Characterizing stress during animal interaction: a focus on the human endocrine response during equine-assisted services.
Authors: Rigby Brandon R
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Equine-assisted services are increasingly recognised for their psychosocial benefits, yet the physiological mechanisms underlying these outcomes remain poorly characterised. Brandon Rigby's 2023 review examines neuroendocrine markers—including cortisol, oxytocin, serotonin, progesterone, and secretory immunoglobulin A—that reflect how human stress physiology responds before, during, and after interaction with horses. Whilst current literature shows mixed results regarding consistent hormonal patterns, several studies do suggest meaningful stress attenuation occurs through equine contact, though methodological variability and inadequate control of confounding variables (such as individual fitness levels, prior experience, and environmental factors) currently limit firm conclusions. For equine professionals delivering therapeutic work, this signals both opportunity and caution: the neurobiological evidence is encouraging enough to warrant continued exploration, but practitioners should recognise that individual responses will vary considerably and that rigorous, cross-disciplinary research protocols are essential before prescribing equine interaction as a standardised stress-management intervention. Future studies must tighten experimental design and account for both exogenous factors (session duration, horse temperament, setting) and endogenous variables (rider baseline cortisol, anxiety predisposition) to establish reliable, evidence-based guidelines.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Equine-assisted services may provide physiological stress reduction benefits, but individual responses vary significantly based on unmeasured endogenous and exogenous factors
- •Current evidence is insufficient to prescribe specific equine interaction protocols for stress management—further rigorous research with standardized protocols is needed
- •Practitioners should recognize that documented psychosocial benefits may be multifactorial and not solely attributable to hormonal changes measurable in existing studies
Key Findings
- •Neuroendocrine markers (immunoglobulin A, serotonin, cortisol, progesterone, oxytocin) show mixed results regarding stress attenuation during equine-assisted services
- •Some promising evidence exists for stress hormone modulation through equine interaction, though findings are inconsistent across studies
- •Existing research lacks standardized methodology, proper experimental fidelity, and control of confounding variables affecting rider physiology