Healing, Hooves, Happenings

Most equine-assisted learning research focuses on horses. But peer-reviewed literature is increasingly clear that donkeys offer something distinct — including, according to one published study, greater empathic sensitivity than horses. That changes who can be reached, and how. This post explores what donkeys bring to healing work that horses cannot, and why Poe at Hands for Healing Equine in Topsfield, MA is a full partner in our programs.

The most common thing people say about donkeys is that they're stubborn. The science says otherwise. When a donkey stops and refuses to move, it's assessing, deciding, and applying what researchers call a problem-focused coping style. Meet Poe — and find out what peer-reviewed research actually says about donkey intelligence, memory, and what it means to work with an animal who will not be rushed.

Grief doesn't just live in the mind — it lives in the body. For mothers who have lost a child, that weight rarely lifts on its own. New research on equine-assisted learning shows that what happens outside, with equines, can reach places that office-based support cannot. Our Mother's Mourning Brush program opens this June at our Topsfield sanctuary on Massachusetts' North Shore. No riding. No prior experience needed.

Our founder sat down with VetsConnection Podcast host Scott McLean — a 10-year Air Force veteran and the founder of One Man One Mic Foundation — to talk about how horses, donkeys, and ground-based work change the lives of the people who walk into the paddock Suzanne MacPhail has spent more than thirty years sitting with people in some of the hardest moments of their lives. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an EAGALA-certified equine-assisted learning practitioner, an

How the founder of One Man One Mic Foundation came to lead the board at Hands for Healing Equine — and why his story matters for the veterans we serve When Scott McLean talks about veterans and healing, he's not speculating. He's reporting from inside it. Scott is a 10-year U.S. Air Force veteran, the founder and CEO of One Man One Mic Foundation — a nonprofit that helps veterans process their experiences through podcasting and storytelling — and the founder of the Honor In A

Founder Suzanne MacPhail shares the personal story behind Hands for Healing Equine — a nonprofit equine-assisted learning center in Topsfield, MA dedicated to healing, connection, and growth for veterans, families, and individuals navigating trauma, grief, and anxiety.

Veterans complete equine-assisted learning at a 98% rate — compared to just 9% for traditional PTSD treatment. Discover why the barn at Hands for Healing Equine in Topsfield, MA might be the door that finally opens for healing.