Equine-assisted therapy programs provide significant benefits to humans with physical and psychological conditions. Ensuring the welfare of the horses involved is essential for ethical program design.
Equine therapy horse welfare requires the same rigor that is applied to human participant benefit. Horses used in therapy programs may be exposed to intensive interaction schedules, unusual handling from people with limited horse experience, unpredictable movements from individuals with mobility differences, and sensory stimuli they cannot habituate to. Research confirms that therapy horses show physiological stress markers during high-demand days. Welfare-ethical EAAT programs implement individual horse behavioral monitoring, maximum session numbers per week, mandatory rest days, rotation of horses through therapy roles, and clear protocols for removing horses who show persistent welfare concerns. The human benefit of EAAT is real — so is the welfare obligation to the horses providing it.