Equine therapy has grown in popularity over the years, but does equine therapy work, and how does it work? It is based on the idea that animals are a great source of emotional support. While this role has been reserved for smaller animals, horses can be a great source of emotional support. Although horses may weigh up to 2,000 pounds, they are sensitive to emotion.
Equine therapy is an alternative approach that incorporates horses into a teen’s treatment plan. In equine therapy, your teen will get to feed, groom, or ride horses as part of treatment. You do not have to worry about your teen’s safety. All these activities are conducted under the supervision of a professional. Equine therapy can help alleviate stress and help with emotional regulation.
This article looks into the efficacy of equine therapy. It will examine the science behind equine therapy and review studies conducted on its effectiveness. Additionally, it will highlight factors that may affect the success of equine therapy.
If you are looking for a teen equine therapy provider in Arizona, our team at Nexus Teen Academy has third-party providers as a part of our treatment programming. To learn more about this and determine if our program is right for your son or daughter, give our team a call today.
How Does Teen Equine Therapy Work?
There are numerous benefits of teen equine therapy that can help your son or daughter struggling with mental or behavioral health disorders. Spending time with animals can help improve mood and physical health while also alleviating stress. Equine therapy may also help teens learn to navigate complex emotions and build emotional resilience. As a parent or guardian, you might be wondering about the science behind equine therapy. Here is how it works:
Reduced Blood Pressure and Improved Mood
Since the 1980s, research has indicated that interacting with animals can help reduce blood pressure. Although your teen’s heart rate may spike just before petting a horse, it reduces when interactions begin. Horses offer a calming environment where your teen can regulate their emotions.
During such interactions, your teen’s cortisol levels reduce. Cortisol is the hormone that causes stress. Your teen’s brain releases oxytocin to improve mood. This ‘feel-good’ hormone can help your teen bond with the horse and alleviate anxiety.
Increased Physical Activity
Horses, just like dogs, enjoy walking and running. When teens spend time with a horse, they may ride it or take it around an obstacle course. This increased physical activity can help reduce symptoms of depression or anxiety. Exercise also releases endorphins, which can reduce physical and emotional pain.
A combination of these factors makes equine therapy effective for treating mental health conditions. Equine therapy can be effective in helping teens with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These conditions impair your teen’s daily life, and overcoming them is crucial.
Research and Studies on Teen Equine Therapy Effectiveness
Now, to answer the question of whether equine therapy works. There have been several studies researching the effectiveness of equine therapy. Here, we will highlight two studies.
The first study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in Egypt. It involved 100 participants who were treated using various methods. The participants were divided into two groups, one receiving weekly equine therapy. The study demonstrated that the group receiving weekly equine therapy had significantly better emotional regulation than the control group. They also had higher self-worth and lower emotional suppression. The study results indicated that equine therapy is an effective complementary treatment for mental health conditions.
The second study examined different behavioral patterns in patients treated with equine therapy. During the anticipatory phase, patients’ heart and respiratory rates increased. However, both parameters were significantly reduced by the end of therapy. Participants also reported sleeping better after equine therapy.
Why Does Teen Equine Therapy Work?
What do we learn from both studies? When you enroll your teen in an equine-assisted treatment plan, they will learn emotional regulation. Horses can be sensitive to emotion. If your teen is feeling stressed, horses may respond negatively. This teaches your teen to regulate their emotions before interacting with horses. Since animal interactions release oxytocin, your teen may also build a strong bond with the horse. This makes them more trusting and alleviates social anxiety. If your teen has depression, increased physical activity may improve their symptoms.
Real-World Applications of Equine Therapy
Equine therapy can have several real-world applications. It can be used to help teens with PTSD process trauma. Since horses are sensitive to emotion, they can help your teen process their feelings effectively. Horses also help build trust and resilience. Horses serve a different purpose for teens with anxiety. They encourage teens to practice mindfulness and not worry about things they cannot control.
Factors Affecting the Success of Teen Equine Therapy
What factors affect the success of equine therapy? They include the following:
Individual needs: The severity of your teen’s mental health condition may impact how successful equine therapy can be. Since it is a complementary treatment option, it requires a robust primary treatment. If your teen responds well to the primary treatment, they will likely respond positively to equine therapy.
Quality of the program: What your teen does in equine therapy matters. Activities like grooming, feeding, and riding can positively impact your teen’s mental health. High-quality programs offer longer sessions, which may be more impactful.
Commitment and consistency: Teens who are committed to treatment respond better to equine therapy. For equine therapy to help your teen, they need to show commitment and consistency in attending treatment sessions.
Teen Equine Therapy at Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy is Arizona’s premier mental health treatment facility. It provides high-quality mental health treatment for teens aged 12 to 17. Tucked away in the desert of Arizona, Nexus provides a tranquil environment where your teen can focus on treatment. We specialize in treating a variety of mental health and substance abuse issues.
We believe in a holistic treatment approach combining evidence-based and complementary therapies. If your teen has a mental health condition that requires equine therapy, they will likely be treated using the following modalities:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):CBT will help your teen change their behavior by addressing negative thoughts. Thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected. By learning to change their thoughts, your teen’s behavior will improve.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT):DBT helps teens with emotional regulation. It utilizes principles like mindfulness to help teens regulate their emotions better.
FamilyTherapy: Nexus believes in family involvement during treatment. Family therapy equips the entire family with the skills required to effectively support teens after treatment.
Along with these, Nexus also offers equine therapy through our third-party providers. Our treatment programs are personalized for each client, with many of our clients going through equine therapy.
Equine Therapy Efficacy: Does Equine Therapy Work?
Published By nexus_admin
Published On February 15, 2025
Table of Contents
Equine therapy has grown in popularity over the years, but does equine therapy work, and how does it work? It is based on the idea that animals are a great source of emotional support. While this role has been reserved for smaller animals, horses can be a great source of emotional support. Although horses may weigh up to 2,000 pounds, they are sensitive to emotion.
Equine therapy is an alternative approach that incorporates horses into a teen’s treatment plan. In equine therapy, your teen will get to feed, groom, or ride horses as part of treatment. You do not have to worry about your teen’s safety. All these activities are conducted under the supervision of a professional. Equine therapy can help alleviate stress and help with emotional regulation.
This article looks into the efficacy of equine therapy. It will examine the science behind equine therapy and review studies conducted on its effectiveness. Additionally, it will highlight factors that may affect the success of equine therapy.
If you are looking for a teen equine therapy provider in Arizona, our team at Nexus Teen Academy has third-party providers as a part of our treatment programming. To learn more about this and determine if our program is right for your son or daughter, give our team a call today.
How Does Teen Equine Therapy Work?
There are numerous benefits of teen equine therapy that can help your son or daughter struggling with mental or behavioral health disorders. Spending time with animals can help improve mood and physical health while also alleviating stress. Equine therapy may also help teens learn to navigate complex emotions and build emotional resilience. As a parent or guardian, you might be wondering about the science behind equine therapy. Here is how it works:
Reduced Blood Pressure and Improved Mood
Since the 1980s, research has indicated that interacting with animals can help reduce blood pressure. Although your teen’s heart rate may spike just before petting a horse, it reduces when interactions begin. Horses offer a calming environment where your teen can regulate their emotions.
During such interactions, your teen’s cortisol levels reduce. Cortisol is the hormone that causes stress. Your teen’s brain releases oxytocin to improve mood. This ‘feel-good’ hormone can help your teen bond with the horse and alleviate anxiety.
Increased Physical Activity
Horses, just like dogs, enjoy walking and running. When teens spend time with a horse, they may ride it or take it around an obstacle course. This increased physical activity can help reduce symptoms of depression or anxiety. Exercise also releases endorphins, which can reduce physical and emotional pain.
A combination of these factors makes equine therapy effective for treating mental health conditions. Equine therapy can be effective in helping teens with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These conditions impair your teen’s daily life, and overcoming them is crucial.
Research and Studies on Teen Equine Therapy Effectiveness
Now, to answer the question of whether equine therapy works. There have been several studies researching the effectiveness of equine therapy. Here, we will highlight two studies.
The first study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in Egypt. It involved 100 participants who were treated using various methods. The participants were divided into two groups, one receiving weekly equine therapy. The study demonstrated that the group receiving weekly equine therapy had significantly better emotional regulation than the control group. They also had higher self-worth and lower emotional suppression. The study results indicated that equine therapy is an effective complementary treatment for mental health conditions.
The second study examined different behavioral patterns in patients treated with equine therapy. During the anticipatory phase, patients’ heart and respiratory rates increased. However, both parameters were significantly reduced by the end of therapy. Participants also reported sleeping better after equine therapy.
Why Does Teen Equine Therapy Work?
What do we learn from both studies? When you enroll your teen in an equine-assisted treatment plan, they will learn emotional regulation. Horses can be sensitive to emotion. If your teen is feeling stressed, horses may respond negatively. This teaches your teen to regulate their emotions before interacting with horses. Since animal interactions release oxytocin, your teen may also build a strong bond with the horse. This makes them more trusting and alleviates social anxiety. If your teen has depression, increased physical activity may improve their symptoms.
Real-World Applications of Equine Therapy
Equine therapy can have several real-world applications. It can be used to help teens with PTSD process trauma. Since horses are sensitive to emotion, they can help your teen process their feelings effectively. Horses also help build trust and resilience. Horses serve a different purpose for teens with anxiety. They encourage teens to practice mindfulness and not worry about things they cannot control.
Factors Affecting the Success of Teen Equine Therapy
What factors affect the success of equine therapy? They include the following:
Teen Equine Therapy at Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy is Arizona’s premier mental health treatment facility. It provides high-quality mental health treatment for teens aged 12 to 17. Tucked away in the desert of Arizona, Nexus provides a tranquil environment where your teen can focus on treatment. We specialize in treating a variety of mental health and substance abuse issues.
We believe in a holistic treatment approach combining evidence-based and complementary therapies. If your teen has a mental health condition that requires equine therapy, they will likely be treated using the following modalities:
Along with these, Nexus also offers equine therapy through our third-party providers. Our treatment programs are personalized for each client, with many of our clients going through equine therapy.
To learn more about this component, if equine therapy is covered by insurance and how it can help, contact Nexus today. We can walk you through the treatment process and verify your insurance benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Results from equine therapy may vary from person to person. Each individual makes different progress in therapy.
Working with horses is inherently dangerous. Horses are large and sensitive, meaning they can cause physical injury to participants.