Healing Through Hooves: The Expanding Impact Of Equine-Assisted Mental Health Services
- Lynn Thomas, LCSW
- May 13
- 4 min read
May marks Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States, an observance launched in 1949 by Mental Health America to elevate the importance of emotional wellbeing and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health challenges.
More than 70 years later, this call for awareness is more urgent than ever as mental health crises rise across all ages and professions.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. Depression is now the leading cause of disability worldwide, and suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10–14. Individuals, communities, and funders are urgently seeking effective solutions.
Amid this growing demand, a remarkable transformation is unfolding in the equine industry. Equine-assisted services—programs that incorporate horses to support human well-being—have become the fastest-growing sector of the equine world (American Horse Council 2023 Economic Impact Study).
These services span a wide range of professional scopes:
Therapy provided by licensed practitioners such as psychotherapy, counseling, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and recreational therapy.
Learning in education, personal growth, and organizational development.
Therapeutic and adaptive horsemanship, providing horsemanship and riding activities that foster resilience, confidence, and connection.
The expansion of these services is rooted in a powerful truth: Horses help humans heal.
Mental health and personal growth programs are led by credentialed professionals—licensed therapists, counselors, educators, and coaches—often working in collaboration with skilled equine specialists. Together, they create emotionally safe environments where individuals can explore trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, and life transitions, all supported by the calming, intuitive presence of horses.
Why Horses?
Unlike traditional talk therapy alone, horses offer nonjudgmental presence, immediate feedback, and authentic responses to human emotions. Their natural sensitivity to energy and intention reflects what we may be unconsciously communicating—opening doors to self-awareness, regulation, and deep emotional healing.
Sharing the Stories of Lives Transformed
Across the country, stories abound of how horses are transforming lives. These services, guided by trained professionals, address a wide range of needs: from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress, to eating disorders, addiction, and the everyday life struggles of stress, burnout, divorce, job loss, grief, or academic challenges.
Take the story of Jared, a veteran with PTSD who suffered from debilitating panic attacks, isolation, and depression. Years of traditional therapy and medication offered little relief. It wasn’t until Jared participated in a mental health program incorporating horses that he finally learned how to regulate his panic—with the help of a horse he named Warhorse, who taught him how to breathe again.
Or consider Kathy, who sought healing after an emotionally abusive relationship. During her sessions, the horses repeatedly pawed the ground as if looking for food, despite hay being plentiful.
That behavior mirrored something deep inside her. In time, she shared a secret she had never voiced: she was coping with life through an eating disorder. The horses helped her uncover layers of pain rooted in never feeling “good enough.” Through this journey, Kathy discovered self-compassion and a new path forward.
The Seen Through Horses Campaign
These personal stories are being elevated on a national stage by Horses for Mental Health (HMH), a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to increasing awareness, access, and support for mental health and well-being services incorporating horses.
In May 2025, HMH will once again lead the Seen Through Horses Campaign, a public awareness and fundraising initiative uniting 95 nonprofit charity partners and 19 premier partners across the U.S., Canada, and N. Ireland—with generous support from title sponsor Zoetis Equine.
The campaign brings real stories of healing to life and invites the public to participate—by donating, sharing videos, or simply spreading the word. With the help of over 30 celebrities and influencers reaching a collective audience of more than 6.5 million, the campaign is helping normalize mental health conversations and highlight the unique role of horses in healing.
Notable supporters include legendary country music artist and lifelong horseman Randy Travis; radio and TV host Kerri Kasem; actor, singer, and cowboy C. Thomas Howell; award-winning journalist and gold medal equestrian Misdee Wrigley Miller; cowboys and country music artists The Bellamy Brothers; and mental health advocate Jodie Morton, among many others.
This year, HMH has released a powerful 12-minute short video focused on the mental health crisis facing veterinarians. These caring, capable professionals often work long hours under immense emotional strain, and the toll is sobering. Compassion fatigue, financial pressure, and grief are just some of the burdens veterinarians carry—often in silence. The video not only gives voice to their struggles but reveals how horses can be part of their healing journey. Even for those who work with horses every day, engaging in a space where the focus is emotional wellbeing—rather than job performance—can be life-changing.
As the equine industry continues to evolve, so too does its potential to impact human lives.
The connection between humans and horses is ancient—but in this modern context, it’s proving more relevant and needed than ever.
This May, during Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s help more people discover what those of us in this field already know: sometimes healing walks on four legs.
To learn more about the Seen Through Horses Campaign and to support the 95 charity partners offering these life-changing services, visit horsesformentalhealth.org/campaign/.
Lynn Thomas, LCSW
President & Co-Founder
Lynn Thomas, LCSW, is a pioneer in integrating horses into mental health services, leading global efforts to train professionals and increase awareness for over 25 years. After founding and leading the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, she cofounded Arenas for Change (ARCH), an innovative training and certification program for equine-assisted services in mental health and personal growth. In 2021, she cofounded Horses for Mental Health, amplifying awareness and advocating for organizations providing these life-changing programs.
Websites: www.arenasforchange.com and www.horsesformentalhealth.org
A special thanks to our sponsor, Zoetis Equine: https://www.zoetisequine.com/
This article is from the May issue of Equine Business Magazine
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