Horses used in therapeutic riding programs provide genuine benefits to human riders but their own welfare requires careful monitoring and protection.
Therapeutic riding horses are selected for exceptional temperament and tolerance, but this tolerance can mask welfare problems if monitoring is inadequate. Horses who comply with difficult handling situations may be suppressing stress responses rather than experiencing equanimity. The welfare of therapy horses depends on rigorous ongoing behavioral monitoring, limits on daily and weekly client sessions, access to equine social contact, and retirement planning when horses show reduced welfare indicators. Human therapeutic benefit must never be pursued at the cost of the horse providing it.