What Are The Benefits Of Horse Therapy?

Benefits of Equine Therapy

• Increased trust.
• Reduced anxiety.
• Less feeling of depression and isolation.
• Increased self-esteem, self-acceptance, and social skills.
• Better impulse control.
• Increased problem-solving skills.
• Improved communication skills, including non-verbal.

Why horses are good for your mental health?

This can be a huge benefit when working with those suffering from mental health issues, as being around and working with horses can help the patient to build confidence, communication skills, trust, social skills, impulse control, and also learn boundaries.

Why are horses good for people?

Research has confirmed many equine therapy benefits. It lowers your blood pressure and heart rate, alleviates stress and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression. Equine therapy also helps people struggling with addictions or mental illness. There are several life skills that horse teaches better than a person.

Can horses Heal depression?

Horses and Mental Health
Equine therapy also decreases negative symptoms in adolescents with depression and anxiety. In one study, participants reported feeling less depressed, and having greater psychological wellbeing, immediately after participating in equine therapy, and six months later!

Does horse therapy help with anxiety?

Integrative Equine Therapy is an alternative anxiety therapy that harnesses the unique ability of horses to observe and read the emotions of clients allowing individuals to replace ingrained negative reactions with positive responses.

Why do horses make people feel better?

Reduced Stress
A study by Washington State University found that being around horses reduces the stress hormone cortisol. As herd animals, horses are attuned to stress and body language, so they will follow someone they trust and be unsettled when sensing fear.

How do horses help with PTSD?

“Through horse-human interaction, veterans can relearn how to recognize their feelings, regulate emotions, and better communicate, as well as build trust and come to trust themselves again—all valuable tools to help them succeed with family, work, and social relationships,” Dr. Fisher said.

What can horses teach humans?

5 Things Horses Can Teach Us

• Be Authentic. The dictionary defines authentic as being real or genuine.
• Be Present. Horses aren’t very concerned about the past or the future.
• Let It Go. This idea goes hand-in-hand with being present.
• Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say.
• We’re Better Together.

What problem can therapy horses solve?

Certain equine-assisted therapies are effective for children with cerebral palsy, behavioral tics, motor control issues, and coordination problems, and for people of any age with reduced mobility. Research has found Equine Therapy to also be beneficial for those with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.

What breed of horse is best for therapy?

Among the most frequently used horses for hippotherapy and therapeutic riding centers are American quarter horses. Quarter horses have the ideal temperament for working in therapeutic riding programs. They are calm, even-tempered and friendly.

Can horses sense when a human is sad?

Horses can read human emotions, too, often in uncannily accurate ways; alerting us to our sadness or nervousness, sometimes before we’ve even consciously registered it.

Does equine therapy really work?

Research shows that Equine-Assisted Therapy is effective for treating adolescents experiencing depression, anxiety, and/or trauma-related symptoms, as well as ADHD, autism, dissociative disorders, and other mental health diagnoses.

What is therapy with horses called?

Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational, and speech therapy that utilizes the natural gait and movement of a horse to provide motor, and sensory input. It is based on improvement of neurologic functions, and sensory processes, and used for patients with physical, and mental disorders.

How do horses calm humans?

They can mirror human emotions and behavior and will respond to negativity, therefore encouraging the client to be calm, open, gentle and aware. Horses are able to reflect human moods, and being horses, they don’t judge or react the way humans often do to the people they are working with.

How do horses bond with humans?

Horses and humans may develop a connection or trust through contact or riding or by way of grooming / care. They may show signs of recognition when you or other humans approach them.

Can horses sense a good person?

Horses can read human facial expressions and remember a person’s mood, a study has shown. The animals respond more positively to people they have previously seen smiling and are wary of those they recall frowning, scientists found.

How horses can change your life?

Spending time with horses can encourage a sense of companionship as well as a new perspective on life. Horseback riding quickly builds confidence and self-esteem as you learn proper techniques and master them, helping you feel accomplished and ready to set more goals for yourself.

Do horses help with anger issues?

Equine therapy can help people learn how to regulate and cope with their anger. It can be a powerful tool in teaching clients how to improve their emotional responses.

What kind of human contact do horses like?

Horses Like Humans With Calm and Happy Facial Expressions
Another study conducted by the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth has concluded that horses are capable of recognizing human facial expressions, allowing them to react differently to those humans who they might perceive as a threat.

What horses teach us about life?

Things like responsibility, commitment, critical thinking, and positive communication. They have taught me that perseverance is key if you want to get anywhere in life. There are those horses who have made me work harder and harder to get a lead change or counter canter.

Can horse bond to people?

Horses do bond with humans and their relationship with soldiers was likely stronger than those developed prior, considering the highly emotional environment. Currently, most horses are companion and therapy animals, meaning humans greatly value their relationships.