsights about the healing power
of horses and your wildmustangs and things that you're
doing out there in Colorado andthen letting others know about
it so you know we can pick upthat work and do it in other
places so that it spreads.
Erin Cain (22:18):
Thank you so much.
It's our privilege and I reallyappreciate your time and what
you're doing to help people aswell.
Thank you so much, Lisa.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (22:28):
The research is clear Our natural connection
to animals offers powerfulhealing opportunities.
Equine therapy taps into thisbiophilia to help children
develop resilience, emotionalregulation and confidence, often
when traditional approacheshave hit roadblocks.
If today's conversationresonated with you, I encourage
you to explore equine-assistedtherapy programs in your local
(22:49):
community.
While Erin's Grace Rainsprogram operates in Colorado,
similar therapeutic approachesare available across the country
.
Ask local riding stables,mental health providers or
school counselors aboutcertified equine therapy options
near you.
If you have a story about what'sworking in your schools that
(23:10):
you'd like to share, you canemail me at lisa at
drlisahasslercom, or visit mywebsite at wwwdrlisahasslercom
and send me a message.
If you like this podcast,subscribe and tell a friend.
The more people that know, thebigger impact it will have.
And if you find value to thecontent in this podcast,
consider becoming a supporter byclicking on the supporter link
in the show notes.
(23:30):
It is the mission of thispodcast to shine light on the
good in education so that itspreads, affecting positive
change.
So let's keep working togetherto find solutions that focus on
our children's success.
What if the most effective therapy for
struggling children happened notin an office, but in a barn?
Traditional therapy relies onwords, but equine therapy
creates healing through movement, trust and connection.
Today we're exploring biophiliaour innate affinity for animals
, and how wild mustangs arehelping children overcome
anxiety and trauma whenconventional approaches fall
(00:21):
short.
Join me with Erin Cain fromGrace Reins Equine Therapy to
discover how these remarkableanimals are transforming
children's lives and how parentsand teachers can tap into this
powerful approach.
Welcome to the brighter side ofeducation.
Welcome to the brighter side ofeducation, research, innovation
(00:45):
and resources.
I'm your host, dr Lisa Hassler,here to enlighten and brighten
the classrooms in Americathrough focused conversation on
important topics in education.
In each episode, I discussproblems we as teachers and
parents are facing and whatpeople are doing in their
communities to fix it.
What are the variables and howcan we duplicate it to maximize
(01:05):
student outcomes?
In a previous episode, equineAssisted Psychotherapy helps
ADHD students.
With therapist Joanne Tomer, weexplored how working with
horses supports children withADHD by improving focus,
self-regulation and confidence.
And if you're interested inthat discussion, as well as the
history of equine-assistedpsychotherapy, I highly
(01:27):
recommend going back to listenfor a deep dive into the ADHD
perspective, but today we'reexpanding the conversation to
look at how equine-assistedtherapy can support children
with a broader range of mentalhealth challenges, from anxiety
to emotional trauma.
Research consistently shows thatinteraction with horses creates
profound benefits forchildren's mental health.
(01:48):
Studies in the Journal of Childand Family Studies demonstrate
that equine-assistedinterventions significantly
reduce anxiety and stress inchildren with emotional and
behavioral disorders.
This therapeutic approach workson multiple levels.
Physically, the rhythmicmovement of horses activates the
parasympathetic nervous system,promoting relaxation and
(02:08):
emotional regulation, whilepsychologically, horses serve as
natural biofeedback partners.
Our innate tendency to connectwith animals, what scientists
call biophilia, explains whymany children who struggle with
traditional therapy thrive inthe presence of horses.
Unlike office based approachesthat rely on verbal expression,
equine therapy offers anonverbal path to healing that's
(02:31):
particularly effective forchildren who have experienced
trauma or face communicationchallenges, and that's where
today's guest, Erin Cain, comesin.
Erin is an equine specialist inmental health and learning and
the founder of Grace ReignsEquine Therapy in Colorado,
where she connects children withthe healing power of horses.
Her journey intoequine-assisted therapy began
(02:52):
with a lifelong passion forhorses, but it was through a
firsthand experience that shediscovered their profound
ability to support children'semotional well-being.
Today, erin is here to sharehow equine-assisted therapy
works in practice, what makeshorses such powerful therapeutic
partners, and how parents andeducators can explore this
transformative approach forchildren in need.
(03:13):
Welcome to the Brighter Side ofEducation, erin.
Erin Cain (03:16):
It's great to have you with us today.
Thank you so much for having me.
It's so important to talk abouteducation and innovation with
our kids and how we can helpthem learn things and, yeah,
this is very timely, thank you.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (03:30):
Your journey into equine-assisted therapy
comes from a place of a deeppersonal connection.
Can you share what experiencesled you to establish Grace
Reigns and then how you'vewitnessed the healing power of
horses in your own life beforeyou brought it to children and
families?
Erin Cain (03:49):
So, yeah, I mean, I've been in this field since
the mid-90s and then, havinggone back to school early 2000s
to get my education in equinetherapy as an equine specialist
in mental health and learningand also a therapeutic riding
instructor, and just happenedupon this program back in the
(04:10):
Northeast, sort of marrying mylove of horses and my desire to
be of service in this life.
So that was such a blessing tofind equine therapy and then
subsequently having loss andtrauma and finding my own way
and understanding how thatplayed an integral part in my
(04:32):
healing.
Most people can relate to howanimals help us during difficult
times and really every day, butespecially we go to them often
in crisis Therapy.
Dogs and therapy animals aremuch more prevalent in today's
society.
So once I had that experienceand understanding of what they
(04:55):
could do for us and what beingaround the horses and the many
modalities in equine therapy,yeah that was a no-brainer for
me to go back to school andpursue my education so that I
could bring it to more people.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (05:12):
What kind of observations have you made with
that human-animal bonddeveloping and those healing
opportunities that is notpossible in traditional settings
?
Erin Cain (05:23):
Well, a traditional modality of therapy can be very
daunting and very intimidatingand we don't always have the
words, nevermind connecting thefeelings to words right.
So you're sort of taking all ofthat off the table.
In an equine therapeuticsetting, you're not really asked
to articulate what it is.
(05:44):
You're there for, what it isthat you need and, honestly,
just a beautiful overall,calming, grounding experience.
And then you add to that thatyou're in a non-judgmental space
(06:15):
, a reset space, where you canbe back in touch with yourself
and find your ground and findyour baseline and begin to sort
of unfurl like what is it thatI'm trying to work with right
now in my life and how is thisspace going to mirror that for
me, you know, with the childrenin particular, it's really
(06:37):
interesting to just sit withthem and observe the dynamics in
the herd, because they're alldealing with so much in their
social lives at school and inthis environment.
We're observing the herd andwe're mirroring and actually
understanding how this dynamicworks and who we are in that
(06:57):
space.
It's very empowering for them.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (07:00):
You brought up mirroring, and so what is
mirroring and how does thataffect things like heart rate
and nervous system?
Erin Cain (07:06):
with the intention of down shoulders, to unclench our
jaws, to be in the space withthe horse.
Put our hands on the horse'sbodies.
(07:31):
They have a heart rate that ishalf of ours.
So even though they're 10 timesour size, their heart beats
half the times that ours does.
So that in and of itself, thatencompassing energy can really
help us to slow down, to breathe, to just let down our guard a
(07:53):
little bit.
And, you know, let that emotioncome up, because what's
happening physiologically withus will just invite that emotion
to just bubble up, and thehorse invites that naturally.
So if they're feelingcomfortable with you, they're
just going to drop into thatspace with you.
(08:14):
So that feels really good.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (08:16):
We work with kids on things like grief and
loss, empathy, mindfulness,depression, and so I can see
where having that physicalconnection with an animal makes
it a little bit easier, thatbridge to deal with that.
And you work with wild mustangsspecifically.
Deal with that and you workwith wild Mustangs specifically.
(08:39):
Can you talk about why the wildMustangs and what distinctive
qualities do those horses bringto therapeutic work and how are
the kids responding to that?
Erin Cain (08:46):
I don't know if you're familiar with the Mustang
population in the West and howit's been eradicated.
Over the last 50 years or so thepopulation has diminished to
near extinction.
Actually They've been rounded upand some of the government
programs have holding pens forthem, but mostly they've just
(09:07):
been gone off to.
It's a terrible thing to talkabout but they do go off to
slaughter many, many of them inMexico and that's a whole other
terrible part of the story.
But the good part of the storyfor us is that we've been able
to tap into the rescue of thewild mustangs and be able to
adopt.
That sort of started for usabout 10 years ago, moving from
(09:31):
the domestic horse populationinto the rescue, and so with the
Mustangs in particular, a lotof them are adopted when they're
very young.
They just have such a storyaround them that when we share
that story with people who havehad great loss or addiction or
(09:53):
had a dark journey of theirlives, and when you share with
them the resilience and thestory of the Mustangs and how
they you know they came fromsuch trauma and so much despair
and then coming to us and havingthe period of time where it
could be, you know months oryears really to be able to get
(10:13):
them to downregulate and be ableto trust us and build that
trust again is just a reallypowerful narrative for people
that they can relate to.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (10:24):
You have educator wellness programs as
well.
How did you carve that outspecifically for an educator
wellness session and how do theywork?
What kind of benefits have youseen?
Erin Cain (10:34):
Well, as you know, these are frontline workers,
right and in every way, and soit's an easy place to come to
when you're treating thepopulation, ie the children, and
understanding every day thatthese paraprofessionals school
teachers, administrators whattheir lives are like on a
(10:55):
day-to-day basis.
So it was just a beautifulsupportive idea, you know, just
like a field trip or a, you know, an end of year teachers
coalition out.
It has been a beautiful process, just a supportive program for
all of those people that aredoing that behind the scenes
(11:16):
work have you had anyconnections between students in
the classroom and their teacherswhere you were able to serve
the population from the sameschool?
Dr. Lisa Hassler (11:24):
I could see where that could be very
impactful.
Erin Cain (11:26):
Yes, that's exactly right, Lisa, and as you know
firsthand experience with theteachers, there's a lot put on
them and so, yes, bringing thattogether cohesively is just.
It makes so much sense and isjust a lesson for all of us of
how we're all working togetherand there is no separation,
(11:48):
really, but because we have theprivilege, modeling with
children is just so powerful.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (11:55):
Thinking about serving a community.
So you've got the child and nowthe teacher to help with that
school relationship, so thatthere's a better understanding
of a different way to approach,but also like how to handle
emotions, or like you're talkingabout the deregulating and the
grounding.
Do you do anything withfamilies?
Erin Cain (12:12):
Yes, we can see each other differently, in a
different setting.
I mean, this is a very uniquesetting for most people that
they don't have experience withit, and so they're coming with
like a freshness and an openness, and so any opportunity to see
one another with fresh eyes andin a new setting, you really
(12:37):
begin to recognize each otherindividually.
And last week there was afamily here and the dad started
to tell this story he had as achild with horses and his wife
said well, I never knew thatabout you.
And the kids said you know,they were 15 and 17,.
They said we don't know thispart of your story, we don't
(12:59):
know this about you.
And I thought that is sobeautiful and that's a lot of
what this invites.
You know to inadvertently teachthe ones they love like.
This is a part of me and thisis another aspect of me.
It changes a lot of things whenwe see each other holistically
and this environment gives thatopportunity.
(13:19):
So thank you for bringing thatup, lisa.
That's another really beautifulaspect of experiences here.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (13:27):
We had a connection problem, and so now
Erin is joining us on her phone.
Erin Cain (13:31):
Great.
Thank you so much.
Sorry for the technicalchallenges, but I'm so grateful
to have the opportunity to talkabout all of this and help
people and educate people tounderstand that there are other
opportunities and differentmodalities for getting through
tough times in school or inadulthood or whatever, wherever
(13:54):
they're at in their life orjourney?
Dr. Lisa Hassler (13:57):
Yeah, Teachers , families you're really
supporting the entire communityand a lot of educators either
might experience it themselvesor know about it because of,
maybe, children that you'reserving or families, and so I
can see where.
Then they might be excitedabout the ways that they can
promote emotional regulation intheir own classrooms and want to
(14:19):
use biophilia as a way to beable to do it.
If they have the opportunity toreference students or families
to your services because they'relocal, that would be amazing.
But let's say they don't haveany access and they still want
to have that kind of impact intheir own classroom.
Are there things that they cando to promote that biophilia in
their own classroom?
Erin Cain (14:40):
Yes, absolutely Well, any type of breath work or
relaxation exercises.
I know, when my son was ingrammar school, I remember him
coming home and saying they didyoga in school and I thought, oh
my gosh, that's so precious,it's so wonderful.
I often say.
We do a lot of kids' summercamps in the summertime,
(15:01):
obviously, and the kids get outof the van or transportation and
it's just like Lord of theFlies.
And then we gather them up andsit them in a circle and we do
some deep breath work orwhatever yoga pose and they just
are in such a different energywithin 10 minutes.
(15:21):
You know it's just really, it'sreally precious, and so you can
invite that same idea into aclassroom.
Of course, not to say that itwould be easy peasy, but
anything that you know gets on aschedule.
If they know, like Mondaymornings we're going to do some
yoga or we're going to do breathwork, or this teacher invites
us to stand up out of our desksand stretch our arms to the
(15:43):
ceiling, sit on the grass.
You can travel in your mind.
You can do a visual exercise.
(16:03):
You close your eyes and let'stravel to a farm, or let's
travel to an ocean.
It doesn't take much,especially when it's done
alongside of breath work, to getour brains to travel away from
where we are and quiet ourmonkey brains.
Even if it's for a few minutes,you're sort of building a
(16:24):
cellular memory for all of us.
But with children, who are somalleable and precious.
You can do something 10 minutesa week and it'll develop inside
of them on a cellular levelwhere they're teach the kids
here.
You know, when you leave hereyou're taking this with you.
(16:45):
It's inside of you.
It's easy for us to remember ourtrauma, it's easy for us to
access like we talk a lot abouttriggers and things in our world
but you can also access yourjoyful and happy memories.
And you can also access yourjoyful and happy memories and
you can also access your calmself.
That is all inside of uscellularly as well.
(17:07):
And so that is a good reminderfor all of us to have those
moments during the week where wesay, okay, I'm super stressed
out, I'm driving and I'm tenseand I'm well, let's just do that
five minute exercise.
Let's take, you know, justdoing that Like literally I
think sometimes I'm driving andpeople are probably looking at
me like I'm crazy, but nobody'slooking at us.
(17:28):
It's another reminder for us.
You know, just doing those jawand shoulders exercises and deep
breaths can just it changesyour chemistry really quickly.
So those are good reminders andthey can be with us.
They're with us all the time.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (17:45):
I love that and I used to do like
meditations and with childrenand we did yoga in the classroom
as well when I felt like theywere getting extra squirmy and
that was a wonderful way to beable to just kind of relax.
And, recenter, and we'd pushthe desks aside and take off our
shoes and put on this wonderfulvideo.
It was called Cosmic Yoga andshe did yoga, stretching to
(18:08):
stories, and the kids loved it.
It could do like Star Wars oryou know, and we picked it based
on time limit and theirinterests.
So it was so much fun and thekids really listened, they were
engaged, they were stretchingand I saw such a difference when
they returned back to classroomactivities.
They really enjoyed that break.
(18:30):
It was a mental, physical break.
And then also I did teach at areligious school, so we did some
prayer and um.
But I would have them do visualmeditations where I'd say, okay
, you're going to close youreyes and I put on calm music,
you know background, naturesounds and then tell them you
are walking through a field, putyour fingers out, you're
(18:52):
touching the tops of the grass,the sun is on your cheeks, raise
your face up and feel thewarmth on your face.
We would just do these visualmeditations and it was wonderful
, really beneficial and it'seasy to do.
You can do it anywhere.
You don't need anything forthat.
Erin Cain (19:09):
Yes, that's right.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (19:12):
Then, looking towards the future, how do you
envision equine-assisted therapybecoming more integrated into
mainstream mental health andeducation support systems, and
what would you like parents andeducators to understand about
this potential?
Erin Cain (19:26):
Well, thank you, lisa , and certainly people like
yourself.
Educating people is critical,getting it out there, having
people know that it's out thereand accessible.
Hopefully that will grow andgrow.
There are many, many facilitiesacross the country.
Path is the ProfessionalAssociation of Therapeutic
Horsemanship, and that is mysort of mothership, and that's a
(19:50):
global organization.
These programs are all over theworld in like war-torn
countries.
I remember working with a girlfrom Eastern Europe and she had
used caution tape to make around pen.
It makes me emotional to make around pen to work with children
in her area and to keep thehorse.
(20:11):
It's just incredible All thatto say that that is the main
organization that I work underand if you go online and look up
where these programs are,chances are hopefully there'll
be something nearby or somebodyknows somebody that's maybe
doing their own program on asmaller scale.
But getting it into the schoolsand getting it into the mental
(20:35):
health arena as an opportunityand an option for people in a
sort of non-traditional modalityis just so important and that's
what we're trying to do withthe help of people like you.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (20:49):
And then I think about you know, when kids
are saying you know, I want tobe this when I grow up.
They could do this, they couldlearn, they could become one.
Erin Cain (20:56):
Yes, that's right.
I know we do internships withthe kids at the high school, we
work with the court system, wedo community service programs,
so and people come out and theyjust go.
Oh my gosh, I didn't knowanything about this, I didn't
know this even existed.
But I love animals and I lovehelping people and so there's
that marriage there for them andwhether it be you know that the
(21:18):
people are working sort of inthe back of the house, if you
will, to support the programthat they're feeding the horses,
they're volunteering, you know,in the barn to do fencing
projects, and such an upliftingexperience whenever we're in
service to others.
So giving that opportunity isjust such a privilege.
(21:39):
And I'm just the conduit, I'mthe one that gets to hold the
space here, but there's so manymagical people, the people that
actually come are doing the workand are wanting to do better
and be better and feel better,so they're the heroes here with
the horses.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (22:00):
Well, thank you so much for joining me today
and for sharing all of theseinsights about the healing power
of horses and your wildmustangs and things that you're
doing out there in Colorado andthen letting others know about
it so you know we can pick upthat work and do it in other
places so that it spreads.
Erin Cain (22:18):
Thank you so much.
It's our privilege and I reallyappreciate your time and what
you're doing to help people aswell.
Thank you so much, Lisa.
Dr. Lisa Hassler (22:28):
The research is clear Our natural connection
to animals offers powerfulhealing opportunities.
Equine therapy taps into thisbiophilia to help children
develop resilience, emotionalregulation and confidence, often
when traditional approacheshave hit roadblocks.
If today's conversationresonated with you, I encourage
you to explore equine-assistedtherapy programs in your local
(22:49):
community.
While Erin's Grace Rainsprogram operates in Colorado,
similar therapeutic approachesare available across the country
.
Ask local riding stables,mental health providers or
school counselors aboutcertified equine therapy options
near you.
If you have a story about what'sworking in your schools that
(23:10):
you'd like to share, you canemail me at lisa at
drlisahasslercom, or visit mywebsite at wwwdrlisahasslercom
and send me a message.
If you like this podcast,subscribe and tell a friend.
The more people that know, thebigger impact it will have.
And if you find value to thecontent in this podcast,
consider becoming a supporter byclicking on the supporter link
in the show notes.
(23:30):
It is the mission of thispodcast to shine light on the
good in education so that itspreads, affecting positive
change.
So let's keep working togetherto find solutions that focus on
our children's success.
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