Equine-assisted services can help adults and children recover from a variety of psychological and physical conditions. Research shows benefits for anxiety, life skills development, neurodiversity support, overall well-being, and recovery from family violence. Effective programs serve diverse populations across the lifespan, including children, adolescents, and older adults. Program design must evaluate outcomes for all human participants while protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the horses. Emotional bonds between horses and humans often function as social glue, facilitating trust, connection, and sustained therapeutic engagement when equine welfare is prioritized.
Horses are deeply emotional beings and have been shown to be able to help adults and children heal from a variety of psychological and physical conditions. 1 For this and other reasons, I was very pleased to learn of a new collection of essays compiled by Colorado State University Professor of Clinical Studies Dr. Lori Kogan in a book titled Equine-Assisted Services: Studies Illustrating the Potential Benefits for Children, Adolescents and Adults.
In this book, a wide array of scholars explore research pertaining to equine interventions for conditions including anxiety, life skills, neurodiversity, well-being, family violence, and more while taking into account the well-being of all of the participants including the horses. (A preview can be found here.) I often think that the emotions shared between horses (and other animals) and humans work as a "social glue" that help to build and maintain mutually important social bonds.
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