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Mental disorders are a prevalent health issue that has an extensive amount of variability in the quantity of disorders, affected populations, and treatment. There are a multitude of approaches or therapeutic methods used by the mental health community. Although each therapy is valuable in unique ways, each therapy may not be suitable to treat every disorder or client. Traditional approaches, such as talk therapy, are effective for certain individuals, whereas some clients may not respond well to any of the traditional talk therapies. When traditional therapies are not working, a referral can be made for a therapy that might suit the client better. Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an experiential psychotherapy that has done well not only in assisting typical clients, but also with clients that have had trouble in traditional modes of therapy. This is a collaboration of current works and research in EAP, along with the knowledge base of a current licensed practitioner of EAP. The purpose is to lay out the fundamentals of EAP, which offers a different modality than traditional talk therapies. By crafting a better picture of EAP, perhaps it can kindle further research in its efficacy and guide additional mental health professionals towards this type of therapy.

Therapeutic horseback riding can be recommended as a useful health promotion intervention for individuals with disabilities who face challenges to optimal health and wellness. This qualitative study examined the perceived benefits of a therapeutic riding program for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with particular focus on aspects that can potentially help maximize the physical, emotional, and social health of this population. This study utilized multiple methods to gain an in-depth perspective on the benefits of a therapeutic riding program based at Central Kentucky Riding for Hope in Lexington, Kentucky, for subjects presenting primarily with ASD. Focus groups were held with five instructors and five class volunteers, and semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with two staff members and the parents and family members of 15 children diagnosed with ASD who were currently enrolled a riding session. Client records containing medical history, lesson plans and client evaluations were also reviewed. Thematic analysis of the data supported perceived gains in the areas of physical, cognitive, psychological, and social development and also highlighted additional support mechanisms for family members of the clients. Some of the most common benefits reported included increased physicality, improved focus and attention, modification of inappropriate behaviors, enhanced self-concept, and increased social interaction and communication. Major factors believed to affect the success of this intervention were the unique movement and sensory stimulation of the horse, the supportive environment of the facility, and the increased motivation for the children to participate and complete the structured activities and exercises required in the riding class setting. Results of this study encourage the utilization of therapeutic riding as an effective health promotion intervention for individuals with ASD. Recommendations for future research efforts include analysis of the effects of deep sensory pressure and the movement provided by the horse on the emotional regulation and cognitive processing of children with ASD. Study designs isolating the variable of the horse’s presence could further clarify the nature of the animal’s role in similar interventions. Quantitative studies with larger samples measuring specific cognitive, psychological, and social variables not previously studied but revealed in this data are also encouraged.

Therapeutic horseback riding is one of the most popular and the most used form of animal based therapy. The term "therapeutic horseback riding" itself is very broad and it consists of four basic branches. The most used, yet least described, is the branch that has been called "pedagogical-psychological horseback riding therapy" since 2011. This branch is further divided into two sub-branches, Equine assisted psychotherapy and Horse-based activities. These two sub-branches overlap each other and are usually conducted together. With school-age children they are mostly used in cases of behavioral disorders and ADHD. The goal of the thesis is to evaluate the effectiveness of the methods with children diagnosed as such. The research was realized in "Stredisko hyporehabilitace Pirueta" which operates within the Mental Hospital in Havlickuv Brod. The method of the research was observation of five subjects within the one complete therapy unit. At the beginning and at the end of the unit the tutors of the subjects were given observational scale, which served as supplementary technique for diagnostics. Data obtained from own observation and the data gained from observational scaled matched each other approximately in 90%. During the therapy unit all the subjects improved in areas of self-confidence, self-...

Denna studie har genomförts i syfte att öka kunskapen om psykosocial utvevckling hos barn med autismdiagnos i relation till aktiviteter med hästar. Studien är kvalitativ, baserad på fem intervjuer av föräldrar och det ingår fältobservationer. Intervjuerna har bearbetats enligt induktiv tematisk analys och redovisas under tre teman relaterade till barnens samspel med sin omvärld. Resultatet visar att aktiviteten med hästar inverkar positivt  på barnens vilja och förmåga att samspela och kommunicera med omvärlden. Färdigheterna visar sig i samspel med barn såväl som med vuxna, både inom familjen och i andra sammanhang. Studiens resultat visar överensstämmelse med tidigare forskning, samt att aktivitetens mångfassetterade innehåll och effekter synliggörs. Resultat som överraskar är erfarenheter av barnens annorlunda relation och kommunikation med hästar, samt iakttagelser av ridningens omedelbara effekter på barnen. Forskning föreslås ur ett familjeperspektiv där barnets röst lyfts fram, samt fortsatt forskning på ridningens fysiologiska effekter i relation till socialt interagerande. / This study has been conducted in order to increase knowledge about psychosocial development in children with autism diagnosis in relationship to activities with horses. The study is qualitative, based on five interviews with parents and includes field observations. The interviews have been processed according to inductive thematic analysis and are reported under three themes related to the childrens interaction with their environment. The result shows that the activity with horses has positive impact on the children's desire and ability to interact and communicate with the outside world. The skills manifests in interaction with children as well as with adults, both within the family and in other settings. The result of the study indicates conformity with previous research, and the event's multi-facetted content and effects are made visible. Surprising results are experiences of the children's different relationship and communication with horses, and observations of the immediate impact on the children when riding. Research from a family perspective highligtening the voice of the child is proposed, as well as further research on physiological effects of horseback riding in reltionship to social interacting.

Youth who have experienced maltreatment (abuse, neglect, exposure to violence) typically exhibit worse life outcomes (lower graduation rates, higher incident of substance use, unplanned pregnancies, etc.). Effective therapeutic interventions are important to combat these negative effects. Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) is a popular and growing field. Anecdotal evidence abounds on the efficacy of AAI, however, there is a lack of quantitative and qualitative research and evidence-backed models of treatment particularly with youth. This study sought to increase the amount of quantitative evidence on AAI by specifically focusing on evaluating the Power Tools for Living Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) model with youth who have experienced maltreatment. This study analyzed secondary data collected from Special Spirit Inc., an equine therapy center. Three groups of youth placed in out-of-home care at residential treatment facilities in Los Angeles County participated in the Power Tools for Living EAP program. Prior to and after the intervention the youth’s guardian or clinician filled out a Youth Outcomes Questionnaire (YOQ). This data was analyzed but no statistical significant associations were yielded from the analysis. Analysis of the data does provide suggestions for further study that may potentially establish the Power Tools for Living EAP model as an effective intervention for youth who have experienced maltreatment, particularly younger participants and those with higher YOQ scores prior to treatment.

Modeled after Doherty & Simmons’ (1996) study on the practice patterns of marriage and family therapists, this project explored similar questions about equine assisted/facilitated psychotherapists who are members of two main certification organizations, EAGALA and PATH Intl. An Internet survey distributed to equine assisted/facilitated practitioners across the country explored demographic information of the clinician, their clients, and their typical work setting. Equine assisted/facilitated psychotherapy is a growing field and gaining an understanding of the current position of the field allows for growth in areas that are currently underdeveloped within this sector of the mental health field.

Posttrauamtic stress disorder can be devastating to those affected by it. Many times it can limit the affected person in his/her daily routins. Equine asssited therapy is an up rising treatment but still there are not enough evidence based research or studies that can confirm its efficacy. There are a lot of different programs with Equine therapy for people with PTSD in the US but it is also used as treatment for other forms of mental illness. The purpose of this litterature study was to obtain knowledge about how efficient Equine therapy as a treatment is for people with PTSD and PTSD related symptoms as a treatment and anxiety. The method to this study is a litterature study that I based on 9 articles. The result showed that Equine therapy may be efficient for peopple with PTSD although some studies were not able to connect scientifically the evidence that the equine therapy in itself was the reason for deacrasing symptoms in PTSD. The conclusion is that after looking in to the studys is that we need more research in the area.

Girl youth, especially those residing in resource-constrained communities such as Diepsloot, constitute a vulnerable population group because of the daily risks they face (Watts & Zimmerman, 2002). Researchers report that chronic exposure to risks can have a negative impact on girl youth’s ability to cope and adjust (Hawke, 2000). However, interventions focused on addressing risk draw on western paradigms of resilience, not accounting for cultural aspects of resilience. Therefore, understanding how girls in Diepsloot conceptualise risk and resilience is an important step in fostering resilience among girl youth. In the present study, I draw on an ecologically-oriented systemic approach to explore how girl youth from Diepsloot make meaning of risk and resilience during an equine assisted intervention called the Growing Great Girls program. Equine assisted interventions, in particular equine assisted interventions that follow an Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association model approach, has been found beneficial in promoting resilience among youth (Boyce, 2016). In the present study, equine assisted interventions played an important role in the process of gaining an understanding of risk and resilience from the perspectives of girl youth from Diepsloot. Using a qualitative exploratory case study design, I collected data from eight girl youth from Dieplsoot who attended the Growing Great Girls program over a period of eight weeks. From open-ended focus group interviews, photovoice, journal entries and observations as data sources, I used inductive thematic analysis to interrogate how girl youth make meaning of the risks they face to discover the source and nature of their resilience. Three themes emerged as the research results and included theme 1- individual psychosocial characteristics and family climate, theme 2- community related social issues and theme 3- broader societal issues. The findings of the present study contribute towards a broader understanding of risk and resilience that is ecologically relevant to the lives of girl youth from the Diepsloot community. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

Hambert, M. Degree project in social work. Malmö University: Faculty of health and society, Department of social work, 2014.Equine assisted therapy is for many a yet unknown form of rehabilitation. In the current situation there is a lack of documented research on horses' involvement in rehabilitation and social work. Studies show that animals, and especially horses, can have a positive impact on human well-being, both physically and mentally. The focus of this study is to investigate whether equine assisted therapy can be used as a health-promotion rehabilitation method for people suffering from anxiety-related disorders such as depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, eating disorders and anxiety. My aim with this study was to investigate whether rehabilitation method with horses could result in improved mental health. I used semi-structured interviews of certificated therapists who work with equine assisted therapy. I also made a minor literature study to find out what previous research said on the subject. The results of this studies show, among other things, that horses with theirsspecific properties are suitable for use in rehabilitation. Horses can bring calm and harmony to the rehabilitation; show the reflection of a person's inner thoughts and emotions, promote social relationships as well as increase self-confidence etc. The study's results imply that equine assisted therapy is a well-functioning rehabilitation project for people affected by mental illness caused by anxiety-related disorders.