Kendy Brosh Smith (left) and Mary Inkret Slouka (right) stand with horses in the Equine SOULution barn.
Horses are the key teachers in helping people of all ages heal and learn at The Equine SOULution, a program led by two Colorado State University alumni: Mary Inkret Slouka (agricultural business, ’87), owner and Kendy Brosh Smith (human development and family studies, ’87), mental health consultant.
While their backgrounds differ, their passions align and create meaningful experiences for people of all ages. Slouka’s agriculture business training paired with Smith’s experience in human development and family studies help them give back in a powerful way.
Horses healing and comforting an older generation
A bus pulls up to the open barn at The Equine SOULution, and three older guests get helped to seats in the barn. One is dressed to the nines, even wearing a short, heeled shoe. She wants to stand and quickly picks the horse she’s going to work with for the day. Another guest wears a pink and red outfit and prefers to sit as she uses a walker and standing is difficult. She grins as a horse is brought to meet her. A smaller group for the day, there is one other guest who is 102 years old. She wears a black jacket with patches commemorating her interests and travels.
“We start the day by having everyone smell an essential oil of their choosing,” Slouka said. “Typically, they don’t smell much in the beginning, but when we have them smell one more time before they leave, they always say they can smell it more strongly. That’s what this program does, it helps people feel happy, thus opening the senses.”
The Equine SOULution offers three services; this one is the ‘Equine Elders,’ which helps senior, Alzheimer’s, and dementia participants. The program has seen positive impacts on cognition and mood both immediately and up to two weeks after each visit. At this visit, the guests brush the horses, a benefit to both the horse and the person, then play with the horses in a fenced open area.
“We like to think of it as seniors helping seniors,” Slouka said.
The horses are all retired from their previous jobs, and they all have a story to tell. One horse, Flower, was rescued from a feedlot. In horse years, she’s about 23 years old, which makes her older than 70 in human years.
“Everyone has a story, everyone has suffering,” Slouka said. “It helps people to know that this horse may have had this bad thing happen, but they are moving on now with a new lease on life.”
As soon as she saw the horses, one of the guests began telling stories of her childhood, growing up on a cattle ranch. When the horse she was grooming would neigh or move around, she would begin telling a story of her time on the ranch.
“Horses help create new memories,” Smith said. “They also help bring up old memories too.”
The activities for this group are task-oriented to help with everyone’s various needs. Horse grooming helps participants with social, problem-solving, and motor skills. Walking with the horses creates connection through movement. Sometimes, participants express creativity by painting the horses, which can spark memories and aid in stress reduction. Finally, there is an education piece with posters and cards that teach about the horses’ breeds, colors, markings, etc.
About The Equine SOULution
Providing equine-assisted learning and therapy services, The Equine SOULution is a for-profit organization located in Parker, Colorado. The program activities are based on the Equine-Assisted Learning model, which provides safe experiences with horses for the purpose of learning social-emotional skills, personal development, and professional development skills.
When thinking about the name for the organization, they wanted something about the heart and soul to come through. For a time, it was “The Equine Solution,” that is until Slouka accidentally spelled “solution” as “soulution” in an email. Once she saw it written out, she knew it was the perfect name for the organization.
Last year, the group received a $10,000 grant from NextFifty to help bring older adults outside, moving and interacting with horses. In this last season from June to October 2022, they were able to host more than 60 sessions, helping over 300 people. In addition, The Equine SOULution also has services for those learning to read as well as a program for caregivers.
The program titled “Caregiver Respite Retreat,” gives caregivers a break, focusing on self-care, relaxation, and rejuvenation.
In the “Horse Powered Reading” program, individuals build confidence and motivation in reading skills and life skills by reading to and working with horses. Horse Powered Reading is similar to the cost of a tutor, however, through donations, there are scholarships for this program to make it more affordable for families.
‘Everyone leaves in a better place’
“The biggest impact on me has been the feedback from the families and the staff that say how it just changes things,” Smith said. “In that small amount of time, someone’s quality of life can be changed for the better, including that person’s family.”
At The Equine SOULution, they see clients at all stages of the lifespan. On Tuesday, they were working with 7-year-olds, and on Thursday, they had people over 100 years old.
“Everyone receives benefits,” said Slouka. “From the guests and the horses to the volunteers and even the bus drivers who bring the guests over. Everyone leaves in a better place.”
Slouka has been a certified therapeutic riding instructor since 1994, working with people who have a variety of disabilities through the years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business with a concentration in equine sciences from CSU. Her horses in the organization include miniature horses, a mule, and a retired jumper.
Smith has always loved working with kids. After graduating from CSU with her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies, she worked as a child life specialist. She went on to get her master’s degree from the University of Colorado and worked as a school psychologist for 21 years. Following her retirement in 2020, she began volunteering in equine-assisted therapy programs. Through this experience as well as time with her own daughter’s horse, her passion grew.
“This organization has inspired me in just seeing the increased depth and breadth of how horses can be therapeutic and help others no matter what age or what needs they have,” said Smith. “They can be emotionally healing and be the highlight of someone’s day.”
To learn more about The Equine SOULution, their services, and even their horses, visit https://www.equinesoulution.com/.
The Department of Human Development and Family Studies is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
The Equine SOULution barn in spring 2023.
