Equine-assisted therapy (EAT) offers documented benefits for human mental health but raises important questions about the welfare of the horses involved.
The welfare of therapy horses is not automatically guaranteed by their therapeutic role. Horses engaged in EAT may encounter unpredictable behaviour, sensory challenges, and high volumes of unfamiliar people. Without proper management, chronic low-grade stress can accumulate. Responsible programmes monitor for stress indicators - ear position, eye whites, tight lips, tail swishing - and allow horses to disengage. Horses should have access to conspecifics, adequate turnout, and recovery time. Ethically run EAT can benefit both humans and horses, but poor regulation creates welfare risks.