Therapeutic riding and equine-assisted therapy programs benefit human participants but can create welfare challenges for the horses involved if not carefully managed.
Therapeutic riding horses give enormously to human wellbeing, and this gift deserves to be honored with genuine welfare attention. Horses working with clients who have physical or movement impairments experience different biomechanical loads than able-bodied riders. The unpredictability of some client interactions causes anxiety in horses not prepared or temperamentally suited to this work. Programs that genuinely prioritize horse welfare — monitoring behavioral cues, limiting work hours, providing choice and agency where possible — produce better outcomes for both horses and clients.