Perspective Chapter: Mind the Gap – Young People’s Mental Health and Equine Assisted Interventions

Abstract

Increasing numbers of adolescents are experiencing poor mental health, whether struggling with diagnosed conditions such as anxiety and depression, or simply suffering from poor wellbeing. Many have attributed this to changes experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it is likely that there are other factors which are also leading to difficulty maintaining positive mental health. A growing number of Equine Assisted Services (EAS) are being developed to meet needs for mental health support, ranging from therapeutic riding to equine assisted psychotherapy. This chapter will focus on non-riding interventions and include research primarily from equine assisted learning and equine assisted therapy programs. The authors acknowledge that there are differences between the two, but also that these modalities share several similarities which are relevant to discuss here. Four key aspects of EAS which could be supporting the development of positive mental health will be examined; the culture of EAS, key features of EAS, experiential learning of emotional skills, and common outcomes of EAS, followed by the limitations and a discussion of the current research in the area. This will indicate factors which might be missing from the lives of adolescents which could have implications for broader wellbeing and mental health programs.