‘What If My Husband Was a Horse?’ Hey, it’s a workshop for couples

Published 5:06 am Friday, June 1, 2007

PORT ANGELES – Let us picture the ideal partner: strong, supple – and smart as a whip.

But what goes with this partner’s intelligence, naturally, is a mind of his own.

Therein lies the rub in so many pairings: One mate isn’t inclined, darn it, to do what the other wants.

This happens with equine partners, too, as any horseman or -woman knows.

In each of us, there lurk a few behavioral flaws, and when horse and rider have differences, progress can grind to a halt.

The big, stubborn beast stops responding to the partner’s repeated efforts to control him.

Paul C, Daley, a licensed psychologist who’s practiced in Port Angeles for 24 years, has seen such differences endanger many a relationship.

A seasoned horseman and trainer of Arabians, Daley some years ago began offering his clients what’s known as equine-facilitated therapy sessions.