“There’s no blueprint for this kind of loss”: Resilience following the death of an equine in an equine-assisted services program.

The research article investigates the impact of the death of a horse on the practitioners of equine-assisted services (EAS), and how they exhibit resilience in dealing with this loss. The study uses data from an online survey and offers practical suggestions to help practitioners and similar animal-assisted service organizations.

Objective of the Study

• The primary objective of the study was to understand the resilience processes that practitioners of equine-assisted services (EAS) experience following the death of a horse in their program.
• The research aimed to explore how individuals engage in resilience processes in the specific context of equine death.

Method of the Study

• The study used secondary qualitative data culled from an online survey completed by 84 individuals involved in EAS programs.
• Through analyzing this data, the researchers aimed to gain insight into the resilience processes initiated by these individuals in response to the death of a service equine.

Research Findings

• The analysis revealed that all practitioners were shown to have engaged in all five communicative resilience processes after the demise of an equine in their program.
• This indicates that the loss of an equine was significant to them and required a resilient response to bounce back from the disruption.

Practical Implications

• The study extends the present understandings of resilience research by focusing on the response to a distinct type of loss, that of a service equine.
• This research highlights the importance of resilience processes during times of loss and provides a practical framework that practitioners can follow after the death of an equine.
• Practitioners can apply these resilience processes in their programs to foster resilience in themselves and their communities.

Future Perspectives and Recommendations

• The researchers suggest that similar studies could be undertaken to evaluate resilience processes in the context of other animal assisted services organizations.
• They also provide the opportunity to investigate resilience following companion animal death, extending the study’s implications beyond service animals to pets.