Pilot Study of the Influence of Equine Assisted Therapy on Physiological and Behavioral Parameters Related to Welfare of Horses and Patients

Different welfare indicators were studied in three patients with psychomotor alterations and in two horses throughout 9–10 equine assisted therapy sessions in each patient. In horses, heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure, temperature and behavioral signs were studied. In patients, heart rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, sleep quality, psychomotor and emotional parameters were analyzed. Data collection was recorded in the anticipatory phase (15 min before the start of the session), two interaction phases (after 30 min of horse-patient interaction on the ground and on horseback, respectively) and the recovery phase (15 min after the end of the session). During the anticipatory phase, most of physiological parameters of patients and horses and the stress behavioral signs of horses increased, followed by a relaxing phase during the horse-patient interaction on the ground. In horse-patient riding phase the heart and respiratory rates of the horses again increased. These results showed that the horses did not seem to suffer stress attributable to the therapy sessions, but only an increase in their parameters associated with activity and external stimuli. The patients improved their gross and fine motor skills, their cognitive and perceptual-sensitive parameters and it led to an improvement in the life quality of their families.

“It’s easier to be with them”: How children with mental health concerns perceive their experiences with equine-assisted therapies

Animal assisted therapy was founded as early as 1792 to support an individual’s health (Wilson, Buultjens, Monfries & Karimi, 2017). One form of animal assisted therapy drawing attention over the past few decades is equine-assisted therapy and interventions (EAT/I). Research in this area has largely considered adults’ perspectives of EAT/I and has failed to consider how children using EAT/I perceive treatments. Using a sociology of childhood framework (Prout & James, 1997), a children’s rights perspective (Di Santo & Keannelly, 2014), and a disability justice framework (Devlieger, 1999) the present research employed qualitative, semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions and play-based methods. Five children aged five to twelve were interviewed, each of whom were enrolled in EAT/I. The findings demonstrated the children’s appreciation for their experiences with horses and experiences at the farm. They provided insight into how EAT/I benefit them and contrasted these experiences to their lived experiences outside the farm. Keywords: Equine assisted therapy, sociology of childhood, children’s rights, mental health

“It’s easier to be with them”: How children with mental health concerns perceive their experiences with equine-assisted therapies

Animal assisted therapy was founded as early as 1792 to support an individual’s health (Wilson, Buultjens, Monfries & Karimi, 2017). One form of animal assisted therapy drawing attention over the past few decades is equine-assisted therapy and interventions (EAT/I). Research in this area has largely considered adults’ perspectives of EAT/I and has failed to consider how children using EAT/I perceive treatments. Using a sociology of childhood framework (Prout & James, 1997), a children’s rights perspective (Di Santo & Keannelly, 2014), and a disability justice framework (Devlieger, 1999) the present research employed qualitative, semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions and play-based methods. Five children aged five to twelve were interviewed, each of whom were enrolled in EAT/I. The findings demonstrated the children’s appreciation for their experiences with horses and experiences at the farm. They provided insight into how EAT/I benefit them and contrasted these experiences to their lived experiences outside the farm. Keywords: Equine assisted therapy, sociology of childhood, children’s rights, mental health