Equine-assisted therapy consists of working with a mental health professional certified in animal-assisted therapy and participating in mounted and unmounted sessions, which includes grooming, tacking, and riding horses, with a focus on fostering communication between the therapy-seeking individual and the horse. Individuals with cognitive, physical, emotional, and social challenges can benefit from equine-assisted therapy.^1,2

What is Equine Therapy? 

In 1969, equine-assisted therapy was introduced and primarily used for patients with physical disabilities. In recent years, this type of therapy has grown more popular to assist in treating mental health conditions, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and autism.³ Equine therapy supports emotional, social, and behavioral wellness and is suitable for a wide variety of populations. Interacting with the instructor and the horse, equine-assisted therapy helps riders improve their self-confidence, independence, communication, concentration, and memory skills in their day-to-day lives.^2,4  

Handling, caring for, and riding horses gives individuals the chance to develop skills such as trust, respect, honesty, and communication. As prey animals, horses are perceptive of subtle changes in their environment as well as the presence of humans. Horses can mirror human behaviors and emotions and offer feedback through nonverbal behavior, allowing individuals to develop self-awareness while also improving their own self-confidence.^2,3 Equine-assisted therapy differs from traditional psychotherapy because the interactions between the participant and the horse takes place in a nontraditional environment; therefore, the participants might be less anxious during equine-assisted therapy compared to traditional therapeutic sessions.⁵ 

Mental Health Benefits

For individuals with PTSD, working with horses enables them to practice regulating their emotions and build self-esteem. Other benefits include improvements in overall wellbeing, functioning, and emotional connections. For individuals with PTSD, equine-assisted therapy as a form of action-based therapy allows for real-time integration while working with the horses, as the participants gain feedback about what works and does not work when communicating with the horse, such as leading the horse and asking them to walk over ground poles. Horses are ideal creatures for this type of therapy due to their nonverbal communication methods with humans and how they react to humans’ actions.^3,5 Horses, being hypervigilant creatures, react and respond to humans’ emotions, including anger, fear, and depression, giving participants feedback on their demeanor, communication, and behavior. This allows the participant to adjust their behaviors accordingly, working in conjunction with the equine therapist.⁵

Equine therapy can be effective for individuals with autism, as the activities are designed to teach the participants how to control emotions, take responsibility, and trust others. Additionally, programs are designed to be comfortable, safe, and stress-free. Working closely with horses results in the development of an emotional connection, which can help their self-esteem and confidence and better manage their emotions; these skills are transferrable and can help individuals with autism communicate more effectively with other people. Riding horses and leading them through obstacles, such as through cones or over poles, can help individuals with autism improve their problem-solving and decision-making skills as well.⁶

Physical Health Benefits

Equestrian-assisted therapy also provides support for individuals aiming to improve their physical health. For example, individuals with hypertonia, which is an increase in muscle tone seen in spastic cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, or traumatic brain injury, are placed on narrowly built horses to allow the riders to improve the control of their limbs, balance, and flexibility.² Individuals with hypotonia often ride wider horses with bigger gaits to better stimulate their muscles. At first, riders with hypotonia may not be able to support themselves during their riding lessons, but after several months, many riders are able to gain the strength to support themselves while riding.² 

For individuals with autism, riding horses offers multiple physical health benefits, such as enhancing balance and coordination. The rhythmic movements experienced while riding a horse stimulate the vestibular system, which can improve speech and learning in individuals with autism. Riding a horse requires the ability to manage behaviors, thereby improving voluntary movements and nonverbal cues for individuals with autism.^6,7 

Sources 

1. Souilm N. Equine-assisted therapy effectiveness in improving emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-esteem of patients suffering from substance use disorders. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2023;23(1):363.
2. Helen Woodward Animal Center. Benefits of mounted and unmounted equine assisted activities. Accessed 18 Jun 2024. https://animalcenter.org/programs-services/therapeutic-riding/benefits/
3. Nelson C, Dossett K, Walker DL. Equine-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder among first responders. Psychol Rep. 2022:332941221146707.
4. Ward J, Hovey A, Brownlee K. Mental health benefits of mounted equine-assisted therapies: a scoping review. Health Soc Care Community. 2022;30(6):e4920–e4935. 
5. Equine Therapy Group. PTSD and equine therapy.  Accessed 1 Jul 2024. https://www.equinetherapygroup.com/what-we-offer/ptsd/
6. Golden Care Therapy. Equestrian therapy: a promising treatment for autism. Accessed 1 Jul 2024. https://www.goldencaretherapy.com/equestrian-therapy-for-autism/ 
7. Xiao N, Shinwari K, Kiselev S, et al. Effects of equine-assisted activities and therapies for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(3):2630.