Who We Are
Why We Use Horses
Equine Empowerment was founded as a non-profit in 2017 with the vision to empower brave-hearted actions and inspire positive changes in individuals, families and communities.
Research demonstrates that horsemanship has shown significant improvement in social skills, depression and anxiety, as well as improved posture, balance, muscle tone, strength, better hand-eye coordination and decreased spasticity, to name a few. In full, therapeutic horsemanship stimulates muscle, brain, emotional and social activity.
EXCELLENCE:
Equine Empowerment is a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH Intl.) center. This means that Equine Empowerment is held at the highest standards in this field of work.
We strive for excellence by maintaining high standards in the field of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT). We follow PATH Intl. standards and continuing professional education. Equine welfare and maintaining a safety are top priorities.
Founder:
Beth Godbey, LPC, NCC, CTRS, has been providing equine assisted activities and therapies to a wide range of clients since 2001. Beth became a certified instructor with PATH Intl. in 2005 while working full time for a premier accredited PATH center. Since then Beth has founded and conducted many different experiential equine programs for youth, adults and families, including day treatment facilities, adult inpatient substance abuse treatment programs, youth in foster care, social service fatherhood program, HOSPICE grief counseling, therapeutic recreation day camps, Shriner’s hospital, youth substance abuse program and training for various social service staff.
In addition to being a certified PATH instructor, Beth is also trained in Natural Lifemanship (trauma focused therapy), level one and two, with EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) and is a certified equine specialist in mental health and learning.
Beth holds master’s degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Recreation Therapy. Beth served as the Colorado State Chair in western Colorado for PATH Intl. She has presented on the topic of equine therapy at various counseling conferences, the PATH region conference and several therapeutic horsemanship centers and social service programs.
Horses:
Working with horses requires building a relationship. Like humans, horses are social animals who live in a herd and need those relationships for survival. Horses have defined roles within their herds and distinct personalities, attitudes and moods, which means that an approach that works with one horse won’t necessarily work with another.
Horses give immediate feedback from human behaviors. When a client changes behaviors and approach, the horse will respond differently. Horses are honest and live in the moment which allows for authentic and present feedback. By working with horses, clients receive awareness of their own behaviors. This allows for clients, the horses and the Equine Empowerment therapist to work together to identify relationship patterns and then form ongoing positive changes by practicing and forming new behaviors.