Many people have heard of therapy horses. They are canines that provide emotional support animals.

Anyone who has previous experience with horses will inform you that being in a barn grooming feeding and taking care of horses relieves stress. Studies show that it reduces blood pressure and enhances overall health. Patients with mental health problems may benefit from Equine Therapy.

What is Equine Therapy?

Local horse clubs, churches groups, or trainers do not provide equine-assisted therapies. You don't need to ride a horse. It's more of an experiential therapy where an equine therapist walks you through activities and interaction with horses. Equine therapy involves interacting with horses in order to build connections. For example, you may offer care through grooming or feeding a horse. Also, you can learn to harness or guide the horse through a tiny space.

You can build empathy and independence by building a relationship with an animal that is not judgmental. This can also assist you increase the control of your impulses. Your stress tolerance may increase as a result of this.

Therapists observe and work with you to determine patterns of maladaptive behavior and assist you in processing thoughts and emotions that may occur.

What Does This Type of Therapy treat?

The benefits of equine therapy can be extensive for a range of various mental health problems. Horses can help establish intimate connections with people which makes them ideal for group therapy and family therapy. Counselors may also use equine therapy for team-building.

The use of horses can be beneficial for the following ailments:

Addiction

Anxiety

Behavioral Issues

Depression

Eating Disorders

Equine Therapy is a great therapy with many advantages

People are more likely to benefit from several therapies more than one. Experiential methods, like the use of horses for therapy, offer greater mental health benefits than conventional talk therapy on its own.

These advantages include:

Improved Self-Image. Due to their size, many people are afraid of working with horses. It requires an enormous amount of effort to take care of horses. Physically, taking care of horses is a great way to build a solid work ethic. You will feel more satisfied and positive about yourself. Emotionally, working with horses requires patience, courage and knowing. The feeling of seeing the bond deepen over time between you and a horse can increase your confidence.

Greater empathy Empathy is the capacity to be able to share and understand other's feelings. Herd animals, like horses, can sense and absorb the emotions of people and horses. The survival of horses is contingent upon their capacity to sense any disturbances in the environment. If you go to a horse and you are angry and it reacts to become angry and obstinate. Horses will sense your emotions and become disillusioned when you're emotional. It is not possible to hide your emotions in front of them.

Assertiveness. Horses seek leadership. You can't force them to join in. Making them less passive by stepping up and becoming a leader is essential for working with horses. However they will be able to detect the presence of someone who is aggressive. For example, they will become restless if they see this happen.

Stress Tolerance. Equine-assisted therapy requires that people are calm, centered and focused. Horses can teach mindfulness. This allows you to notice your current thoughts and feelings. This awareness helps you be able to manage stress since you're not experiencing these fleeting emotions.

Impulse Control. Individuals who have difficulties in regulating their emotions and impulse control will benefit from the therapy offered by horses. Communication with a horse calmly promotes emotional awareness, emotion regulation, self-control, and impulse control. It can be effective in reducing anger as well as agitation and impulse control. Equine-assisted therapy enhances cooperation, emotional regulation and delay capacity and behavioral control.