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Columbia study shows equine therapy significantly reduced PTSD and depressive symptoms three months post-treatment
New research shows equine therapy—a treatment method that uses the connection between people and horses to enhance emotional healing—can jump-start the healing process for veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, was conducted by Drs. Yuval Neria and Prudence Fisher, principal investigators at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The project is the first university-led study to evaluate equine-assisted therapy in treating veterans with PTSD and develop a manual for the protocol to guide others in the field. “Both PTSD patients and horses are preoccupied with ongoing concerns about trust and safety. This innovative therapy facilitates bonding, overcoming fear, and re-establishing confidence,” said Dr. Neria, professor of medical psychology (in psychiatry and epidemiology) and director of Columbia’s PTSD program. “One must build trust with a horse for it to warm to you.”
“Through horse-human interaction, veterans can relearn how to recognize their feelings, regulate emotions, and better communicate, as well as build trust and come to trust themselves again—all valuable tools to help them succeed with family, work, and social relationships,” Dr. Fisher said.
Here at New Freedom Farm our veterans and first responders are working with either wild mustangs or special rescued horses.
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