Melissa Jean Jarzynski, MSPT, HPCS
For more than two decades I have studied how nervous systems communicate through movement, environment, and relational safety. Horses make these invisible dynamics visible. They don't respond to titles, expertise, or intention — they respond to what your nervous system is actually doing.
This site is a working record of that observation. It connects peer-reviewed research in neurobiology, polyvagal theory, and attachment science with what I have watched happen between humans and horses in real time — in clinical settings, in the paddock, and in the space between species where nervous systems meet.
The work
Co-regulation. Neuroception. The window of tolerance. These are real biological processes — but they can be difficult to hold onto when they live only in a textbook. The paddock makes them observable. A horse does not perform calm. It either is calm or it is not, and the reasons why are often legible if you know what to look for.
From the Paddock
A 2022 case study on the Finding Peace in the Paddock™ program, published in the American Hippotherapy Association magazine, found that participants experienced both lower stress levels and decreased resting heart rates following the intervention. The modified Face Pain Scale showed a Cohen's effect size of 2.32 — a large, real-world significant result. A Cohen's effect size of 0.35 was noted when comparing participant heart rates between the farm and at home.
"As a pediatric therapist for 30+ years, I can appreciate how one can get stuck in a deep well of stability. Melissa has challenged me to think differently, to get out of my head, and to just see, feel, and trust my instincts to better my little clients using equines as partners during treatment."
"I found clarity and resolution on some issues I have struggled with in traditional psychotherapy for years. I can't explain how it works — it just does. I also never thought I would be a candidate for such a program. I am so grateful for the opportunity to experience this type of therapy in my life, and I hope more people learn that it is available to everyone."
About Melissa
Melissa Jean Jarzynski is a trauma-informed physical therapist and one of the few board-certified Hippotherapy Clinical Specialists practicing in the United States. For more than two decades she has worked directly with individuals navigating trauma, chronic pain, neurological conditions, and nervous system dysregulation.
Her clinical work integrates traditional rehabilitation science with equine-assisted therapeutic environments — allowing her to observe how changes in the human nervous system influence both movement and relational dynamics in real time. She teaches trauma-informed approaches to nervous system regulation to clinicians and participants seeking new ways to understand the relationship between physiology, emotion, and connection.
Melissa is a co-founder of the Stable Friendships Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping pediatric and adult participants experience the therapeutic benefits of working with horses. Her work sits at the intersection of rehabilitation science, somatic awareness, and ethical partnership with horses — the foundation for everything explored here.