Researchers found that veterans participating in an equine-assisted therapy program reported a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms and an overall improvement in mental health.
The study, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, monitored six combat veterans over an eight-week horsemanship program.
The veterans were taught basic horse care, including grooming and leading the animals, which required them to focus on the present moment.
According to Andrea Quinn, assistant director of the Center for Psychological Services at Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, this shift in focus plays a key role in alleviating PTSD symptoms.
“Veterans with PTSD often remain stuck in the past, hypervigilant about their surroundings and anticipating potential threats,” Quinn explained. “In this program, they had to stay present, focus on their tasks with the horses, and maintain a calm demeanor. This present-moment focus helped them feel more in control and less overwhelmed by PTSD symptoms.”
The program took place at Special Strides in Monroe Township, New Jersey, where the veterans spent time working with trained professionals and horses.
At the start of the study, participants completed questionnaires and underwent blood tests measuring hormone levels related to stress, such as cortisol and norepinephrine.
Throughout the study, these stress hormones decreased, while positive interactions with their horses increased.
Veterans involved in the study reported that by the third week of the program, they experienced fewer PTSD symptoms and developed a bond with the horses.
This bond helped establish a co-regulation effect, where the body rhythms of both the veterans and the horses synchronized.
Lead researcher Ellen Rankins pointed out that this early evidence of co-regulation suggests a deeper connection between the veterans and the animals, offering a potential breakthrough in PTSD treatment.
The control group, which consisted of three veterans who did not participate in the horsemanship program, showed no significant improvement in their symptoms.
Stress hormone levels remained high, further highlighting the positive effects of working with horses on the participants in the therapy program.
Quinn also noted the difficulties veterans often face when seeking traditional PTSD treatments. Many drop out of programs such as Prolonged Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy, with dropout rates between 50% and 60%.
Alternative treatments, such as equine-assisted therapy, provide another option for veterans who may struggle with more conventional approaches.
“These findings are vital for informing decisions on treatment policies and funding for veterans with PTSD,” said Rankins. “The more evidence we have supporting alternative therapies like equine-assisted therapy, the more likely they will be available to veterans who need them.”
Interestingly, the horses themselves showed no signs of stress throughout the study, addressing concerns some people have raised regarding animal welfare in therapeutic programs.
Karyn Malinowski, a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers and a co-author of the study, highlighted this point, stating that the horses exhibited no stress indicators compared to those not involved in the sessions.
PTSD remains a significant challenge for veterans, especially those who served in combat.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 29% of veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and 21% from Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq have experienced PTSD.
Deployment increases the likelihood of developing PTSD, and veterans are often more resistant to traditional treatments than civilians.
As more veterans turn to alternative therapies like equine-assisted activities, researchers hope that further studies will confirm the benefits of this unique approach to mental health treatment.