In the United States, therapeutic horseback riding offers equine-assisted therapy to diverse populations, including children and adults who have anxiety disorders. Veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder often are prescribed this type of therapy in order to cope with anxiety, but little is known about how these programs affect the stress levels in horses.

Now, a University of Missouri (MU) study has revealed that horses ridden by veterans with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) did not have undue physiological stress responses, nor did they exhibit behavioral stress while participating in a veterans’ therapy program. This shows that therapeutic horseback riding, also known as THR, could provide a viable repurposing for retired or unwanted horses.

“Estimates have shown that approximately 6,300 horses globally work in therapeutic horseback riding programs at more than 800 centers,” said Rebecca Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP, a professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and the Millsap Professor of Gerontological Nursing in the Sinclair School of Nursing. “While there is a growing body of literature demonstrating the beneficial outcomes from THR programs for people with developmental, cognitive and psychosocial disabilities, such as veterans with PTSD; it is imperative that we consider horse stress levels to ensure their health and welfare. Our study was designed to assess the differences in both physiological stress levels and behavioral stress responses while being ridden by veterans in these programs or by experienced riders.”

The researchers recruited two groups for the study: veterans who were diagnosed with PTSD and healthy, experienced riders. Each individual horse participated in an approved program, which included working under tack for approximately 60 minutes weekly at the same time of day for six weeks. Veterans learned basic horseback riding skills as well as how to apply tack to the horse, mount, and dismount. Experienced riders were asked to go through the same actions as the veterans