Horse-assisted interventions

Abstract

Starting from Florence Nightingale’s observations on the therapeutic value of companion animals, this work presents horse-assisted therapy (HAT) or equine therapy as a complementary intervention to conventional rehabilitation in mental health. HAT is conceptualized as a technique aimed at specific objectives of prevention, rehabilitation and maintenance of health, based on the relationship that the person establishes with the animal in a natural, playful and non-stigmatizing environment. The author describes the fundamental role of nursing in this discipline and details the areas on which equine therapy can have an effect: motor, psychosocial, educational-cognitive and communication skills, with effects such as the improvement of muscle tone and balance, the reduction of anxiety, the increase of self-esteem and social interaction. It is concluded that HAT constitutes an adjuvant treatment with unique benefits that offers a new normalizing environment for psychiatric patients.