Oregon is home to over 185,000 Native American and Alaska Native people, or approximately 4% of the state’s population, according to the 2020 U.S. census. Several of the nine federally recognized tribes are Horse Nations that historically incorporated horses deeply into their culture, economy, and way of life after horses were introduced to North America. Because of this long-standing relationship with horses, it is only natural that equine assisted therapy and riding activities are now being incorporated into treatment programs for Native American youth.

Forward Stride is a therapeutic riding center in Beaverton, Ore., that is a PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) premier accredited center. Forward Stride runs a number of programs, including an integrated riding program for individuals with and without disabilities. The center also partners with NARA (Native American Rehabilitation Association) to host weekly equine facilitated learning sessions and riding lessons for youth from NARA’s residential treatment center for drug and alcohol abuse.

“One of our staff members already had a connection with NARA and felt that Forward Stride would be the perfect center to allow NARA to provide riding and groundwork opportunities to their youth,” said Amanda Garrison, Forward Stride’s Program Director, when asked how the partnership came about. 

John Spence, MSW, Ph.D., a Tribal Consultant at NARA who is a member of the Gros Ventre tribe, assists with the program. Dr. Spence believes that horses are a powerful part of the healing component for Native American people, and being able to work with horses allows youth to bring cultural and spiritual aspects into their treatment.

“The main thing that we do with NARA is we have a group of youth come from their residential treatment facility once a week for two hours. They do an hour of unmounted work with the horses and then an hour of riding,” Garrison said. “The sessions are taught by our certified therapeutic riding instructors.” The groups currently alternate, with girls coming one week and boys coming the next week.

Being able to visit Forward Stride is restorative for the young people in a number of ways and allows them time away from the live-in facility to be outside, interact with animals, and build relationships with other people. “What is really beneficial to the Native population specifically is bringing the relationship with horses back to the youth, as it is extremely valuable to their history and embedded in their culture,” Garrison said. Oftentimes, the trips to Forward Stride are the highlight of these young people’s week.

Along with his work with NARA, Dr. Spence is also a member of the Forward Stride board of directors. “He really appreciates the way Forward Stride teaches, the way we care for our horses and our overall philosophy on the partnership between horses and humans,” Garrison said. “He feels like it really aligns with their cultural beliefs.”

Garrison said that some of the young people, who are aged 12 to 17, are hesitant when they first come to Forward Stride, and don't want to participate in the activities or aren’t initially interested in horses. However, “once they have come for a few weeks, they develop a strong relationship with the horse they are paired with,” she said. “They also get a sense of independence as they are able to get their horse out and tacked up on their own. To see that relationship, confidence and skill-building flourish is so rewarding. You can tell that it means a lot to them.”

In addition to the weekly lessons, Forward Stride has hosted camps for the Native American youth, which Garrison would like to do more of. The center also works with the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn, Ore., taking horses to the correctional facility to work with youth there. Garrison said that there is a need to continue to serve both the MacLaren population after they are released, and those leaving the residential treatment program within NARA. “I would like to be able to continue to serve them in the next stage of their life because that transition is hard. It is something that is in the research phase right now,” she explained.

Dr. Spence filmed a video for Forward Stride detailing why the equine activities and therapies programs are so important to not only the youth involved, but for the Native American community as a whole.

“In the old days we had horses, we had the land and the resources to have horses. When our land was taken away, we lost the horses, and some were deliberately killed and slaughtered to keep our power down,” he said in the video, which can be watched in full here. “In recent decades, tribes have become more empowered – getting their land back, getting more resources, getting more self-sufficient. We now have begun to get horses back in our culture, so this is where Forward Stride fits in so well. Horses weren’t used until the last few years with us in a therapeutic way ... As we’ve been able to do this, our horse programs are springing up all around the country among the tribes. It is really a new thing in the past 10 or 15 years,” he explained. 

“As our kids commit to treatment through NARA, we are hoping that this can be part of the greater healing movement in Indian Country. A big part of getting our culture back is getting our spiritual relationship with horses back and learning that again,” he continued. “As families, we were broken up with the reservation system ... so many kids lost through adoptions and foster systems. When we work with individual kids here, that is going to have an impact back home as they become strong leaders, are alcohol and drug free, and get their culture back. This is a powerful thing.”

According to their website, NARA NW was founded in 1970 in Portland, Ore. and is “an Indian- owned, Indian-operated, non-profit agency.” It operates a residential family treatment center, an outpatient treatment center, a child and family services center, a primary health care clinic, several adult mental health locations, a wellness center, and transitional housing for Native women and children. NARA NW serves 5,000 clients each year and has represented over 255 tribes.

 

November is Native American Heritage Month, please click here for more information.