Equinestresslevelsaftertherapysessions.docVIP

This article was published as: Wharton, T., C. Sercu, M. Malone, B. Macauley. (2005). An Analysis of Equine Stress Levels after Participation in Therapy Sessions. Scientific and Educational Journal of Therapeutic Riding. International Federation for Riding for the Disabled: Australia. [Peer reviewed journal]. An Analysis of Equine Stress Levels after Participation in Therapy Sessions Tracy Wharton, M.Ed. School of Social Work, University of Alabama Christina Sercu, B.A. Serendipity Farm, Tuscaloosa, AL Marguerite Malone, Ph.D. Evermore Psychotherapy, Tuscaloosa, AL Beth Macauley, Ph.D. Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Alabama The authors would like to thank Melanie Scogin for solving the mystery of seasonal pulse rates, and Dr. James Leeper for his statistical consultation and guidance. Introduction Equine facilitated psychotherapy and speech-language therapy have become increasingly popular models in recent years. According to the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, “more than 32,000 individuals benefit from equine facilitated activities at nearly 700 NARHA (accredited) centers throughout the United States and Canada,” to say nothing of the hundreds of centers or practitioners who are not members of this organization (NARHA, 2003). Service providers range across the disciplines, often including nursing, psychology, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, communication and educational professionals, along with riding instructors, equine trainers and managers, and business staff. On a strictly business level, the number of therapy farms that operate with a budget greater than $300,000 annually has steadily grown in the last decade. While most providers are hardly that large, collectively the sheer size of the population being served makes this industry an important area of focus for administrators and providers alike. Organizations and providers of all disciplines must be ever mindful to protect the resource