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Cause Profile

BRIDLE PATHS

Leesburg, Virginia
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Bridle Paths is a nonprofit organization that offers authentic connections, in partnership with horses. Our mission is to offer strength, support, and healing to individuals and families through safe, effective, and high-quality equine-assisted services (EAS). We provide adaptive horseback riding instruction, equine-assisted learning, and equine-assisted psychotherapy services to individuals and families faced with physical, cognitive, psychological, and emotional needs. The program serves those with a wide variety of challenges, including attention deficit disorder, autism spectrum disorders, cognitive impairments, anxiety and depression, genetic disorders, seizure disorders, brain injuries, post-traumatic stress, and trauma. It is our vision to sustain an environment and an opportunity for our clients to connect, communicate, and trust, in partnership with horses. Our work is guided by our values, which include: (1) respect for the individual, both human and equine; (2) focus on abilities and possibilities, rather than on labels and diagnoses; and (3) delivery of safe, ethical, and emotionally-attuned services. Bridle Paths serves children and adults, both civilian and military, who have challenges that are often invisible - attention deficit disorder, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety and depression, seizure disorders, self harm, suicidal ideation, brain injuries, post-traumatic stress, and trauma. We recognize that this is a disparate list of diagnoses and challenges, many of which result from racism or sexism experienced in the community, experiences of childhood abuse or neglect, and the judgments and expectations that are placed upon us in various aspects of our lives. Of course, these challenges have only been exacerbated by the persistent isolation and dislocation of the pandemic. In each of our programs (adaptive riding, equine-assisted learning, and equine-assisted psychotherapy), we provide emotionally-attuned services that focus on the cultivation of relationship, communication, connection, and trust. For almost every participant in Bridle Paths' programs, the progression follows a consistent path. First, participants find a place where they can simply be and breathe and be in the present moment. From that place of presence, they can begin to think. Bringing the prefrontal cortex on board in relational interactions is a critical step for participants who come to us with experiences of trauma, or with debilitating anxiety or depression; when participants have an experience of felt physical and emotional safety in our space, sympathetic nervous system responses such as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn diminish and reasoned responses can occur. Once participants are able to think clearly, they can learn; as they learn, they become able to do. Participants become better able to identify their needs, ask for help, and attempt more flexible ways of responding to emotional upheaval and life challenges as a result of their participation in our equine-assisted services program. Horses are uniquely suited to partner with humans in building connection, communication, and trust. As prey animals, horses are exquisitely attuned to their surroundings, and they offer and respond primarily to nonverbal communication. Like many participants with trauma histories, horses possess a heightened awareness of and sensitivity to their surroundings. As herd animals, horses seek safety and companionship, and they assume particular roles within the herd structure. Additionally, they live in the present and respond with honesty and authenticity, thus offering humans multiple opportunities to grasp and integrate the horses’ modeling and real-time feedback. Relationships with horses are built on trust and authenticity, rather than on fear or control. In relationships with humans, behavioral or emotional options may seem limited, seemingly requiring actions that are disconnected from the true self and authentic feelings. With horses, by contrast, it generally works best to “come as you are” and “be who you are” – not perfect, just present. The skills and strengths fostered during our sessions are generalizable to interpersonal relationships in many ways.

The services that Bridle Paths provides include the following:
ADAPTIVE RIDING programs at Bridle Paths offers adapted riding instruction to children and adults with physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional needs. In addition to mounted instruction, lessons incorporate groundwork in horse care and horsemanship. Our therapeutic equines are carefully chosen for their temperament, training, and quality of movement, and each lesson is staffed with a certified instructor and ... Read More

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