In the same way many people own pets like dogs and cats for comfort, animals are a type of treatment for people. Animal contact has been linked to reducing stress.
Like dogs and cats, horses are also therapeutic for humans. This type of therapy called horse therapy or Equine-Assisted Therapy
Officially known Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT), and in Europe known as Animal Therapy is a popular form of therapy. In place like Switzerland and Germany, it is covered by health insurance.
Contact with horses through riding, grooming and feeding improves the cognitive and motor skills of people with heart problems and physical disabilities. It is also used as a form of accelerated rehabilitation for delinquents and recluses into society. A mixture of medical treatment, education and sports, horse therapy has also been steadily growing in Japan in recent years.
In horse therapy, the instructor is right beside the patient leading the horse, so horse-riding experience is not essential and not dependent on the function of the motor nerves.
Therapy horses are properly trained and are very docile, so people with physical disabilities can also easily engage in horse therapy.
