Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF) was founded in 2004 to invest in rigorous research to advance global knowledge of horse-human interactions and their impact on health and wellness. In 2019 they chose to grant $50,000 to the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island.
Laurie McDuffee, DVM, PhD, DACVS will lead the research into psychophysiological effects of Equine-Assisted Therapy on horses and in veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Project leads include senior faculty members with extensive experience in veterinary medicine and human health, respectively. Collaborators include a registered psychologist with expertise in the clinical treatment of trauma, and PTSD; a clinician with expertise in veterans with PTSD; and a researcher who specializes in microbiology and biotechnology.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a serious mental health problem that is triggered by seeing or living through a terrifying event. Although PTSD can happen to anyone, many military veterans return from war with symptoms that significantly impact their lives. Veterans with PTSD are limited in their options for overcoming symptoms and are increasingly turning to non-traditional treatment methods. Animals, such as horses, provide an important companionship that can help veterans recover; however, the effectiveness and impact of this relationship on both veterans and horses has not been well established.
Building on previous research, this study will explore the impact of an 8-week therapy program that uses horses to alleviate stress in veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Researchers will collect data from humans and horses that measure stress using both physical (i.e. cortisol, oxytocin, heart rate data, and standardized assessment) and standardized psychological tests.
Together these measures will enable the researchers to better understand how the horse-assisted therapy program influences the recovery of veterans diagnosed with PTSD and related mental health symptoms (i.e. anxiety and depression). Sixteen veterans recruited through Veterans Affairs Canada will receive 8-weeks of therapy (once per week) consisting of grooming and leading a horse under the direction of a registered psychologist.
Self-reported information about PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression will be assessed at the start of the program, after week 4 of the program, at the end of the program, and two months following the program.
Saliva and blood samples will be taken from veterans and horses during each session. Data analysis will compare data collected at each point in the therapy program. This study will be unique in that data will be collected from humans and horses at the same time to better understand the human-horse relationship during therapy.
HHRF, with headquarters in Ohio, awarded its first annual grant in 2006 to a promising project led by a team from the University of St. Louis. Since then it has supplied research funds for projects in a number of US states, Germany and Canada, including Université de Sherbrooke (QC) and University of Guelph (ON).
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