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Growing up in post-World War II England, with food rationing and post-war trauma, my parents often sent me to stay with my Aunt on her farm.

Aunt Pam had many horses and one particularly gentle pony, called Freckles, was my special pet. Freckles and I developed a strong bond. When I approached her paddock, she would toss her mane and gallop towards me, no matter how long it had been.

As I held out my hand with a carrot or apple treat, she nuzzled me with her soft lips before taking it. Often, she gently pushed me, as if wanting to play. I talked to her a lot, and she seemed to understand, even though I was very little. My happiness index definitely soared whenever I was with Freckles.

Horses have long been known to initiate sweet exchanges with those they sense are in need of comfort. Traumatised or disabled children have shown unimaginable progress after interacting with a horse sensitive to their needs.

Equine Therapy for War-Affected Children in Israel

Near the Gaza border, Kibbutz Urim residents have endured decades of rocket attacks and incendiary balloons. Children in the kibbutz learn to rush to the bomb shelter whenever the siren screams. Fear and trauma cause them to regress emotionally, lose their joy, or develop negative social behaviours.

The community established a horse therapy centre even before October 7. Since the massacre, the demand for this innovative approach to healing has expanded.

Currently, there are 96 children enjoying horse therapy sessions, and 84 are on the waiting list at Kibbutz Urim. Riding, grooming, and generally interacting with the horses seems to provide a calming effect, often encouraging lost communication skills and confidence. Classes initially lasted for 30 minutes; they have now expanded to 50 minutes. The benefits are tangible.

Tangible Benefits

A gentle horse inspires trust and a sense of safety in the children. As they quickly develop an emotional attachment to the horse, it enhances their physical abilities such as balance, coordination and strength. Children develop problem-solving skills as they focus, which improves their overall cognitive function.

As the child develops confidence in interacting with the horse, self-worth and self-esteem are lifted, leading to pride in their achievements. Tension and anxiety if reduced as they become comfortable with the interaction.

The specially trained horses, selected for their gentle, sensitive nature, are helping children who have experienced the worst imaginable trauma to realign their focus and overcome their painful memories.

A Gift from the ICEJ

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has a whole department specialising in aid to those in need. They provide food, clothing, medical and education supplies to displaced Israelis of all faiths and ethnicities.

In response to the growing number of traumatised children needing help, ICEJ Aid staff became aware of the Equine Therapy program at Kibbutz Urim.

Initially, ICEJ sponsored children to have lessons at the horse farm. More recently, they invested in two specially selected horses to join the stables there. Senior Vice-President David Parsons and ICEJ Vice-President of Aid, Nicole Yoder, visited the newly installed horses.

Diana is a pony, especially suited to young children, while Andy is a bigger horse. They both seemed delighted to greet their sponsors from ICEJ.

Healing

The benefits of the equine therapy program are clearly evident. Here are two snippets.

Erez was a young Israeli boy, kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and held for 50 days. On his release, he asked to visit his beloved horse, “Dingy”. Despite the challenges of the farm being located near a closed military area, permission was granted, and Erez was allowed to spend a couple of hours riding “Dingy”. He told his teacher that it was only the thought of riding “Dingy” again that kept him going while in captivity.

Five-year-old Sam had cowered for 12 terrifying hours in a safe room, listening to gunfire, and was traumatised into silence and sadness. As his mother watched him carefully groom his horse, she spoke with tears about how he always used to sing and was such a happy child. As he lovingly brushed his horse and found a new friend, he sang again for the first time since his ordeal.

Hope

The Horse Therapy farm at Kibbutz Urim is a beacon of hope for the children of the surrounding area as they rebuild their lives and attempt to establish normality despite the ongoing war. The staff’s dedication and innovative approach is providing not only healing for the current traumatised children, but are building resilience for the future.

Not only are the children encouraged, but parents and staff who witness the transformation that occurs in the children are deeply affected.

Just as I experienced the sweet fellowship of my pony, Freckles, these horses are deeply impacting the traumatised children of Israel. Praise the Lord!

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Image courtesy of Adobe.