"They're very tough boys, they're very macho. Most of them have gang affiliation, have trauma or abuse issues, abandonment issues," explains Tamara Lamprecht Vasquez, Clinical Supervisor for the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Treatment Center.
"To get them out here softens them. They shed that hard exterior and show their true personalities which they have spent years hiding," Vasquez said.
Most of the teens have never spent time around a horse.
"Wow! These animals are so big. I have never been around horses. I've seen them but never been this close," said 17 year old Jesus.
The teens engage with the horses while a mental health therapist observes and guides them.
"How they approach horses is directly related to how they approach people and challenges in the world. They learn from that how the horses respond to them," said counselor Deborah Walach.
"Horses are herd animals. They feel things others feel. They feel empathic, anger confidence in other horses and people," said Walach.
The teens don't ride the horses. They meet as equals with both on
the ground. Through the large powerful animals the young men see their own problems and find solutions.
"When horses are around a lot of people, they tend to get frustrated, same as me. When I'm around a lot of people, I tend to get frustrated," said 17 year old Jarvis who believes the Equine therapy is helping him to handle his frustration in a less aggressive manner.
"I am learning to calm down by counting to ten. I'm developing coping skills especially in dealing with my anger because I was an angry child," Jarvis said.
"It helps me put myself in somebody else's shoes. I understand what it's like to see my anger through something else. The emotions they have are kind of the same emotions that we have," said Jesus.
They learn from the horses and each other.
Outside the fence. one of the horses kicks, startling 17 year old Jaime and his horse. Jaime reacts with anger and goes off by himself and refuses to participate any longer.
"What do you think is going on with Jaime right now?," a counselor asks the group.
"The horse kind of upset him," volunteers one teen.
"One of the horses outside the fence kicked and jaime was afraid he was going to get kicked," said another.
"So was it about him?" the counselor ask. The teens shake their head no. "What was it about?," Walach asks. "It was about the other horse," says one teen.
Later Walach explains, "Bottom line he got scared. Jaime took the whole situation with the horses personally even though it had nothing to do with him." through this, therapists will work with Jaime so he learns to control his anger.
It's more than an hour round trip for the teens to participate in Equine Therapy so there's an effort to move the horses closer so more can participate. The Juvenile Detention Board has bought land across from the Center and this spring they will begin fundraising to equip it for Equine Therapy.
"To have it right across the road would be great. We have 96 kids year round and we would be able to engage a lot more of them into this," said Vasquez. "I've seen them use this therapy
Just west of San Antonio troubled teens are learning about themselves while working with horses. This year the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Treatment Center is trying out a new approach to help youth. Every week for two months, a group of 8 teens made the 60 mile round trip from the Detention Center to Natalia for Equine Therapy.
"To pull out that inner self and have that insight and be able to take that back home and work with their families and their futures," Vasquez said.
17-year-old Jarvis agrees.
"I've learned how to use the skills I learn from this place to benefit me. It was a privilege for me to come out here. This would be a wonderful experience for kids of all ages to come out here," Jarvis said.
