ABSTRACT
It is purported that many different populations or conditions can be effectively treated by equine-assisted therapy, including returning veterans or active military personnel, children with autism spectrum disorder or cerebral palsy, at-risk youth, and adults suffering from trauma. The outcome of this comprehensive literature review shows that although widely popular, equine-assisted therapy still lacks the conclusive empirical evidence needed to establish its efficacy as an effective treatment for most of the populations the treatment is used for. Challenges with research methodology and an industry-wide lack of consistent terminology and practice patterns have hampered effects to establish conclusive results. In this chapter, readers will be asked to differentiate between empirical research and anecdotal evidence, identify current challenges experienced by equine-assisted therapy researchers, describe the importance of separating therapy and non-therapy services, and analyze personal biases, examining how these biases could impact equine-assisted therapy research.
