How equine assisted therapy programs can benefit both human participants and horse welfare when designed with horse wellbeing as a priority.
The welfare of horses used in therapy programs is often overlooked in the enthusiasm for documented human benefits. Therapy horses are typically gentle, highly tolerant animals that may suppress or mask stress responses, making their distress invisible to untrained observers. Programs that do not monitor horse welfare systematically risk exploiting the animals whose labor makes the therapy possible. The most ethically sound EAT programs incorporate horse welfare monitoring as a core component - treating horse wellbeing not as a secondary consideration but as foundational to program integrity. Programs where horses show consistent behavioral stress indicators should be reformed or closed.