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Home / Equine Research Bank / Health Soc Care Community / Mental health benefits of mounted equine-assisted therapies:...
Health & social care in the community2022; 30(6); e4920-e4935; doi: 10.1111/hsc.13904

Mental health benefits of mounted equine-assisted therapies: A scoping review.

Abstract: Across mental health professionals, there is growing interest in the field of Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT). Preliminary evidence suggests EAT is beneficial for a wide spectrum of client populations. EAT programs may be based on groundwork alone, where participants interact with the horses from the ground only, or they may incorporate mounted activities. It remains unclear whether mounted activities add therapeutic benefits to the EAT experience for participants. This scoping review explored whether mounted activities, specifically where the client rides the horse, contribute to distinct therapeutic benefits. Nine databases were searched for studies of EAT programs that included horse riding as a central component of the therapeutic intervention and 36 studies were included in the analysis. The results of these studies suggest that mounted activities positively contribute to a variety of issues experienced by different client groups. However, further quality research is needed to carefully examine riding activities as an independent phenomenon, in order to establish what contribution-mounted activities, over and above groundwork, make to any therapeutic benefit of the EAT experience.
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2022-07-10 PubMed ID: 35811394DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13904Google 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.

The research article focuses on exploring if horse riding (mounted activities) within Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) contributes distinct benefits to mental health therapy.

Introduction

  • Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) is increasingly gaining popularity among mental health professionals thanks to its wide range of potential benefits for different client populations.
  • While some EAT programs focus solely on groundwork—that is, interaction with horses while remaining on the ground—others incorporate horse riding or mounted activities.
  • The researchers aim to determine whether these mounted activities provide additional therapeutic benefits beyond those provided by groundwork alone.

Methodology

  • A scoping review was conducted by searching nine different databases for studies that investigated EAT programs where horse riding was a significant element of the therapeutic intervention.
  • The search resulted in the identification of 36 relevant studies, all of which were included in the review for further analysis.

Results

  • The outcome of these studies agrees that mounted activities in EAT can contribute positively to dealing with various issues experienced by different client groups.
  • However, the study also highlights the need for further high-quality research that examines horse riding activities as an independent factor with possible distinct therapeutic effects.

Conclusion

  • The review concluded that it remains unclear whether mounted activities offer additional benefits on top of those provided by groundwork in Equine-Assisted Therapy. This leaves a research gap requiring further investigation.
  • According to the researchers, better understanding the contribution of mounted activities to the therapeutic benefits of EAT could potentially improve the effectiveness and the implementation of EAT programs benefiting different client groups.

Cite This Article

APA
Ward J, Hovey A, Brownlee K. (2022). Mental health benefits of mounted equine-assisted therapies: A scoping review. Health Soc Care Community, 30(6), e4920-e4935. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13904

Publication

Health & social care in the community
ISSN: 1365-2524
NlmUniqueID: 9306359
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 30
Issue: 6
Pages: e4920-e4935

Researcher Affiliations

Ward, Jessica
  • School of Social Work, Lakehead University, Orillia, ON, Canada.
Hovey, Angela
  • School of Social Work, Lakehead University, Orillia, ON, Canada.
Brownlee, Keith
  • School of Social Work, Lakehead University, Orillia, ON, Canada.

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Equine-Assisted Therapy / methods
  • Mental Health

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Brumpton HL, Kargas N. Perceived Benefits and Barriers for Autistic Adults Accessing Therapeutic Horse Riding for Mental Health. Behav Sci (Basel) 2026 Jan 7;16(1).
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