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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2024; 14(4); 604; doi: 10.3390/ani14040604

A Relaxed Horse-A Relaxed Client? An Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Therapy Horses’ Stress on Clients’ Stress, Mood, and Anxiety.

Abstract: Equine-assisted therapies are becoming increasingly popular for addressing physical and psychological disabilities in clients. The role of the horse's welfare in equine-assisted service receives increasing attention in research. Several studies have shown that horses are able to perceive human emotions and respond to human stress responses. However, no research has yet looked at the other side of the coin-whether and how humans perceive and react to equine stress levels during equine-assisted services. To fill this gap in the research, we employed a within-subjects design, in which horse-naïve participants had a standardized interaction with both an experimentally stressed horse and an experimentally relaxed horse. We assessed physiological indicators of stress (heart rate, heart rate variability, and salivary cortisol) in participants and horses, as well as psychological indicators of stress (state anxiety and positive and negative affect) in participants. Although our stress and relaxation manipulations were successful (indicated by horses' physiological indicators of stress), we did not find any difference in the participants' physiological or psychological indicators of stress between the interaction with a stressed and the interaction with a relaxed horse. Together with results from previous studies, this suggests that humans cannot intuitively recognize the (physiological) stress level of horses, which has important implications for effective communication and bonding between humans and horses and for the safety of equine activities.
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Publication Date: 2024-02-13 PubMed ID: 38396572PubMed Central: PMC10886220DOI: 10.3390/ani14040604Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

  • This study investigated whether people can perceive and react to the stress levels of horses during equine-assisted therapy sessions.
  • Researchers measured both physiological and psychological stress indicators in people interacting with either stressed or relaxed horses.
  • Results showed no difference in human stress responses despite clear stress differences in the horses, suggesting humans may not intuitively detect equine stress.

Introduction and Background

  • Equine-assisted therapies are increasingly used to help individuals with physical and psychological challenges.
  • The welfare and emotional state of therapy horses are gaining research interest, recognizing that horses can sense human emotions.
  • Previous studies have demonstrated horses respond to human stress, but little attention has been given to whether humans perceive or respond to horse stress.
  • This study aims to fill this gap by experimentally testing if humans detect and react to equine stress during standardized interactions.

Methodology

  • A within-subjects design was used, involving horse-naïve participants to avoid prior horse experience bias.
  • Each participant interacted with two horses: one experimentally stressed and one experimentally relaxed.
  • Stress manipulations in horses were validated through physiological measures including heart rate, heart rate variability, and salivary cortisol.
  • Participants’ stress was assessed through physiological indicators (heart rate, heart rate variability, salivary cortisol) and psychological indicators (state anxiety and positive/negative affect questionnaires).

Key Findings

  • Stress and relaxation states in horses were successfully induced and confirmed by their physiological data.
  • No significant differences were found in participants’ physiological stress markers when interacting with stressed versus relaxed horses.
  • Participants’ psychological measures such as anxiety and mood also did not differ based on whether the horse was stressed or relaxed.
  • This suggests participants were unable to detect or respond to the horses’ stress levels during the interaction.

Implications

  • The inability of humans to intuitively recognize physiological stress in horses could affect therapeutic outcomes and human-horse communication.
  • It may limit bonding between clients and therapy horses if human clients cannot perceive the horse’s emotional state.
  • This has safety implications for equine-assisted activities as stress in horses can alter behavior and potentially increase risk.
  • Highlights the importance of educating clients and professionals about interpreting equine stress signals better for improved welfare.
  • Future research could explore training or tools that help humans better recognize equine stress cues during therapy sessions.

Conclusion

  • While horses clearly exhibit detectable physiological stress responses, humans seem unable to perceive these stress signals during therapy interactions.
  • This research points to a critical area for improvement in equine-assisted therapy practices, emphasizing the need for heightened awareness of horse wellbeing by clients and practitioners.

Cite This Article

APA
Müller-Klein A, Braun MN, Ferreira de Sá DS, Michael T, Link-Dorner U, Lass-Hennemann J. (2024). A Relaxed Horse-A Relaxed Client? An Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Therapy Horses’ Stress on Clients’ Stress, Mood, and Anxiety. Animals (Basel), 14(4), 604. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14040604

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
PII: 604

Researcher Affiliations

Müller-Klein, Alicia
  • Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
  • Institut für Tiergestützte Ausbildung und Therapie (ITAT), Eschringerstraße 70, 66131 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Braun, Moritz Nicolai
  • Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Ferreira de Sá, Diana S
  • Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Michael, Tanja
  • Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Link-Dorner, Ulrike
  • Institut für Tiergestützte Ausbildung und Therapie (ITAT), Eschringerstraße 70, 66131 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Lass-Hennemann, Johanna
  • Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Wells A, Hiney KM, Brady CM, Anderson KP. Enhancing equine welfare: a qualitative study on the impact of RAiSE (Recognizing Affective States in Equine) as an educational tool. Transl Anim Sci 2025;9:txaf033.
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