| Though there has been much exploration of the therapeutic value of interaction with horses within the sub-field of Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy or Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, the specific activity of showing horses has been neglected. It seems to be absent from much of the literature or presented only in a negative light as victimizing competition. Incorporating depth psychology, this thesis will explore the positive and growthful aspects of "showing" as well as begin to explore the pragmatic considerations of whether or not this activity might reasonably and ethically be included in an Equine Facilitated practice. Informed by writers in the style of James Hillman, Linda Kohanov, and James Hollis, I use heuristic research to deeply explore my own experience of this activity to examine this resonant somatic image which calls to me. To integrate this subjective, esoteric information with theory, myth, poetry, literature, and so forth, I take a hermeneutic approach. |
