Therapeutic Role of Animals on the Example of Horses
Abstract
The aim of the study is to review the therapeutic effects of animals on human physical health and mental well-being, using the example of horses. The article discusses the phenomenon of zootherapy and cites the results of selected empirical research on therapy with horses. The presented results confirm the positive impact of horse-assisted therapy on the health of patients, regardless of age and type of ailments. In the physical sphere, the improvement mainly concerns general condition, muscle tone and balance, and motor skills. In the emotional and motivational area, the benefits include strengthening the sense of agency, increasing self-esteem and emotional regulation. In the cognitive sphere, improvements in attention, memory, speech and sensory perception are noted. In the social aspect, it develops the ability to cooperate and build close relationships. It was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis of the discussed studies due to their diversity in terms of objectives, procedures and selection of research groups.
Keywords
zootherapy; hippotherapy; animals; therapy; horses; Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI)
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Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego Józefa Piłsudskiego w Warszawie Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2627-3616
Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego Józefa Piłsudskiego w Warszawie Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5598-7231
Doktor nauk o kulturze fizycznej, od 2011 roku adiunkt w Akademii Wychowania Fizycznego Józefa Piłsudskiego w Warszawie. Zainteresowania naukowe związane z rozwojem turystyki i rekreacji, a także wpływem aktywności fizycznej na człowieka w ujęciu socjologicznym i psychologicznym, adres email: agata.stefanowska@awf.edu.pl
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