December 2021/January 2022 Issue

Page 18 December 2021/January 2022 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Real Estate Lasata “A Place of Peace” Located in Chester County PA By Haylie Kerstetter Lasata LLC- “A Place of Peace” located in Chester County, PA, is a riding facility where the healing power of horses is put at the forefront of the program. Situated on 105 acres of preserved land and founded in 2007, Lasata originally served to provide a space for individuals to connect with horses and their surround- ings in order to promote learning and healing. Their mission is to promote wellness, healing, and personal growth to all individuals by providing education and equine assisted activities in a nurturing, safe and peaceful environment. Executive director, Meghan Lyons Cowan grew up with horses. A Lasata instructor works with the program’s students. The horses at Lasata provide an educational and healing opportunity for stu- dents. Photo credit: Gini Woy She was involved in everything from carriage driving to hunter/ jumper shows, and always had a passion for horses. After working for and helping with the develop- ment of many other non-profits, Meghan founded Lasata to serve her local community by creating a safe atmosphere that allowed for educational and personal growth. In 2016, 9 years after its start, Lasata 501c3 was formed due to her strong desire to bless others by offsetting the costs of the services for those who struggle to fund them. Together with other instructors and barn staff, Meghan cares for Lasata’s roughly 18 horses daily while maintaining their education program. Many of their horses are free leased or donated because they are no longer able to do the job they were originally intended for, while some are purchased. These horses are vital to the program as they allow students to build strength, learn communication and leadership skills, and build lasting bonds with another living being. By exploring their non-judgmental attitude and profound honesty, stu- dents and teachers work to discover and decode each horse’s individual means of communication. Lasata offers adaptive riding lessons and horsemanship in- struction, as well as equine assist- ed psychotherapy and learning, and horsemanship camps. They also offer educational clinics and conferences, fundraisers, and ac- tivities for the local community. In their horsemanship and riding instruction, many popula- tions of riders with disabilities are accommodated with the belief that aspiring horse people should be ex- posed to all areas of horse care and management. The instructors hold certifications in Centered Riding, PATH International (Therapeutic Riding Instruction and Equine Specialist of Mental health and Learning), Certified Horsemanship Association, and Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) with comprehensive experience in equine communi- cation methodology and natural horsemanship approaches. Lessons are typically an hour long with inclusion being the priority. EquineAssisted Psychotherapy (EAP) incorporates encounters with horses for mental and behavioral health therapy as well as personal development. This approach is ex- periential in nature- students learn about themselves and others by working with the horses. At Lasata, instructors use EAP to address a wide range of mental health and hu- man development needs such as be- havioral issues, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Similarly, EquineAssisted Learning (EAL) focuses on learn- ing or educational goals. Paired with equines, and a mental health professional, Lasata instructors help students to focus on learning specif- ic skills that may be defined by the student(s), such as leadership skills for a group or resiliency training for military warriors. Horsemanship camps provide a wide variety of information to a diverse group of students both with and without horse expe- rience. Activities are centered around horsemanship skills, horse- back riding lessons, un-mounted lessons, demonstrations, etc. The instructors at Lasata, both equine and human, provide a safe and welcoming environment for all. The large and powerful nature of horses is naturally intimidating to many, creating the perfect op- portunity for students to overcome fear and cultivate confidence. The care of the horses also requires responsibility, assertiveness, and communication while working with another being with a distinct personality, attitude, and mood. The response to body language and honesty of horses is eye open- ing, and for all who visit, Lasata is truly a place of peace. For more information visit lasata.org .