WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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The connection between humans and horses is ancestral. Yet for most, their role in our everyday lives has diminished. One non-profit is preserving the symbiotic relationship between humans and horses through equine-assisted therapy.
People and Animal Learning Services, also known as PALS, is a non-profit adaptive riding center in Bloomington that offers therapeutic riding sessions to individuals of any age in need of physical, mental, emotional or developmental assistance.
Volunteer and treasurer Lorie Miller moved to Bloomington three years ago, bringing with her years of experience with horses and people with disabilities. Soon after her move, she began volunteering at PALS, a place that seamlessly combined both things. Miller explained how horse therapy compares to other forms of therapy in treating patients.
“I have worked with clients here who, you know, maybe it’s a kid who has been bullied in school, or something like that. And they think that somebody’s going to judge the way they look or their clothes or their whatever. And the message here is ‘horse doesn’t care.’ The horse takes you as you are, and so we have seen people open up to our horses in ways that they don’t with humans,” Miller said.
Executive Director, Chris Herring, discovered PALS after she was in a riding accident that nearly ended her bond with horses. Even after years of riding and training them, she considered walking away. Herring discussed how PALS impacted her relationship with horses.
“Before I had a pretty bad riding accident, and I lost my confidence. I was ready to walk away from horses. And I had this opportunity to come to PALS and the opportunity to become the executive director that really shifted my focus and purpose with horses,” Herring said.
Herring further explained the historic connection between humans and horses.
“Humans have always been fascinated with horses. It’s their size. It’s their beauty. When I think back about personally, when I first saw a horse, it’s this incredible desire to want that animal to come and connect with me. And I think people throughout history have really sought that connection,” Herring said.
Like humans, horses can experience burnout too. Herring discussed what steps PALS takes when this happens.
They are very much individuals like we are. Some horses come to the program and love this work and want to continue doing it. We watch them carefully because they can start to show signs of burnout that they’re no longer interested,” Herring said.
Miller explains how working at PALS impacts volunteers.
“This place you can give to others and it will also give back to you. Just being able to see our clients make new strides in something they’re trying to accomplish, whether that’s a physical thing or gaining confidence, feeling like they have more control over life,” Miller said. “And then you watch the stories and it just fills your cup and so it ends up really having an effect on you too.”
You can visit palstherapy.com for more information about becoming a volunteer or participant at PALS.
