Human-horse interactions as complementary strategies for mental health promotion.

BACKGROUND: Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) represent complementary rehabilitative approaches designed to address a range of physical and mental health conditions. Among these, Equine-assisted interventions (EAI) offer structured opportunities for engagement through diverse activities conducted within naturalistic settings, thereby integrating therapeutic processes with ecological contexts. METHODS: Over the past years, our group has developed and implemented standardized AAI methodologies that are now embedded within comprehensive intervention planning. This overview summarizes the application of different rehabilitative programs based on EAI. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that EAI can be effectively implemented across a heterogeneous spectrum of psychiatric disorders, contributing to recovery processes and social integration across the lifespan, from childhood to old age. CONCLUSIONS: EAI represent innovative, ecologically grounded interventions with promising clinical potential. Further research involving larger, well-characterized samples is warranted to strengthen the evidence base and to expand the applicability of these promising complementary interventions.