Equine Therapy Horse Welfare: Standards for Therapeutic Riding Programs

Ensuring that horses used in therapeutic riding and equine-assisted activities are protected by robust welfare standards and monitoring.

Key Facts

Equine-assisted therapy programs use horses to support people with physical and psychological challenges
Therapy horses work with many different clients, some of whom may handle animals unpredictably
The welfare needs of therapy horses are often secondary to the perceived benefits for human participants
Signs of stress in therapy horses include high cortisol, stereotypies, and behavioral resistance
Best practice programs limit working hours, provide adequate recovery time, and monitor horse welfare closely
Horses have the right to refuse interaction - programs that override this compromise welfare and safety

Welfare Considerations

Horses in therapeutic programs provide significant human benefit but face distinctive welfare challenges. Working with clients who may have unpredictable movements, make startling sounds, or have limited body awareness creates stress that accumulates across sessions. Therapy horses often cannot freely express discomfort or move away from aversive interactions. Best-practice programs recognize horses as active participants rather than therapeutic tools, allow horses to indicate unwillingness, monitor behavioral indicators of welfare, and ensure adequate rest and recovery. The ethical foundation of therapeutic programs should include genuine respect for the welfare of the horses that make therapy possible.

What You Can Do

Choose therapeutic riding programs that demonstrate strong horse welfare standards
Advocate for mandatory welfare monitoring and working hour limits in equine therapy programs
Support organizations developing evidence-based welfare standards for therapy horses
Ask programs how they monitor and respond to signs of stress in their therapy horses