7 Benefits Of Equine Therapy Or Horse Therapy For Our Mental Health
What is equine therapy or horse-assisted therapy? How is horse therapy performed? Discover all the psychological benefits of equine therapy.
Animal therapies can offer an extraordinary amount of emotional support. Beyond the benefit of living with our pets on a psychological level, animals, such as horses, can help in many situations where people cannot. So much so that the equine therapy or horse therapy It has many therapeutic benefits that will improve our mental health.
The equine therapy or horse therapy It consists of assisted psychotherapy with a psychology professional in which a therapeutic process is carried out with this animal. In this way, the person who rides the horse or who receives the treatment is also responsible for grooming, feeding and guiding the horse while they are supervised by a mental health professional.
The horse therapies to treat some emotional problems or certain diseases have multiple benefits, not only in terms of rehabilitation and mobility but also in the field of psychology.
The equine therapy It has been used since 1875 with very positive results for patients thanks to the observations of the French neurologist Chassaignac. But it was the massacres caused by the world wars that led to the widespread use of horses for the rehabilitation of war victims, as evidenced by the creation, in 1917, of the first groups specialized in therapies with horses in the country. Oxford University Hospital.
This equestrian therapy is not only beneficial within the rehabilitation of limbs or mobility. A horse assisted therapy It is extremely positive when there are neurodegenerative diseases, but also in cases of functional diversity and when there are psychological problems such as stress or anxiety.
Benefits of equine therapy
Recognized by the World Health Organization itself, equine therapy is very beneficial for our health, both physically and mentally and emotionally. According to psychologists, benefits of equine therapy for our health are the following.
1. Emotional management
There are many reasons why emotions can overwhelm us. In these cases, dealing with these feelings can be very difficult for the person who suffers from it, being almost impossible on some occasions. One of the benefits of equine therapy or horse therapy It is precisely that the bond with this animal allows the person to identify, experience and be able to face their own emotions.
This is because horses are animals that are very susceptible to emotions. This way, when someone is angry or aggressive, the horse becomes stubborn. On the other hand, if someone is relaxed and calm, the horse will act the same way. For this reason, the horse therapy It can help the patient detect their own emotions and learn to manage them.
2. Improve social skills
Problems relating to others can affect many areas of the person who suffers from it. Thus, equine therapy It is a very effective therapy to address these problems and learn to manage relationships with others.
By establishing a close bond with a horse, people are able to recognize their own patterns of interaction with others. This is because although horses cannot speak, the reality is that these animals have a more than extraordinary ability to communicate with other beings. So much so that through the equestrian therapy People can learn how their behavior affects others.
For many people, learning to say no is a barrier they cannot overcome. Thanks to benefits of equine therapy, individuals can come to understand what their patterns of behavior and thinking are that generate toxic attitudes for themselves. Horses, as we have said, are exceptional communicators. So much so that they know how to set limits naturally. Therefore, people can understand that establishing these barriers is a good thing for you and others.
4. Overcome fears
begin to have a bond with a horse It is an effective way to overcome your fears. The reason for this is that these animals are very intimidating. Thanks to constant interaction with them, people can see how to tolerate and process these emotions that generate fear.
5. Improves confidence, security and self-esteem
Another of the benefits of equine therapy It is that thanks to the fact that the person who rides a horse begins to learn to gallop or to relate better to this animal, he or she begins to feel better about himself/herself.
This is because together with horses Only successes are perceived since animals, unlike people, do not judge. Therefore, we are no less afraid of making mistakes and therefore, we end up trusting ourselves more. Thanks to these small processes, people can learn through these therapies to have more self-esteem.
6. Stress control
Stress is one of the most widespread epidemics today. For this reason, through a horse assisted therapy People can cope better with stressful situations since being with these animals can help them relax.
Our body language reveals much more than we think. For example, our posture not only determines our security and self-esteem, but also reveals to others how they may treat us. Through a horse therapy or equine therapy People can learn to improve their non-verbal communication since these animals communicate mainly through it.
As we can see, there are many benefits of equine therapy on a mental level. Thanks to these therapies, people can learn much more than what may seem at first glance.
What exercises are performed in equine therapy?
There are several exercises that psychologists perform as part of the horse therapies, exercises that will depend on the needs of each patient. Among them, the most common are the following:
Preparation of the animal, with tasks such as putting on a halter
Horse riding (walking, trotting and galloping)
Teamwork for couples with communication problems
Brushing and hygiene of the horse
Animal control
Feeding and care
The horse therapies They are used satisfactorily with adult patients and children, where very good results are achieved in patients with autism, Down syndrome, shyness, primotor or motor problems… They have also been shown to be very positive in reducing stress, anxiety and low self-esteem, as well as depression.
Sessions can be carried out individually or collectively. Even at the level of couples, to encourage teamwork and communication. The equine therapy It was already revealed by Hippocrates himself, a Greek doctor who during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. C. who praised the virtues of horse riding for the treatment of mood or emotional problems.
