Equine Assisted Therapy

History and Use of Equine Assisted Therapy

Equine therapy, also known as Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT), is a treatment that includes equine activities and/or an equine environment in order to promote physical, occupational, and emotional growth in persons suffering from ADD, Anxiety, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Dementia, Depression, Developmental Delay, Genetic Syndromes (such as Down Syndrome), traumatic brain injuries, behavioral issues, abuse issues, and many other mental health problems.  Equine Therapy can help the individual build confidence, self- efficiency, communication, trust, perspective, social skills, impulse control, and learn boundaries.  Since the horses have similar behaviors with humans, such as social and responsive behaviors, it is easy for the patients to create a connection with the horse.  Riders with disabilities demonstrate their remarkable accomplishments in national and international sport riding competitions. Equine-Assisted Therapies have been recognized in the medical and mental health  field by most major countries.

Equine therapy dates back to the times when horses were used for therapeutic riding in ancient Greek literature. Orbasis of ancient Lydia documented the therapeutic value of riding in 600 B.C. In 1946, Equine Therapy was introduced in Scandinavia after an outbreak of poliomyelitis.

Therapeutic Riding was introduced to the United States and Canada in 1960 with the formation of the Community Association of Riding of the Disabled (CARD). In the United States riding for the disabled developed as a form of recreation and as a means of motivation for education, as well as its therapeutic benefits.

Animals such as elephants, dolphins, dogs, and cats have also been used for therapeutic purposes. Horses become the most popular animal to use in animal therapy because they give immediate feedback to the handler or rider’s actions. Horses also have the ability to mirror the feelings of the handler or rider. Horses’ large and intimidating appearance forces and individual to gain trust around them.

Application:

Equine therapy is an amazing experience that connects the person to the horse to promote healing through metaphorical and cognitive experiences.  It can be task oriented with goals and can be utilized for all ages including group and family sessions.  Equine therapy involves more than just riding a horse. In some sessions, a client might not even touch the horse at all.  

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Therapists who teach Equine-Assisted Therapies can easily adapt Cognitive Therapy as well as play and talk therapy. Depending on the nature of the anxiety and its severity, the Equine therapist is able to make decisions about the processes or techniques applied in the sessions. Main techniques used are Cognitive Therapy, practicing activities, activity scheduling, play therapy and story telling and talk therapy.

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The Unique Roles of Horses in EAT

This list includes characteristics of horses that make them unique for therapy.

Non-judgmental and unbiased: Horses react only to the patient’s behavior and emotions and are not biased by the patient’s physical appearance or past mistakes. Patients describe this as being crucial to the therapy and aids in increase of self-esteem and self-confidence.

Feedback and mirroring: Their nature as a prey and herd animal makes them hyper vigilant and sensitive, thus making them keen observers. This means that their feedback is provided earlier and more consistently than with a human therapist. The horse has an innate tendency to mirror the patient’s behavior, physical movements and emotions, which help the participant be more aware of him or herself. It allows patients to “feel felt”. This feedback can then be translated by the equine specialist and analyzed by the group.

Metaphor for real life: The ability of a therapist to use the horse as a metaphor for other issues helps make the equine treatment applicable to real life problems.  An example of how a therapist can help the patient work out issues in their own lives through the use of the horse as a metaphor: “One child was having great difficulty discussing how they were feeling about an upcoming move to another state. She was, however, able to offer many suggestions for how to help a horse that was being sold feel more comfortable in his new environment”.   Using the horse as a metaphor for his own move, the child better understood and could cope with her own move.