Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple · Gene Beresin, MD, MA and Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD, MPH

Equine Therapy. How Does It Work?

·29 min·2 clips

How a three-foot-tall mini pony named Angel helps people open up about their feelings without direct focus.

This episode explores equine therapy and its applications for mental and physical health. Hosts Gene Boreson and Khadijah Booth-Watkins, child psychiatrists from Massachusetts General Hospital, interview Janice Gilman, Executive Director of the Bina Farm Center. Gilman explains the farm's mission to serve individuals with diverse challenges through equine-assisted programs. Bina Farm offers clinical therapies like equine-facilitated psychotherapy, led by a mental health professional working with a horse on the ground. Their mini pony Angel, standing three feet tall, facilitates conversation through a third-person approach. Hippotherapy involves riding a horse to provide neurological input, with clinicians selecting horses based on gait for treatment plans. Therapeutic or adaptive riding focuses on horsemanship and riding skills, with lessons including a 15-minute calming period with the horse. The farm serves clients with conditions including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, and cerebral palsy, and can work with goals from a child's IEP. Group programs like Equine Assisted Learning involve four to eight participants in team-building activities led by a certified professional. Gilman states that some children with autism speak their first words on horseback due to the sensory stimulation and calming environment. Studies show animal-assisted therapy can reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and lower blood pressure. Horses, as prey animals, are highly attuned to human energy and emotions, which aids in self-reflection and mood regulation. The farm also features a community garden where parents can find respite while their child is in therapy. Gilman recommends the documentary "Buck" for insight into human-horse interactions, while the hosts share favorite animal films like "The Black Stallion" and "My Friend Flicka." The tone is educational and conversational, blending professional explanation with personal anecdotes and light humor. The style is interview-based, with hosts asking clarifying questions to detail specific programs and benefits. This episode would appeal to parents, educators, or clinicians seeking alternative therapeutic options, especially for youth with mental health or developmental challenges. Listeners looking for a deep critique of therapeutic efficacy or those disinterested in animal-assisted interventions might find it less engaging.

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