🐴 Vet’s 2025 Guide to Equine-Assisted Therapy

By Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

1. What Is Equine-Assisted Therapy?

Equine-assisted therapy (EAT) involves structured interactions with horses to support mental health, physical rehabilitation, and personal development. It includes modalities like therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, equine-assisted learning, psychotherapy, and equine-assisted growth & learning. Riders and handlers engage under supervision from certified professionals to address emotional, cognitive, or physical goals :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.

2. Historical Roots

• Referenced by Hippocrates in Ancient Greece as beneficial physical exercise :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.
• Modern therapeutic riding emerged in mid-20th century Scandinavia, inspired by polio rehabilitation :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
• Programs like PATH Intl® (formerly NARHA) and EAGALA established standards for certified equine therapy :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.

3. Types of Equine Therapy

3.1 Therapeutic Riding

Riding horses under the guidance of certified instructors to improve motor skills, confidence, and emotional wellbeing :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.

3.2 Hippotherapy

Conducted by licensed physical, occupational, or speech therapists—patients ride horses to promote posture, balance, speech or functional gains :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.

3.3 Equine-Assisted Learning & Psychotherapy

Ground-based activities (grooming, handling) or psychotherapy sessions using horses to work on life skills, self-regulation, and emotional awareness :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.

4. Who Benefits and How

• Mental & Emotional: Supports individuals with anxiety, PTSD, depression, behavioral challenges, including veterans and at-risk youth :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
• Neurodevelopmental: Effective for autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, sensory processing—improving coordination, communication, regulation :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.
• Physical Rehabilitation: Enhances muscle strength, balance, posture in neurological or developmental conditions :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
• Behavioral & Social: Builds confidence, empathy, teamwork, leadership :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.

5. Benefits Observed

• Reductions in stress indicators (BP, heart rate) :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}.
• Improved emotional regulation, self-esteem, motivation :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}.
• Enhanced motor skills, gait, balance in cerebral palsy and neurological rehab :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}.
• Increased social engagement in adults and older adults :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}.

6. Limitations & Evidence

While promising, scientific quality varies: most research is preliminary, small-scale, or anecdotal, especially in mental health. Hippotherapy shows more robust evidence in motor function improvements :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}. Ongoing studies are needed.

7. Choosing a Program

• ✅ Choose accredited centers (PATH Intl®, EAGALA, AHA). :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
• 👥 Ensure a multidisciplinary team—a therapist or instructor plus equine specialist.
• 🎯 Tailored goals and progress assessments.
• 🛡️ Safety: trained therapy horses, insurance, accessible facilities.

8. Ask A Vet Integration 🩺

Ask A Vet supports equine therapy by:

• Helping select accredited programs and qualified professionals.
• Monitoring client response, emotional, physical signs.
• Coordinating between therapists, vets, families.
• Providing on-demand tips around safety, horse welfare during sessions.

Download the Ask A Vet app today to access expert advice and support for equine therapy in 2025 and beyond! ❤️

9. Conclusion

Equine-assisted therapy blends human-horse connection with expert therapeutic goals. It offers significant benefits—from movement and coordination to emotional resilience and social confidence—while evidence strengthens. With accredited programs, clinical oversight, and tools from Ask A Vet, riding and handling horses becomes a powerful, supportive therapy in 2025 and beyond.