Nestled along the Nowood River, surrounded by hay meadows and lush grazing land, you’ll find a special place where horses and humans find peace and hope – Rainhorse Equine Assisted Services.
Founded by Maria Lisa Eastman, the novel therapy program partners equine “staff” with mental health professionals. Together, they help people from all walks of life regain physical, mental, and emotional health.
“We believe healing is most powerful when it is reciprocal, so we invite people who are struggling with life’s challenges to partner with horses who have also had their own troubles,” Maria explains.
Most of the non-profit’s four-legged counselors suffered neglect and mistreatment before being rescued and rehabilitated by Rainhorse. These once-discarded horses find new purpose, enabling the Wyoming-based non-profit’s unique brand of equine-assisted counseling, hippotherapy, and therapeutic riding.
For program participant Robin, who was entangled in a toxic marriage, the horses provided a beacon of light, as she struggled with low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. “Every time I participated in a therapy session, I gained back a bit of dignity and self-confidence,” she explains.
Robin’s story of healing and hope is shared by many Rainhorse clients. “Not everyone responds to traditional ‘talk’ therapies,” Maria explains. “Horses have a special ability to inspire self-awareness, confidence, and trust, all ingredients to mental and emotional health. As a result, we’ve seen profound positive changes in our program participants.”
Volunteer Sydnee concurs with Maria’s assessment. “There is nothing like Rainhorse. It’s a place full of patience, resilience, care, compassion, hardship, and growth,” she insists. “It’s not about just you or the horses – it’s about connection, support, understanding, freedom from within, and so much more. Blessed are those who experience what this organization and these animals have to offer.”
