LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In an event held at Western Trails Park, survivors of the 1 October shooting came together to participate in equine therapy with therapy horses.
Elizabeth West, who attended the Route 91 Harvest Festival with her daughter, shared her traumatic experience, recounting the fear she felt during the shooting. "I kept thinking, if the bullets hit, they'll hit me, you know, because I was behind her. And so we just ran with our arms crossed like that for almost three miles."
After nearly six years, West is still on a journey of healing, and on Saturday, she found solace in spending time with therapy horses during the "Route 91 Family Time" event.
She explained, "They just make you feel like somebody cares because a lot of times you feel so alone after a trauma like that."
The event was organized by Terry Keener, an EMDR therapist working with Stable Arena. Keener described equine therapy as an experiential form of therapy that encourages participants to open up and connect with the horses, bypassing some of the verbal filtering that often occurs in traditional therapy.
Survivors shared their experiences of bonding with the horses, noting that the animals seem to sense their emotions and provide companionship during the healing process.
