Pili Na Lio Equine Therapy Friday

By Léo Azambuja

The nonprofit organization Ho‘akā Mana is offering free equine-assisted therapy sessions to families and individuals in Hoʻolehua this Friday, Dec. 5.

“We have noticed a huge benefit, we are watching folks progress throughout their time with us,” Ho‘akā Mana executive director Kanoe Davis said.

The Pili Na Lio equine therapy program started in February, in collaboration with Maui’s Spirit Horse Ranch.

Generally, equine therapy is when therapists treating mental health conditions or physical disabilities utilize horses to promote healing. The therapy can include grooming the horses, riding them or interacting with them through activities, always under the guidance of professionals.

Pili Na Lio hasn’t offered rides yet. For now, they promote different forms of interaction with three Hawaiian ponies, Kilo, Kegel and Pepper.

A team from Maui’s Spirit Horse Ranch comes every month to Molokai for a full day of sessions. Here, they are joined by on-island trained staff. The sessions are held on a property owned by Viola and Weldon Wichman in Ho‘olehua.

“Horses are able to pick up on trauma, they can pick up on anxiety, they can pick up on emotions,” said Davis, adding the horses will absorb those feelings from humans, and do things such as chew hair, yawn or lay on the ground and roll over.

“What they are doing is they are assessing whatever trauma, anxiety, emotions that you are going through,” Davis said, adding the horses are leaching those feelings out of you so “you can realign, be more coherent, and stay grounded.”

Ho‘akā Mana ‘ulu, or crisis counselor, U‘ilani Miner-Ching said the horses are trained to heal and to be around people, and the trainers guide the sessions.

“I felt very safe there, even though I have never experienced being around free, unbridled horses,” Miner-Ching said.

Before the sessions start, the staff asks a series of questions to gauge the level of comfort people have around horses, Davis said. If they are timid around horses, the staff takes extra care to train them on what to look for around horses, making sure they know where they stand and respect the horses.

Davis said they keep evaluating everyone as the sessions progress. Slowly, they make their way to connecting with the horses, especially the young kids.

The sessions are usually on the first Friday of each month, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sessions usually last about an hour. 

Registration required at HoakaMana.org or Instagram @hoakamana