Lisa has been an Alumni student for three years and tells us what she has learned from her horse China:
At Urban Stable, the horse I ride, her name is China. When I first laid eyes on her I fell in love with her, her small body and tiny feet. China taught me to slow things down and take them one step at a time. She taught me how to set boundaries and to ask before taking charge. I like China because she’s small with a big attitude like myself. Being around horses is my happy place, an escape from reality. Urban Stable is a home away from home.
-Lisa
Laurie, Lisa’s mom, shares the impact Urban Stable has had on her daughter:
My daughter had always liked being around horses. Until she started attending sessions at Urban Stable, I had no idea how good it was for her confidence and mental health. Through controlling her body movements and breathing, she has learned how to communicate with her horse. This life skill is a valuable one and it helps her with regulation.
She also learned how to take care of her horse, which teaches ownership, responsibility and hard work. Being responsible for your horse, or your partner, teaches you that you are not alone, and that you have to feed, clean and care for your horse. These skills helped her land her first job that included caring for and walking horses.
Building confidence was definitely achieved in her sessions. To be able to manage an animal of that size and strength requires you to be confident. What was interesting was when she landed a job working with horses, many of her friends admired her ability to achieve this job. “I would be way too scared to do that.”, said one of her friends, and that made her feel very proud.
Thank you, Urban Stable, for helping my daughter grow.
-Laurie, Lisa’s mom