Hoof Beats For Healing Hosts Fundraiser

This is the organization's first time running the fundraiser

FARGO, N.D. — Hoof Beats for healing is a non–profit organization dedicated to getting its patients a different kind of treatment through Equine Assisted Therapy.

“The results are just phenomenal, what would take months or years in traditional therapy we are seeing in weeks or months with the horses.”

The organization says a part of the miraculous effects of the therapy is from the connection the horse connects with its rider.

“They are going to tell me you have had a bad day, no matter how much you are going to want to convince me by the expression on your face or your words that you have had a good day they are going to let me know because they are prey animals and they are going to sense that you’re upset or nervous and it’s going to cause them to want to flee.”

They’re hoping the fundraising at this dinner and silent auction will help with costs because organizers say the current therapy isn’t normally covered by insurance providers.

“The Equine Assistant therapy brings a large animal into the mix and right now with insurance companies they cover the therapeutic end of it they just cover the horse part.”

Ricigliano says providing people with better access to therapy is crucial in battling major mental health issues, including mass shootings.

“They have a screen in front of their face almost every minute of every day. We need to slow down we need to go back to nature, we need to go back to country put them out there with a horse let them get their fingers dirty let them shovel a stall let them get horse manure on their feet.”

He also says the biggest reward the non–profit puts forward is the final results of the therapy done.

“The feeling that we get by just helping just one child or one adult is the biggest and it’s better than any other feeling in the world.”

The organization is always taking free–will donations.