How a spirit pony is helping this woman heal

A very special type of horse that was almost extinct is helping an Ojibwe woman heal.

Andria Dyer, Ojibwe from Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, knew her health was suffering. As a police officer with PTSD, she had a long conversation with her doctor on how to get better.

"As an officer, we deal with a lot of trauma," she said. "That trauma can take over the mind. Unfortunately, I had a point where I couldn't take that constant trigger and it was time for me to heal."

Part of her healing has been with horses. She went to a therapeutic farm, owned by Terry Jenkins for help. Jenkins is the owner and founder of Canadian Cowgirls, TJ Stables, which is home to a therapeutic riding program.

Jenkins is also the owner of 16 spirit horses. The breed almost went extinct and was down to just four animals at one point. Since then, there has been a push to save the breed.

"Just like our culture and the Anishinaabe people, it's that resilience, showing that resilience that we are the original and we will always be the original," she said.

"With this reconciliation happening now, it's really important to bring this breed to light and let people know that cultural awareness. It's so powerful what these little ponies have been through."

Dyer says she and Jenkins travelled recently to Fort Frances to purchase the spirit horses from an owner who couldn't care for them anymore.

"We were only there a short period of time when a foal was born," she said. "A mare laid down and foaled right in front of us."

She says Terry immediately named the foal 'New Beginnings.'

"So we call her Eshki-aanj-maajtaang in Ojibwe which means New Beginnings," she said.

"Eshki has my heart. When she was born, it felt like that was my new beginning."

Dyer says she wasn't a horse person before the experience, but says they will always be a part of her life now.

"These horses have a healing power," she said.

"I can't speak enough about how powerful that emotional and spiritual bond — and when that mind and that emotion and spirit is strong, that physical well-being can come together. And that's the balance as Anishinaabe people we look for."

The ponies were recently on display in northern Ontario at the International Plowing Match.