In a pasture off Union School Road in Mount Joy, horses and humans are healing. Lone Oak Animal-Assisted Therapeutic and Educational Services provides equine therapy to people, while also helping horses that have been abused as they work on their recovery. The organization is the vision of Heather Girvin, a lifelong horsewoman who is also a social services professional and associate professor at Millersville University. She started Lone Oak as a pilot program in 2020, confident that matching people who were hurting with rescued horses could have vast benefits for both the humans and the equines. Lone Oak leases space from Our Happy Place Equine Center, which includes a 20-acre setting complete with a barn, an outdoor ring, an indoor arena and acres of pastures. Herd of Hope Horse Rescue is located at the Equine Center, and several of Lone Oak's eight horses have been acquired from Herd of Hope.

Since its inception, Lone Oak has grown steadily, primarily through word of mouth. It became an official nonprofit organization in May of 2021. Lone Oak has four therapists on staff - all of whom, including Girvin, volunteer their time - and provides programs including Boss Mares, for adolescent girls; One Herd, for an emotional support classroom in partnership with Donegal School District; and Lone Oak Horses & Heroes, for service members, veterans and their families. Individual therapy sessions are also offered.

At a program, participants might groom the horses, lead them around the ring or go for a ride. "Sometimes, clients come, and we just stand out in the field and pet the horses," said Abbie Wilson, one of the therapists. Being around horses provides a natural opportunity for conversation, she noted. "Some kids don't want to sit in a chair in a room with a therapist and talk," she explained. "You get them around a horse, and their mouth just goes and goes."

In addition to working alongside the horses, participants also experience expressive arts therapy (EAT) at Lone Oak, which aims to enhance well-being and create a foundation for post-traumatic growth and healing. Sessions include painting, drawing or music.

Girvin said one of the things she's noticed most about the interaction between the humans and the horses has been restoration for all involved. "The clients see the horse and how the horse has gone through recovery, and that helps them develop empathy," she stated.

As a nonprofit, Lone Oak relies on fundraisers and community donations to succeed. Boarding one horse costs hundreds of dollars, with extra costs for vet care and farrier services. All money raised goes directly to providing horse care and funding programs.

On a recent afternoon, Girvin had a firsthand view of how the program is working when she saw Sammie, a horse who had suffered extreme abuse, warm up to a group of boys after weeks of being standoffish.

"The boys were standing together, and she came right up and nuzzled in between them," she recalled. "I told them, 'She's choosing to stand with you.' They felt valued. No matter what their background is or what they've gone through, this horse wants to be near them. Horses can sense goodness."

For more information on Lone Oak, visit http://www.loneoaktherapeutic.org.