A new partnership between two of Colorado State University’s (CSU) flagship academic programs will lead to a better understanding of the potential benefits of equine-assisted activity and therapy (EAAT).

The five-year research program, led by Wendy Wood, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, head of CSU’s Department of Occupational Therapy, is funded by a donation from the Carl and Caroline Swanson Foundation. The $468,000 gift will allow two graduate students, a PhD candidate and Wood to lead the research via a partnership with CSU’s Equine Sciences Program.

“This is a terrifically exciting opportunity for me,” Wood said. “I love being on the ground floor of projects, and the resources at Colorado State to launch this project are exemplary. It’s a synergy that’s meant to happen, and I’m excited to spearhead the program.”

The project will focus on EAAT, an area of study that appears to have tremendous promise, Wood said. Therapists long have known about the special connection between horses and riders, but there is limited documented research on the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy