Effects Of Equine-Assisted Therapy On Depression And Anxiety

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the effects that equine-assisted therapy in the form of heart-focused breathing can have on the heart rate variability (HRV) and symptoms of individuals suffering from depression and/or anxiety. HRV measurements, questionnaires, experimental questions, and a brief exit interview were used for a sample size of nine subjects. The subjects in the experimental group worked with one of two horses for three sessions that took place over the course of three weeks and had their HRV measurements taken before, during, and after each of these interactions using the Zephyr BioHarness and the HeartMath emWave2 as a backup. Questionnaires for depression, anxiety, and self-esteem were administered before and after the set of three equine-therapy sessions during the first and fifth week of the study. The results demonstrate that, on average, heart-focused breathing in the presence of a horse produced improvements in the HRV and self-reported symptoms of individuals suffering from depression and anxiety.