How a SLO County horse ranch is helping people with their mental health
Man and horse have had a connection for as long as civilization can remember. Whether carrying heavy loads or covering distances in a blip, the two species have always had an unspoken partnership.
But the symbiotic connection between horse and human has proven not to only be physical, but emotional as well — the gentle giants serving as a pillar of support for those struggling with physical or mental challenges.
Take it from Marina Premoli, owner of the new and only certified equestrian therapy nonprofit in Paso Robles, Valkyrie’s Kindred Keep.
“When you provide the opportunity for people to be around horses in this way, all of a sudden they’re like, “Oh, I feel calmer,’ and you can feel the energy shift in them. You see them relax,” she said. “Maybe they’re a little nervous or scared when they first arrive, and then just after 10 minutes you see a change and an openness to interact.”
What’s equestrian therapy?
Certified as a therapeutic riding instructor and an equine specialist in mental health, among other certifications, Premoli has dedicated her life to alleviating the emotional barriers that constrain them with the help of the five ponies, two mules and two horses she rescued.
Therapeutic riding, also known as adaptive riding, uses hands-on experiences with horses to support emotional growth, life skills and communication for clients of any age.
For some, sessions can focus on physical strength, balance, coordination or mobility. For others, it can be gaining confidence, trust, emotional awareness or courage, Premoli explained.
“The benefits of working with horses in this way can be incredibly meaningful when we are open to the experience and willing to do the work,” she said.
Premoli’s specific certifications allow her to work side-by-side with a mental health specialist and private clients in which she develops a plan with the horses, while the specialist develops a plan with the client. Then together, they collaborate and cater each session to the needs of the client, some of whom with autism, disabilities, mental health struggles among others.
Why horses?
What is it about horses that make them so impactful? Premoli said it’s their present nature.
As a species, horses’ minds live in the present. They aren’t thinking about what happened 10 years ago, or even minutes ago, Premoli explained. They simply just are.
“When we step into their electromagnetic field, it almost overrides what’s going on with us, and we become part of their field,” Premoli said. “So it helps to regulate our heart rate variability and regulate our nervous system.”
It’s this present energy that can prove incredibly healing for individuals struggling in a sympathetic state, or being in fight or flight.
“(Clients) aren’t thinking about anything else when they come here, and they participate in the lessons and that’s part of the magic of working with the horses, that they help us get there.” Premoli said. “It’s not (the horse’s) job to do that, it’s not that they’re fixing us or healing us, it’s that they help create the space for that — for us to do that for ourselves.”
Equestrian therapy stems from a place of kindness, patience and lack of judgment, Premoli said, which are the opposite of what clients often fear about traditional talk therapy.
“That is why it is so special,” she said. “I feel it takes the pressure of sitting down and being in talk therapy. Just being around the horse allows for other things. It creates that space for other things to come up. It softens them. You have the benefits of being around the horse, that support with our nervous system, and then it takes the pressure off of you. A calm, connected horse can offer us a powerful opportunity to slow down, become present and discover our own strength, courage and inner answers.”
What’s Valkyrie’s Kindred Keep?
Valkyrie’s Kindred Keep is nestled in the rural hills of Paso Robles along Creston Road.
Empty stalls line the drive because Premoli prefers to keep the horses in the pasture. Premoli’s rescue dogs Ida and Lumi are professional greeters, excitedly stumbling to visitors with wagging tails and demands for belly rubs.
Premoli only moved to this property in February, and is still gaining her footing. She started the nonprofit of Valkyrie’s Kindred Keep in partnership with Southern California Valkyrie Equine Experiences LLC, which she formerly worked at within its equine assisted learning program.
But a few years back, Premoli said she felt the landscape of her previous ranch didn’t foster a safe enough space for therapeutic riding. It was too exposed with large hills. So, after her parents moved to the Cambria area, she decided to head north too and created Valkyrie’s Kindred Keep.
Premoli moved to the United States as a kid from Argentina. At the time, she was sent to kindergarten not knowing English, and she said that she found refuge with animals.
“I know that I found a lot of comfort in the animals, and really that’s kind of how this whole thing started,” Premoli said. “I know what difference the animals and horses made in my life and the support system that it was for me and the comfort that it provided. So, I wanted to share that with others. That was what was always in me.”
It’s not just Permoli’s passion and certifications in equestrian therapy that make her work successful though, it’s also her horses.
“None of this would be possible without the deep connection and trust I have with my horses,” she said. “My love and appreciation for them has no bounds. They have helped shape me into the person I am today, and I see them as true partners in this work.”
Permoli started her therapy services with three ponies she rescued named Starlight, Brandy and Rusty.
The four of them have a strong bond, the ponies often creating a triangle around Premoli when she’s in the pasture with them, she said.
How does a session work?
Before sessions start, Permoli invites clients to the ranch for an orientation. This helps her assess their needs, energy and familiarity with horses.
Permoli then matches each client with a horse, and then the work can begin.
Of the 45-minute session, about 30 minutes are spent with the horse, the client either mounted (riding) or unmounted (leading) depending on the intention. Mounted sessions can include trail rides while unmounted include activities like leading the horse through an obstacle course that involves hula hoops, poles and barrels for mental stimulation.
If an individual is learning to read, Permoli’s horses can help through the use of beanbags in the arena, she said.
“I have bean bags with the letters on them, and so we’ll ride to different obstacles in the arena and pick up bean bags,” she said. “’T, let’s find letter T,’ and they’ll find it, and ‘Oh, can you tell me an animal that starts with the letter T,’ and so it gets them thinking about that.”
Partner work, for example, could be a pair navigating an obstacle course without speaking.
“They’re not allowed to talk, and they have 30 seconds before they start to figure to come up with a plan of how they’re going to do this,” Permoli explained. “It is so interesting what happens. It gives us an insight into how they communicate, who takes the lead and who follows.”
Even something as simple as leading the horse can give clues into the client’s psyche. For example, leading the horse while looking at the ground can lead the horse astray. Leaders must look up and in the direction they want to go.
The same goes in life, Permoli said.
The remaining 15 minutes of the session involve the clients taking the horse’s holsters off and cleaning supplies for the next person, which is also a good lesson in hygiene.
What’s the cost? Anything else to know?
Although these sessions are therapeutic in nature, they cannot be billed through insurance. But Permoli said she’s working to become associated with the Tri Counties Regional Center, which could possibly make sessions free for specific clients in the future.
For now, the 45-minute sessions cost $75 through private billing.
Permoli also expressed the importance of finding the proper services when it comes to equine-based services.
“One other thing that feels important to me, especially as more families look for therapeutic riding and equine-assisted learning programs, is the importance of appropriate training and credentials,” Permoli said. “These services can be deeply impactful, but they should be offered by people with the proper certifications, education, and experience to safely and responsibly support both the participants and the horses.”
Not only is Valkyrie’s Kindred Keep accepting new clients, but it’s also accepting volunteers for those interested in assisting with the sessions at the ranch.
Before volunteers actually interact with horses and clients, they will undergo orientations, trainings and have constant access to references, Permoli said.
For more information visit valkyrieequineexperiences.com/volunteer.
