WELLNESS AUTHOR
Kati Epps
WALKING WITH HORSES n Dogs aren’t the only options when it comes to
animal-assisted therapy; these gentle giants are worth the ride, too.
T
he healing power of animals is evident to anyone who has snuggled up with their pup after a breakup or cuddled their kitty when they were feeling lonely. Research has proven that the unconditional love of animals is stress-reducing and has positive well-being effects. In addition to the conventional dog or cat, horses have also been found to be incredible healers, and not just for people’s emotional well-being. Horses are used in many forms of therapy — physical, occupational, social-emotional and even recovery from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research into equine-assisted therapy dates back to the late 1800s when Florence Nightingale reported using companion animals as a form of therapy to boost the emotional well-being of a confined person. Even before Nightingale’s documentation, there are accounts of horses providing physical and emotional benefits as far back as 5 B.C., according to The Canadian Veterinary Journal. The use of animalassisted therapy after the wars of the 20th century has proved beneficial for PTSD, anxiety, limb loss and addiction recovery.
SEPTEMBER 2022
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