Equine therapy approaches explained

Here is a summary of the equine assisted learning and therapy approaches – our approach may overlap, but doesn’t fit into any of them (see #9). Most likely, each practitioner’s offering has overlaps also.  This summary is meant to be a guide when choosing a type of equine assisted learning and therapy approach.

1. Activity-Based / Experiential Learning Approaches

Primary mechanism: Learning through doing.
Participants engage in structured activities with horses and then reflect on the experience.
Examples:

  • Team-building programs
  • Leadership development
  • Corporate training
  • Youth development programs
  • Ground-based obstacle exercises

Typical questions:

  • What happened?
  • How did you solve the problem?
  • What leadership style emerged?
  • What did the horse teach you about communication?

The horse functions primarily as a learning partner or feedback system.

2. Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches

Primary mechanism: Changing thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours.
Traditional therapeutic models are applied in an equine setting.

Examples:

  • CBT with horses
  • Solution-focused approaches
  • Strengths-based interventions
  • Skills training programs

Typical focus:

  • Emotional regulation
  • Communication skills
  • Problem solving
  • Behaviour change

The horse becomes a vehicle through which cognitive and behavioural principles are taught or practised.

3. Psychotherapy-Based Approaches

Primary mechanism: Traditional psychotherapy occurring in the presence of horses.

Examples:

  • Psychodynamic psychotherapy
  • Gestalt therapy
  • Narrative therapy
  • Family systems therapy
  • Humanistic counselling

Typical focus:

  • Relationships
  • Attachment patterns
  • Emotional expression
  • Personal history

The horse may be incorporated symbolically or relationally, but the psychotherapy model remains the primary intervention.

4. Mental Health / Clinical Treatment Models

Primary mechanism: Treatment of psychological symptoms or diagnoses.

Examples:

  • Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP)
  • Trauma treatment programs
  • Addiction recovery programs
  • PTSD programs
  • Depression and anxiety interventions

Typical focus:

  • Symptom reduction
  • Improved functioning
  • Emotional regulation
  • Mental health outcomes

The horse is incorporated into a treatment plan designed around clinical goals.

5. Relationship-Based Approaches

Primary mechanism: Corrective relational experiences.
These approaches focus less on activities and more on the quality of connection between human and horse.

Examples:

  • Attachment-focused models
  • Relational equine work
  • Some trauma-informed equine programs

Typical focus:

  • Trust
  • Boundaries
  • Authenticity
  • Co-regulation
  • Connection

The relationship itself becomes the intervention.

6. Somatic and Nervous-System-Based Approaches

Primary mechanism: Direct work with physiological states and nervous system responses.

Examples:

  • Somatic Experiencing-informed equine work
  • Sensorimotor-informed approaches
  • Polyvagal-informed approaches
  • Body-based trauma interventions

Typical focus:

  • Tracking sensation
  • Nervous system regulation
  • Survival responses
  • Embodiment

The horse is often viewed as a regulator, co-regulator, or facilitator of nervous system safety.

7. Nature-Based / Ecopsychology Approaches

Primary mechanism: Healing through participation in a larger living system.

Examples:

  • Ecotherapy
  • Nature-based counselling
  • Herd observation programs
  • Mindfulness in nature with horses

Typical focus:

  • Belonging
  • Connection to nature
  • Presence
  • Meaning
  • Ecological relationships

The horse is part of a broader ecological context rather than the sole therapeutic agent.

8. Spiritual and Personal Growth Approaches

Primary mechanism: Transformation of meaning, identity, or consciousness.

Examples:

  • Spiritual retreats
  • Personal development programs
  • Horse-guided coaching
  • Shamanic horse work

Typical focus:

  • Purpose
  • Authentic self
  • Personal transformation
  • Spiritual growth

The horse is often viewed as a teacher, guide, or facilitator of insight.

9.  Trauma Resolution (via BCM)

Our work overlaps with:

  • Relationship-based approaches
  • Somatic approaches
  • Nature-based approaches

However the Biological Completion Model (BCM) introduces a fundamentally different organising principle where the intervention is trauma resolution.

In most equine approaches, the horse is used to teach, reflect, regulate, mirror, coach, facilitate insight, or create relational experiences.  While this may happen organically, in our work, the horses, practitioner, environment, and client together form a living system that supports completion of a biological response that keeps people trapped in trauma.