2nd December 2020 • Sticky Post

Equine-Assisted Therapy: 5 Benefits You Might Not Know About

The bond between humans and horses has always been strong. People and horses have shared mutual understanding and sympathy over the centuries. Because horses are naturally sensitive and intuitive animals, their ability to mirror moods and behavior can make them ideal companions. Ancient authorities going as far back as Hippocrates have touted the health benefits that can be obtained by regular interactions with horses, and the science behind Equine-Assisted Therapy dates back to French neurologist Charles Chassaignac, whose 1875 study found a variety of benefits derived from regular riding, including improved balance, joint function, muscle tone, and mood. The practice continued to gain steam in the years following the First World War when Oxford Hospital introduced a therapeutic riding program for those injured in the Great War. Equine-Assisted Therapy has continued to develop since then. Let’s take a look at 5 benefits Equine-Assisted Therapy can offer to those suffering from a variety of ailments.

1) Equine-Assisted Exercise

Riding a horse moves the body in a way that’s physically similar to the human gait. It is wonderful exercise for people with physical challenges that limit their ability to partake in vigorous physical activity. PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) has found that equine therapy can create improvement in flexibility, balance, and muscle strength. Scientific studies have shown a host of physical benefits from riding for individuals with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, amputees, and those recovering from strokes. A host of studies have illustrated the benefits Equine Assisted Therapy can offer in terms of gaining or recovering mobility and motor skills.

2) Emotional Healing

As anyone who has interacted with horses knows, they are sensitive, intuitive animals capable of picking up on our emotional state and responding to it appropriately. As EAGALA, one of the leading Equine-Assisted Therapy organizations notes, horses can intuitively read our body language, behavior, and tone of voice to determine our emotional state. Their responses are often more honest and instinctive than what other human beings offer in response to our behavior. This can give us valuable feedback on our own emotional states, and the ways in which our emotions affect those around us.

Riding can also teach us how to co-operate and engage more fully with the people in our lives. Horses are large and powerful creatures. They also all have different personalities, traits, and desires that we must learn in order to have successful relationships with them. When we interact with horses, we quickly learn the limits of our ability to control them, and we enter into a dialogue where we must engage and persuade rather than simply command. This experience can offer us valuable insights into our relationships with the people in our lives.

3) Overcoming PTSD

PTSD is a crippling ailment that often goes hand in hand with addiction. Anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, nightmares, and depression are just some of the symptoms of this disorder. But recent studies have discovered that, like household pets, horses can have a strong positive effect on PTSD sufferers. Researchers in the UK discovered that Equine-Assisted Therapy reduced the PTSD scores for 87.5% of those studied after just six weeks. Both horses and PTSD sufferers are hyper-vigilant to their environments, and learning to build a shared sense of trust is incredibly helpful for those with PTSD. As Margaret Steele, wife of an American military officer and advocate for EAT who has watched many combat veterans benefit from the therapy notes: “It is impossible for an individual suffering from PTSD to work with a horse since the horse reads all of these emotions in you and will start to emulate them. This causes the client to have to work on their own issues to make progress with the horse. In a sense, the horse works like a mirror.”

4) Coping With Anxiety

Millions of people around the world suffer from anxiety, and most of them suffer from intense worries about the past, and fears about their future. We’ve written before about how focusing on mindfulness and the present moment can offer relief from these symptoms of anxiety disorders. Equine therapy is a fantastic tool for learning how to be mindful, since interactions with horses force the patient to focus intently on the animal’s actions and reactions rather than their own thoughts. Because horses are hyper-alert, and always instinctively prepared to flee from danger, a natural sense of sympathy arises. As experts note, “Processing challenges through the behavior of the horse can be easier for clients than speaking directly about their own personal experiences with anxiety.” Equine therapy often allows the anxious to process experiences and practice vulnerability in a safe and trusting environment.

5) Healing Addictions

We’ve written before about the close relationships between trauma, anxiety, and addiction. Equine-Assisted Therapy can help the addicted by helping to ease their suffering from past trauma and present anxiety. But it has another massive benefit in that it can rebuild the sense of trust and feelings of self-worth that have been eroded by the isolating, debilitating affliction. Most addicts have isolated themselves from loved ones and destroyed their self-esteem through years of destructive behavior and negative thoughts. In order to heal, they must learn how to conduct healthy relationships with others, and horses can be an ideal teacher for these lessons.

In many cases, non-verbal communication is an easier place to start re-learning how to express yourself honestly and build trust with others. Because horses are intuitive, non-judgmental, and honest creatures, they will always provide excellent feedback on what you’re communicating to the world. If you’re tense, jumpy, or irritable, they’ll let you know. They can offer extremely valuable advice on how to communicate effectively, regulate moods and emotions, and build positive communication skills. 

At Iboga Tree Healing House we believe that Equine-Assisted Therapy can offer invaluable benefits to people suffering from a great many disorders. It’s a wonderful complement to addiction treatment and traditional psychotherapy because it offers clients the ability to learn through experience and develop emotional skills that can’t be cultivated by mere words. If you have any questions about exploring the power of this form of therapy, don’t hesitate to get in touch!