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The following is a summary of “Impact of equine interactions on human acute pain perception: Two cross sectional studies,” published in the November 2024 issue of Pain by Doherty-Sneddon et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to assess the effectiveness of horse interactions in reducing acute pain perception in humans.  

They assigned 70 adults to 3 groups in Study 1: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP), Horse Interaction without EAP (HI), and a Control group (no horses present). Individuals were engaged in an activity (finding a horse treat) within a large, enclosed arena. The dependent variable was the subjective pain rating (scale of 0-10) before and after the activity, which induced moderate ischemic pain using a blood pressure cuff. In Study 2, 53 adults were assigned to an Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) group or a Control group. The same paradigm was followed, and qualitative data was accumulated after the activity sessions, gathering participants’ insights and feelings. The hypothesis was that interaction with horses would significantly reduce pain perception.  

The results showed significant reductions in pain ratings from pre-activity to post-activity in the EAL, EAP, and HI groups, with large and medium effect sizes with no significant changes observed in the control group. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed overwhelmingly positive responses from participants interacting with the horses, including feelings of relaxation and happiness during the activity.  

Investigators concluded the interactions with horses could effectively reduce acute pain perception, through mechanisms such as distraction, physiological changes, and the induction of positive emotions. 

Source: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20494637241302391