Riding Home: The Power of Horses to Heal

Remarkable book giving us insight into our remarkable brother, the horse. Having loved horses all my life, with no idea why, I know have a better grasp on the hold that these magnificent animals are all about that made me fall in love so completely. Dogs are wonderful, but they aren't afraid of us because we share the fact that we are both predators in the animal kingdom(yes, humans are at least half animal, and half spirit, with varying percentages in each of us). Dogs feel a kinship with us and even help us hunt. A horse is a prey animals, meaning that they are always on the lookout for something to eat them, us included, sad to say. Yet, through their generosity of spirit, horses choose to work through their fear and work with us, aiding us as no other animal in the entire animal kingdom. What I learned from this book is how horses work with us not only physically, but with our emotional damage as well. Throughout the book, Tim Hayes shows us how horses heal children with Autism, soldiers with PTSD, and all kinds of physically compromised people. Horses understand fear and vulnerability. They understand the importance of family, since the herd is literally what stands between them and being eaten by something. Hayes remarks on how so many of the 'natural horsemen' have had issues with abusive family upbringings, which leads them to a way of dealing with horses through the compassion the men themselves grew up without. After reading this book, I think the reason women relate so strongly to horses, in that women are the vulnerable sex and can readily understand the horses need for the security of the herd. There is so much wisdom in this book, and maybe learning how to treat these wonderful animals with the love and respect they deserve, will make us treat each other better, especially the most vulnerable of us, our children.

I am a disabled Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran. I spent more than two years in a hospital, and I lost count of all of the different therapists, doctors, psycologists, and other heath care professionals I saw through my tenure. When I was finally released from the hospital, I became a shut in, and would only leave my house for basic necessities of life, like many with PTSD do. It was just, "easier" to remain a shut in. As a member of the Wounded Warrior Project, I was invited to a cook-out at an equine therapy facility near my home. The bait of barbecue was the motivation for me to get out of the house. I'm forever greatfful I took that step. From the first moment I arrived at the farm, I felt such an incredible feeling on being whole again. As I continued to recieve therapy there, the broken pieces of my severely injured brain, came together again, and the shadows of PTSD started to clear. Two years after starting that therapy, I learned how to love again, and more deeply than I could have ever imagined because of a horse. To the point now where I can live without the fog of medications and anti-depressants, and to the point where I could love another person enough to get married and trust her more than I ever thought I could. After I started riding, I was hired by the farm to work as a photographer. I have the privladge to doccument the same healing of other vets, children with disabilities such as Autism, caner, or many of the other illnesses the autor talks about, and can tell you that every word, and every feeling he describes in this book are spot on. I can't say thank you enough to the author for putting into a book what I've tried to explain to people outside the horse world, but never could. I strongly recomed this to everyone, especially anyone who's had any trauma in their lives, and hope they find a horse as great as the one I found to help them fully recover.

This is a truly amazing book in every definition of the word! Just that the foreword is written by Robert Redford says a lot! It gives you so much knowledge and understanding and you have to really pay attention not to miss anything. It is full packed with knowledge that will make you a better rider and understand these unique creatures in a way that is hard to get through conventional training. And it is a story that captures you, makes you want to hide away from the world and sit undisturbed with this incredible book. Horses can heal us, I have experienced it first hand and doing it parallel with reading this book. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have picked up on the subtle message this particular horse sent me... I am grateful to Tim Hayes for writing it. Are you interested in horses, read this! It will enrich your life.

Being a horse owner for some 10 years now, I find it helpful to confirm a great deal of the things I do. I found it helpful in pointing out a few things that I do wrong as well. I have always felt a connection to horses and pick out the ones that are as introverted as myself. Trust comes hard for me and my need to feel close to something that truly understands me. Animals have always got me and horses more than all of them. My hubby tries which is more than most but I always respect more animals and what they do for me. This book explains it better than I ever could.

I have had a passion for horses since I was 7 years old. I was finally able to be blessed with my first horse at 47. I cried the whole way home after I bought him, he changed my life in so many ways. It broke my heart when I had to put him down and I had a void so deep in my heart for a long time. I have had. Ruby for over 6 years and I can totally relate to what Tim Hayes says about a horse bring a mirror of who you are. She has taught me so much about who I am deep down inside. I will be forever grateful to God and my trainer for pairing me with this amazing partner. My goal in retirement is to work in Equine Therapy even if my part is mucking stalls. I volunteered with a kids with disabilities program years ago and to watch the change in these kids was a gift. Thank you for this book, it has given me the extra drive to follow my heart.

What a wonderful book! The author has a unique way of bringing the reader into the lives of horses and the power they have to help so many. I was originally not a horse person but after reading this book my eyes have been opened. I highly recommend it!

As a practitioner in the field of Equine-based learning and development, I was anxious to read Tim Hayes first book. I was not disappointed. I’ve read many books about horses related to the emerging field of equines healing people, each of them different and leading to the same premise - horses do have a special and undeniable ability to positively alter human lives. Riding Home was unique in the way it wove in the how and why horses do what they do throughout the book, intermingled with real accounts of people that will capture your heart and yearn for you to hear more transformative stories. Despite the fact that I’m already working in this field, I found the book captured my attention. And yet, I think it’s also an ideal book for someone with little or no experience with horses. They will learn more about their nature, their needs, and special ability to change a variety of human lives, from the war veteran to the at-risk teen, the autistic, as well as those who simply want to experience personal growth.

A TERRIFIC BOOK AND FASINATING READ! I read lots of horse books and many are just blah, blah, blah. I found this one at an airport bookstore and thought I'd read a few pages to fall asleep. OMG! This book was so enthralling that I finished it 5 hour on my plane ride home. It finally explains WHY horse therapy works where other therapies fail. Anyone who works with horses or who is in the therapeutic riding profession can tell you that this is so, but most are hard pressed to say why. Hopefully traditional medicine will now start embracing these therapies and integrating them into their treatments. It would be wonderful if we as a society could learn that popping more pills is not always the best or healthiest option. Please read this book. Not to sound trite, but it will change your perspective and impact your life.

Have not long started it, but it's beautifully written, the people are brought to life with all their good and bad aspects portrayed in a way that you will not forget them. Very highly recommended, and have already learnt a lot, even after just the first few chapters. If you're interested in either horses or how people become who they are for good or ill, or how to reclaim 'lost people', you'll almost certainly love it (there are exceptions to every rule?). In my opinion, it's certainly well worth reading

livre reçu en parfait état. très beau livre que je conseille à tous ceux qui s'intéresse à l'équicoaching ou l'équithérapie. allez voir dans le même ordre Equirock'n Human chez www.carolinediguet.com.

Me ha gustado todo el desarrollo en positivo que ha tenido la equinoterapia en los Estados Unidos. Me ha hecho pensar mucho en cómo se podría desarrollar en Europa si tuviera apoyo de las estructuras de educación pública. Finalmente sorprende positivamente saber que su descubrimiento y sus inicios fueron totalmente casuales, pero sus resultados son evaluables y muy positivos Una experiencia en los USA que nos promete interesantes resultados si la sabemos aplica en Europa.

The stories told in book are gracefully told so it can be understood the amazing power horses have to help us heal. I enjoyed the book a lot and it has a great mixture of technical information as well as great stories.

Great book. Learned a great deal about what I had suspected to be the case with horses and healing.