European Equine Assisted Therapy Network (EEATN)

The idea of creating this group arose from the concern of finding scientific evidence in the effect of Equine Assisted Services in all its areas of intervention.

At the moment, we are 10 people from 9 different countries: Greece, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal, Finland, Spain, Norway and the United Kingdom.

We have different research interests and work in different professional areas!

Our interests range from exploring the impact of Equine Assisted Services (EAS) on psychomotor development, neurological or motor disorders, and on people suffering from mental health, addiction,  or chronic pain challenges.   

We need to know more about the benefits of all kinds of Services Assisted with Equines, while riding, or on the ground, while interacting with them.   

We need more evidence to suggest that horses are beneficial for physical, psychological health, but also to improve awareness of our body, internal or in the environment around it.

We need to understand what we do in collaboration with the horse and its environment. What leads to a healing process?  If it is the horse itself, or a combination of the horse with its environment? Is it its power to bond with another living being? 

Finally, we believe that networking, connecting people and connecting knowledge is the best way to move forward in this great field of EAS.

Goals:

1. Making researchers working in the equine Facilitated Services field getting together.
2. Being aware of other groups’ needs, the problems they found, helping build Research Proposals and case reports, finding scientific evidence for their case studies or equipment effectiveness.
3. Thinking about preparing Reviews or Short Communications.
4. Thinking about preparing Research projects, at European level, and collaborating in the research reports.