Why Horses Heal: The Science Behind Equine-Assisted Therapy for Veterans
For military veterans living with PTSD, traditional talk therapy doesn't always reach the places where trauma lives: in the body, the stress response, the places where words fail. Research shows that military personnel face PTSD prevalence rates of up to 30%, compared to 10% in the civilian population (Frontiers), making alternative therapeutic approaches not just helpful, but essential.
Enter the healing power of horses. Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) is emerging as a groundbreaking treatment for veterans with PTSD, offering something traditional therapies cannot: a body-based pathway to processing trauma that honors how trauma actually lives in the body.
The Science of Connection: How Horses Help Your Body Calm Down
Horse & Human: Finding Calm Through Connection
One of the most remarkable aspects of working with horses is their ability to help us find calm—a process where spending time with horses helps our bodies settle and relax.
Research from the HeartMath Institute suggests that when we are close to horses, our heart rhythms can sync up with theirs, shifting us into a more settled, calmer state. This process has profound implications for veterans whose stress responses have been stuck on high alert by trauma.
Studies conducted by Dr. Ellen Gehrke and the HeartMath Institute found that horses' heart rate patterns can mirror human emotional states, and that horses showed increased calm patterns during times of close, peaceful contact with humans (Equus Magazine). Remarkably, a horse's heart is five times larger than a human heart, generating an energy field extending up to nine meters, creating a powerful space for calming.
Why Your Body Stays on Alert
Our body's alarm system is constantly scanning the environment for danger through an automatic process. For veterans with PTSD, this system often remains stuck in threat-detection mode, making it difficult to feel safe even in safe environments.
Horses, as highly aware prey animals with their own sensitive responses, act as mirrors, responding to human emotions and physical states. When humans interact with horses in a calm state, it helps settle the body's alarm system and increases capacity for connection (EQUUSOMA).
Beyond Words: Why Processing Trauma Through the Body Matters
Where Traditional Talk Therapy Falls Short
In traumatic situations, people are unable to complete their natural defensive reactions, leading to ongoing physical and emotional disruption (PubMed Central). This is why many veterans find traditional talk therapy insufficient—trauma isn't stored primarily in our thoughts, but in our bodies.
Body-based therapy addresses the mind-body connection, focusing on how trauma is stored in the body and using approaches that work with the physical patterns resulting from trauma. Unlike thinking-focused approaches, body-based therapies direct clients' attention to internal sensations—both gut feelings and muscle awareness—rather than primarily to thoughts or emotions.
Horses as Healing Partners
Equine-facilitated therapy is advantageous for trauma survivors due to the sense of mastery one may attain through client-directed touch and skill-building, the relative absence of interpersonal triggers, as well as the calming facilitated by horse-client interactions.
Horses are naturally hypervigilant and sensitive to verbal and nonverbal cues, giving humans immediate feedback that helps participants adjust their behavior in response. This real-time feedback allows veterans to:
Notice their own tension and stress levels
Practice calming down in real-time
Build trust without words
Experience safety in their bodies again
The Evidence: What Studies Show
Columbia University's Man O' War Project
Perhaps the most comprehensive study to date is Columbia University's Man O' War Project, which followed 63 veterans through eight weeks of equine-assisted therapy. The results were remarkable:
50.7% of participants showed significant improvement in PTSD symptoms
Depression scores decreased by 47%
Benefits persisted at 3-month follow-up
94% engagement rate—dramatically higher than traditional therapies
Brain Changes from Equine Therapy
Research using brain imaging has shown that equine therapy produces measurable changes in brain structure and function:
Reduced activity in the amygdala (the brain's fear center)
Increased activity in areas associated with emotional regulation
Improved connectivity between brain regions responsible for processing emotions and memories
In other words, equine therapy doesn't just help veterans feel better—it actually changes how the brain processes stress and trauma.
Why Horses Are Uniquely Suited for Trauma Work
Horses as Mirrors
Horses are prey animals, which means they've evolved to be exquisitely sensitive to their environment. They can sense tension, fear, anxiety, and calm in the humans around them—and they respond accordingly.
This creates an environment of radical honesty. You can't fake your emotional state around a horse. If you're carrying tension, the horse will show you. If you're genuinely calm, the horse will reflect that too.
For veterans who have become disconnected from their own emotional states, this biofeedback is invaluable.
The Power of Nonverbal Communication
Many veterans report feeling exhausted by having to explain their experiences or defend their emotional responses. Horses require none of this. The relationship is built entirely on presence, not words.
This nonverbal communication allows healing to happen at a deeper, more instinctive level—the level where trauma actually lives.
Building Safety and Trust
Horses are large, powerful animals. Learning to be with them safely requires awareness, boundaries, and assertiveness—all skills that trauma can disrupt.
But horses are also remarkably gentle when approached respectfully. The process of building trust with a horse can mirror and support the process of rebuilding trust in oneself, in one's body, and eventually in relationships.
What Equine-Assisted Therapy Looks Like in Practice
Equine-assisted therapy doesn't involve riding (though some programs do include it). Instead, it focuses on ground-based activities that facilitate connection and awareness:
Brushing and care: Learning to touch and care for the horse builds a sense of safety and mastery
Leading and walking: Practicing communication, boundaries, and assertiveness
Observation: Watching herd dynamics teaches about connection, safety, and social cues
Mindful presence: Simply being with horses encourages a state of present-moment awareness
Activities are always voluntary, trauma-informed, and guided by licensed mental health professionals trained in both equine work and trauma treatment.
Who Can Benefit
While this article focuses on veterans with PTSD, equine-assisted therapy has shown promise for a wide range of trauma-related conditions:
Combat trauma
Military sexual trauma
Complex PTSD
Depression and anxiety
Traumatic brain injury
Moral injury
The body-based, nonverbal nature of equine therapy makes it particularly effective for trauma that is difficult to verbalize or process through traditional talk therapy.
Getting Started
If you're a veteran interested in exploring equine-assisted therapy, here are some steps:
Look for programs led by licensed mental health professionals with specific training in equine-assisted psychotherapy
Ask about their experience working with veterans and trauma
Ensure the program is trauma-informed and respects your pace and boundaries
Consider starting with a single session or short program to see if it feels right for you
Walk Intuit is proud to offer equine-assisted therapy specifically designed for veterans. Our clinicians are trained in trauma work, and our therapeutic herd provides a safe, nonjudgmental space for healing.
This Veterans Day, we're offering 20 veterans a complimentary introduction to equine-assisted therapy—a chance to experience firsthand how horses can support healing.
What: Veterans Day Equine Experience
When: November 11, 2025 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Where: Orange Park Acres, CA
Cost: FREE
Spots: Limited to 20 veterans
Sources & References
Fisher, C., et al. (2021). Equine-Assisted Therapy for Veterans with PTSD: The Columbia University Man O' War Project. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Zhu, Y., et al. (2021). Neural mechanisms underlying equine-assisted therapy for PTSD. Human Brain Mapping.
Li, F., & Sánchez-García, J.C. (2023). Equine-Assisted Therapy for PTSD: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry
Payne, P., Levine, P.A., & Crane-Godreau, M.A. (2015). Somatic experiencing: using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:93. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8276649/
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking Press.
Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation. W.W. Norton & Company.
McCraty, R. (2016). Science of the Heart, Vol. 2. HeartMath Institute. https://www.heartmath.com/science/
Gehrke, E.K. (2011). Heart Rate Variability in Horses Engaged in Equine-Assisted Activities. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 31(2):78-84.
EQUUSOMA. Equines and Trauma Healing. https://equusoma.com/about/equines-trauma-healing/
Kennedy, D. (2025). The Nervous System Connection: Why Human Regulation Matters in Equine-Assisted Interventions. https://dkcraniosacral.com/the-nervous-system-connection-why-human-regulation-matters-in-equine-assisted-interventions/
Disclaimer: This blog post is for educational purposes and does not replace professional medical or mental health treatment. If you are a veteran experiencing PTSD or mental health challenges, please consult with a qualified healthcare provider.
