Mane Support is a nonprofit organization that provides a ministry through equine-assisted grief counseling to children and adults who have experienced a death, who are anticipating the death of someone they know, or who have experienced other types of loss. Unlike therapeutic riding, 100% of the Mane Support activities are conducted on the ground, giving the program its own distinct capabilities and diversity. Because safety is a primary focus of the program, there are both a clinical and an equine professional with the participants for the full duration of every session. Through interactions with the horses and other structured activities, participants learn problem-solving skills, confidence and team building. Mane Support offers a wide variety of different groups serving different needs as well as individual sessions. Mane Support uses horses for many reasons. They are strong, magnificent creatures that are honest and live in the moment. They hold no biases against us and never judge us. Interacting with them often allows individuals to overcome intimidation regularly derived from their strength and size. Horses are gifted with the ability to mirror our feelings, allowing the individual insight into ways they may not be aware of how they are reacting to certain situations. Possibly best of all, they are wonderful listeners and teach us many lessons about ourselves. Check out the Mane Support website for more information.
