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Equine therapy isnt reserved to only help veterans. Theres no denying, however, that it seems like a perfect approach. Unfortunately, there are no one-size-fits-all treatments for PTSD. Youll need to sit down with a licensed professional to decide if this is the right way for you to go.
Contact us today at Mending Fences to get started on this path. And while youre at it, take a second to visit the Meet Our Horses page. You might just run into some future friends.
Horses And Vets Are Kindred Spirits
It may sound strange to use the term kindred spirits for horses and veterans, but thats the best way to describe it. Equine therapy for PTSD has benefits for anyone dealing with the condition, but due to the similarities between horses and former military members, there are unique benefits gained from the therapy.
Regardless of what type of treatment a person undergoes, being able to identify with others is paramount. This is what makes group therapy and the Help For Our Heroes program at Mending Fences so effective. Just consider a few of the similarities between vets and horses and the benefits veterans receive from equine therapy for PTSD will become apparent.
One Soldiers Story: Dans Realization
During one exercise, Dans task was to have the horse follow him. After several minutes, it was obvious that Dan was becoming uncomfortable with requesting this of the horse. Instead he allowed the horse to stand in place and eat grass. When Dan was asked by the therapist I noticed you stopped trying to get the horse to follow you, tell me about that, he responded if I ask the horse to do something it doesnt want to do, it wont like me anymore. This exchange occurred within 15 minutes of the very first session. He went on to say I just do what everyone else wants me to. By the end of the first session, Dan was putting into words that he realized that this habit was preventing him from getting closer to people. Real examples, like Dan, show how quickly and decisively you can identify major issues in someones life using real-time feedback and interaction with horses.
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Aim : Specific Characteristics Of Equine
Types of equine-assisted activities or therapies
Four of the six included studies investigated interventions classified as EAAs . Across these four studies, two investigated therapeutic horseback riding . The average duration of THR was 16weeks, although considerable dosing variations across the two studies were evident. Only one study of THR explicitly identified a provider . Additionally, across the four studies of EAAs, one study investigated equine-assisted learning . This study was conducted in Canada and was the only study conducted outside the United States. While EAL was identified as consisting of three daily four-hour sessions, the duration, number, or length of the EAL was not provided, nor was the provider identified. An EAA that was not otherwise specified was investigated in one of the four studies this study sought to understand the benefits of the Saratoga WarHorse Connection method and identified the provider as a certified trainer .
Two of the six studies included investigated the EATs of hippotherapy and Equine-facilitated Mental Health . Both of these studies were conducted in the United States. As illustrated in Table , the identified providers and dosages of these two EATs differed substantively.
Components of equine-assisted interventions
Psychological Symptoms Of Veterans Dealing With Trauma
The psychological symptoms exhibited by veterans who struggle with combat and/or military experiences may occur long before a diagnosis of PTSD is made . In addition, early warning signs that go undiagnosed or untreated include comorbid conditions such as depression, anxiety, hostility, insomnia, or substance abuse . These varied and complex symptoms not only affect the veteran socially and emotionally, but also impact their work, family, and relationships, thereby diminishing their overall quality of life .
Further results from the study by Hoge et al. of OIF/OEF veterans noted that there was a strong relationship between combat experience and the prevalence of PTSD. For instance, service military members who were actively engaged in combat in these conflicts not only experienced traditional firefight, but they were also confronted with the continuous threat of being ambushed by explosive devices, particularly the improvised explosive devices known as IEDs . Secondary to these stressors, Hoge et al. noted they may have developed sustained anticipatory anxiety due to potential threats at any hour of the day, sometimes daily. Consequently, this constant combat-ready state has resulted in a pervasive and uncontrollable sense of danger . As such, the lingering threats of harm from these primary and secondary stressors may have resulted in both complex psychological and physiological symptoms associated with the conflicts .
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Horse Therapy Helps Veterans Overcome Trauma
Columbia study shows equine therapy significantly reduced PTSD and depressive symptoms three months post-treatment
New research shows equine therapya treatment method that uses the connection between people and horses to enhance emotional healingcan jump-start the healing process for veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder .
The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, was conducted by Drs. Yuval Neria and Prudence Fisher, principal investigators of the Man O’ War Project at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The project is the first university-led study to evaluate equine-assisted therapy in treating veterans with PTSD and develop a manual for the protocol to guide others in the field.
Both PTSD patients and horses are preoccupied with ongoing concerns about trust and safety. This innovative therapy facilitates bonding, overcoming fear, and re-establishing confidence, said Dr. Neria, professor of medical psychology and director of Columbias PTSD program. One must build trust with a horse for it to warm to you.
Equine Therapy: How Horses Help Humans Heal
Horseback riding, carriage driving and on-the-ground equine therapy are all methods that can help with PTSD or traumatic brain injury.
Sitting within the confines of a traditional office, talking things out with a therapist between four walls, doesn’t always work for kids and adults grappling with tough mental, emotional and behavioral health issues. For some people, adding equine-assisted psychotherapy may be an option. Hanging out with horses could feel more natural and nonthreatening and you don’t even have to ride.
Vulnerable Creatures
“I use horses to help folks heal,” says Holly Hansen, an equine-assisted psychotherapist with Sabino Recovery, a residential treatment center in Tucson, Arizona. She’s part of a team approach that uses a mental health professional, an equine specialist and horses to treat people with emotional trauma and addiction.
This on-the-ground therapy incorporates a connection between troubled humans and highly sensitive animals. “Horses, while they’re very large animals, are very vulnerable,” Hansen says. As prey animals, horses are hypervigilant, constantly scanning their environment for potential danger. “People who’ve experienced trauma can really relate to that,” she says.
Hansen is hard-pressed to name a type of client who wouldn’t benefit from equine therapy other than someone who’s severely allergic to horses.
Equal Footing
Riding to Recovery
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On The Lookout For Danger
Many things can cause hypervigilance, but watching out for danger is one of the main culprits. This is something both horses and vets live with. Equine therapy for PTSD allows these two spirits to understand each other. They have the same concerns and same fears. This is another reason the two can so easily connect on a primal level.
The Horse: Mans Other Best Friend
The relationship between man and horse is deeply rooted in history, having been mans working companion for thousands of years. Horses are very social and their ability to read human emotions and mirror those emotions is well documented. The most appealing trait of the horse is that if he is given the proper body language and leadership, he begins to put trust above his own fears.1
For this reason, they are an excellent choice to give those struggling with PTSD a chance to reflect on their inner self without any judgement and help to develop coping skills. Working with such a large animal can also force people to step out of their comfort zones.
The Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development explains, As prey animals, horses are hypervigilant until they learn they are not in danger. Unlike with many dogs, who trust unconditionally, horses require humans to work to gain their trust. Because of their own hypervigilance, with PTSD easily understand and can relate to the trust and hypervigilance in a horse.4
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Many Find Standard Treatments Ineffective
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 10 to 30 percent of veterans experience PTSD, a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as combat, a terrorist act, or sexual assault.
Symptoms are wide-ranging and can affect people in many ways, including re-experiencing the traumatic event and avoiding situations that remind them of their traumatic experiences. An average of 17 veterans end their lives every day, and many who suffer from PTSD are not finding standard treatments effective.
Regaining A Sense Of Control
Feeling a lack of control is one of the most obvious symptoms of PTSD. Sexual trauma, childhood abuse, physical assaults, and many other traumatizing incidents can make a person lose their sense of self-efficacy and develop mental health problems. When you feel you have no control over a situation, the accompanying stress and anxiety can make normal living feel impossible.
Medical psychology shows that equine therapy for PTSD can combat these feelings through unspoken communication with the animal. Interacting with such a massive animal provides a sense of control over the situation. This is why studies consistently show an improvement in self-efficacy and self-esteem following treatment. The immediate feedback during equine psychotherapy is an invaluable tool.
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The Man O War Project
U.S. Marine Sergeant Matthew Ryba believes equine therapy could help troubled veterans.
Equine-assisted therapy in which patients interact with horses to address emotional and behavioral challenges is widely used to treat a variety of mental health problems. However, there is little data supporting its effectiveness and no standardized approach to delivering the therapy. None of us had ever conducted equine therapy before, and so initially we spent a year and a half traveling throughout the country studying other programs and to learn about the characteristics of horses and how their interactions with the veterans would help regulate their emotions, says Dr. Fisher. By their nature, horses are skittish or hypervigilant, and people with PTSD are hypervigilant. This presents an opportunity for veterans to recognize and understand fear responses.
We have here a perfect storm where both the human and the animal are preoccupied with the same problem, says Dr. Neria. We created a treatment menu to address this very core problem by allowing the two to engage in a structural way in activities that enable them to take care of these ongoing trauma related functional problems.
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Treatment Protocol And Manual Development
Co-authors PWF, YN, JCM, and AL developed the treatment protocol with input from AH, JFH, and experienced EAT providers. The team reviewed typical procedures in EAT research and popular literature, interviewed practitioners, and visited programs. They set the following parameters: group format, due to cost and potential benefits of the group modality no riding exercises, both for safety and the different equine-patient relationship a treatment team comprising a licensed mental health professional and an equine specialist a confined activity space and eight 90-minute, once-weekly sessions.
Treatment protocol development was an iterative process, drawing from JFH and AHs experience delivering EAT and teaching horsemanship. JFH and AH later trained research staff and treatment teams to deliver key exercises. The EAT manual built a series of progressively complex and challenging exercises designed to help patients connect and communicate with horses. Framing each session with opening and closing group circles gave patients opportunities to process their experiences.
The treatment manual was piloted with two groups of veterans to test initial feasibility, acceptability, safety, and potential benefit of EAT-PTSD.
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They Provide A Change Of Place
Equine-assisted therapy happens outdoors, often in a scenic natural environment.
Increasing evidence suggests time in nature can help improve your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety, anger, and stress. So, you might find the natural setting alone helps soothe some of your ever-present tension and worry, especially if you enjoy spending time outside.
Fisher notes that the new, pleasant setting can be extra beneficial if you havent gotten much out of talk therapy and other traditional approaches.
Maybe describing your anxiety in words proves challenging, or you have a hard time naming its source and specific triggers. A change in setting could jump-start this process particularly when it involves a third party who can reflect your mood and emotions.
If your therapist notices you seem unusually tense, frustrated, or on edge, they might point out how the horse responds to you. This could make it easier for you to acknowledge those feelings and eventually prompt a discussion about the issues on your mind.
Results Can Come Quickly
There are very few mental health conditions with quick fixes. While any psychiatric professional will avoid offering an estimate of how long treatment may last, equine therapy for PTSD has proven it can work quickly at healing the psyche. In fact, one study found clinical improvement of symptoms after only six weeks of equine therapy.
Even more surprising about that study is that statistically significant results were seen within three weeks. Since research shows that PTSD is a significant predictor of suicidal ideation, utilizing a therapy that can offer quick results is paramount. Healing from PTSD can last years, but gaining the necessary tools for this battle in a short time can drastically improve outcomes.
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The Complexity Of Ptsd
The effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder are deeply-seeded and extremely complex. They can affect nearly every facet of the mind including emotional, cognitive, and physical responsesnightmares, increased startle reflexes, depression, extreme irritability, and even times of rage. Although these issues affect separate parts of the brain, they cannot be treated separately. When the brain is exposed to consistent trauma , the brain is literally rewired in such a way that it locked into the thoughts, fears, guilt, and emotions of those traumatic experiences long after the fighting is done.
The same hyper-vigilant mental state that raises a soldiers awareness and abilities during combat is the same mental state that can destroy him after returning home. These intertwining paths of traumatic experiences and emotional injuries add a level of complexity to the therapeutic process that is not present in many other psychological issues. When faced with the combination of cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms , the opportunity for recovery is at its highest when all three of these modalities can be experienced together during the therapeutic process. This is why the action-based and experiential approach of equine assisted therapy is proving so effective at treating post-traumatic stress disorders.
More To Gain From Equestrian Therapy
Trusting an animal such as a horse begins a process of restoring a clients trust in their world around them. For example, PTSD victims who once trusted people or a specific person may have been violated. Consequently, causing severe trust issues. Equine assisted therapy guides someone through such traumatic experiences in order to find security in trusting people again. Another benefit from Equestrian therapy is gaining new healthy perspectives. Overall, through taking care of their horse, through cleaning and feeding, clients are in the moment. Ultimately, theyre able to take focus off their mental illness and focuse on caring for an animal theyve bonded with. Imagine the relief from lost in a mindset of depressive ruminating. But, instead devoting attention and interests toward interacting with their horse. Although guided by a specially trained counselor, equestrian therapy undoubtedly is one of the top treatment programs.
In fact, we arent shocked at all to see several studies of human-animal interaction, more common equestrian therapy. Reports indicate that contact with animals quickly lowers anxiety levels. Although, there are PTSD survivors who are initially afraid of horses. That actually relates to most people in general. But Equine assisted therapy horses unique personalities and affection alleviate these fears. Influencing clients to embrace exposure therapy regarding their anxiety issues.
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Equine Therapy For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
by Mended Hearts | Jun 20, 2018 | Uncategorized |
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that Post Traumatic Stress afflicts as many as one-quarter of the troops returning from the Middle East, or about 300,000 men and women. The growing field of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is showing great promise in treating veterans and their families who suffer from the nightmares, anxiety, depression, anger, irritability and other debilitating effects of this invisible, yet very real disability.
Preliminary Studies Validate EAP for PTSDEquine Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD has gathered the attention of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, who has provided grants for practitioners to run equine assisted therapy groups with returning troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. Preliminary results are favorable, suggesting statistically significant rates of change.
The Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association also evaluated treatment of members of the Georgia National Guard where deployments averaged two years or more. The study revealed that 100 percent of soldiers who completed therapy had dramatically reduced stress levels.
Animal-assisted therapy has shown evidenced-based efficacy in patients including war veterans with PTSD, depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorders, dissociative disorders, and other chronic mental illnesses.