Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy Method
We use horses in therapy for a number of reasons. Horses are uniquely suited to help humans understand our emotional needs and our physical reaction to stress and trauma. Their brain is structured and works similarly to ours particularly in areas of trauma, anxiety and depression. Horses also teach us how to be social again—something trauma, PTSD and other mental health issues discourage us from doing. Horses work effectively in herds for their protection from predators. They have a strict pecking order, social expectations and enforce and effectively communicate boundaries. They will also act the same way with humans to teach us how to communicate, connect with others and be assertive. A study (2018, University of Sussex and Portsmouth) determined horses recognize and remember human expressions for up to twenty-four hours after their human encounter. This study also found horses can convey seventeen emotional states and read our expressions accurately. The way a horse interacts with a client, demonstrates a client’s emotional state without the client realizing it. Horses can actually be more aware of our emotions than we are. Once the horse signals a client is anxious, angry or experiences other emotions, it becomes a talking point for the client and the therapist.