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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2019; 9(12); 1030; doi: 10.3390/ani9121030

Emotional Transfer in Human-Horse Interaction: New Perspectives on Equine Assisted Interventions.

Abstract: Equine assisted interventions (EAIs) include all therapeutic interventions aimed at improving human wellbeing through the involvement of horses. Due to the prominent emotional involvement traditionally characterizing their relation with humans, horses developed sophisticated communicative skills, which fostered their ability to respond to human emotional states. In this review, we hypothesize that the proximate causation of successful interventions could be human-animal mutual coordination, through which the subjects bodily and, most importantly, emotionally come into contact. We propose that detecting emotions of other individuals and developing the capacity to fine-tune one's own emotional states accordingly (emotional transfer mechanism), could represent the key engine triggering the positive effects of EAIs. We provide a comprehensive analysis of horses' socio-emotional competences according to recent literature and we propose a multidisciplinary approach to investigate this inter-specific match. By considering human and horse as a unique coupling system during the interaction, it would be possible to objectively measure the degree of coordination through the analysis of physiological variables of both human and animal. Merging the state of art on human-horse relationship with the application of novel methodologies, could help to improve standardized protocols for animal assisted interventions, with particular regard to the emotional states of subjects involved.
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Publication Date: 2019-11-26 PubMed ID: 31779120PubMed Central: PMC6941042DOI: 10.3390/ani9121030Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

This research review suggests that mutual emotional interaction, or ’emotional transfer’, between humans and horses might be a key driver of the positive effects observed in equine assisted interventions (EAIs). The authors propose a multidisciplinary approach to investigate this concept, considering both horse and human as a unique interacting system, and believe this could help improve standardized protocols for such interventions.

Overview of Equine Assisted Interventions (EAIs)

  • Equine assisted interventions refer to therapeutic processes that aim to improve human wellbeing through interactions with horses.
  • Horses have developed complex communication skills due to their traditional emotional relationships with humans, enabling them to respond effectively to human emotional states.
  • This paper aims to review the role of horses in therapy and propose that successful outcomes may be largely a result of emotional transfer, or mutual coordination, between humans and animals.

The Concept of Emotional Transfer

  • The researchers hypothesize that mutual interactions between the human and horse, where emotional signals and states are shared and acknowledged, might be a key mechanism facilitating the therapeutic benefits of EAIs.
  • Horses’ ability to detect and respond to human emotions could prove instrumental in bringing about these positive effects.

Proposed Multidisciplinary Approach

  • To understand this emotional exchange better, the authors suggest a multidisciplinary approach that sees humans and horses as a single interactive system.
  • This involves examining physiological variables of both human and horse during EAIs, providing an objective measure of their emotional interplay.

Implications for Future Practice

  • The insights gained from this approach could potentially improve existing protocols for animal-assisted interventions, paying particular attention to the emotional states of all involved.
  • By merging the state-of-art knowledge on human-horse relationships with new methodologies, practitioners could optimize the effectiveness of EAIs, with associative benefits for both the human and the horse.

Cite This Article

APA
(2019). Emotional Transfer in Human-Horse Interaction: New Perspectives on Equine Assisted Interventions. Animals (Basel), 9(12), 1030. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9121030

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 12
PII: 1030

Researcher Affiliations

Grant Funding

  • RCIZSVE 15/17 / Ministero della Salute

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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