Empowerment for the Powerless

I have recently begun to volunteer for one of our regional Hippotherapy Program. Contrary to headline, this is not rehab for hippos. Hippotherapy is therapeutic riding for mentally and physically disabled individuals.

Besides the obvious, physical benefits of the therapy, I have noticed a major benefit that, I feel, surpasses all other benefits of this type of therapy. A benefit that you can see in every eye of every rider: power and control.

For respect of confidentiality, I will refer to one of the riders I work with as Dan. I started working with Dan a couple of weeks ago. For routine purposes, the program attempts to put the same volunteers with the same riders. Dan and mine’s fist encounter was our introduction to one another. I got a little of his history, where he attended school and he also introduced me to his family who were present for our therapy lesson.

The next week, I saw exactly why people enjoy volunteering their time and energy toward the Hippotherapy program. After the first class with another rider, it was now time for Dan’s class to start. As soon as Dan’s eyes strayed in my direction, I saw a finger pointed in my direction and my name streaming from his mouth.

Immediately my heart began to sink. He actually remembered who I was. I walked over to where Dan was seated on a picnic table. He got up and gave me quite an embraced hug and verified that I was going to be working with him followed up with his extreme excitement in his voice.

Power and control is felt by the riders upon mounting the horse. Many times in society, this population is looked at as powerless. But, as I saw in the eyes of Dan, he has complete control when he is on the horse. He has a sense of power that no human can give him. He builds his confidence every time he tells the horse to walk, trot, or takes the reigns to steer the horse. You can see the self-assurance flowing from the riders, and it’s in that moment, you humble yourself and realize, it’s not about your own selfish agenda to be a “good person,” but it’s about giving that sense of empowerment that, all too often, we take for granted