Equine Therapy Case Study
Jan Yorke works at Georgian College in Ontario, Canada. Cindy Adams works for Ontario Veterinary College and University of Guelph. Nick Coady is a professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada. In this article, they examine the effects that equine therapy has on recovery from a traumatic experience. In order to answer this question, they selected six individuals who had previous experience with horses.
These participants ranged in age from 18 to 51 years of age. The traumatic experience (i.e. car accident, horse-related accident, or work-related accident) happened between 10 months to 11 years before the research was conducted. All of the participants had experienced trauma that affected them in physical and psychological ways. …show more content…
Of the four bonds, the intimacy and nurturing bond appeared to be the strongest. The riders often spoke of their horses with affection, referring to the animal as they would a loved one. The friendship appeared two-sided. The horses would often nuzzle and interact physically with their rider. Their horse was a safe haven for the participants. They don’t judge or degrade the equestrian like another human would. One important note made by Yorke, Adams, and Coady was “riding appeared to be the center of the participants’ lives, defining who they were.”
Each of the previously stated categories was a necessity for recovery from the traumatic experience. The riders remarked about their relationship with the horses, stating that they would move as one. The connection between horse and rider was rooted with an in-depth understanding of the other. The pair seemed to know “what to expect from the other, both physically and mentally.”
All of these facts plus more led to one conclusion: equine-human relationships can be therapeutic. The participants in this study recovered significantly with help from their equine counter-parts. The horses gave the equestrians a purpose; a reason to get up each day. However, while this research was a success, Yorke, Adams, and Coady remark, “riding is not for everyone.” Still, equine therapy is a promising option for a wide range of
These participants ranged in age from 18 to 51 years of age. The traumatic experience (i.e. car accident, horse-related accident, or work-related accident) happened between 10 months to 11 years before the research was conducted. All of the participants had experienced trauma that affected them in physical and psychological ways. …show more content…
Of the four bonds, the intimacy and nurturing bond appeared to be the strongest. The riders often spoke of their horses with affection, referring to the animal as they would a loved one. The friendship appeared two-sided. The horses would often nuzzle and interact physically with their rider. Their horse was a safe haven for the participants. They don’t judge or degrade the equestrian like another human would. One important note made by Yorke, Adams, and Coady was “riding appeared to be the center of the participants’ lives, defining who they were.”
Each of the previously stated categories was a necessity for recovery from the traumatic experience. The riders remarked about their relationship with the horses, stating that they would move as one. The connection between horse and rider was rooted with an in-depth understanding of the other. The pair seemed to know “what to expect from the other, both physically and mentally.”
All of these facts plus more led to one conclusion: equine-human relationships can be therapeutic. The participants in this study recovered significantly with help from their equine counter-parts. The horses gave the equestrians a purpose; a reason to get up each day. However, while this research was a success, Yorke, Adams, and Coady remark, “riding is not for everyone.” Still, equine therapy is a promising option for a wide range of