https://www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org... Hi Jimmy yes any involvement with equines is good for soul. I’ve been around equines for over 50 yrs so I understand how riding, driving it just being around them is good for us humans. We could learn a thing or two! Hippo therapy or equine assisted therapy has been around since the early 80s here in So California. We had a program start up at one of the stables I boarded my horse at. Children and adults were both riding as therapy. I got to see first hand the changes that took place. Then when I worked for the Humane Society they too had a equine assisted therapy program ran out of our location for children as well as adults, so again I could see definite improved in physical as well as mental for the participants. Since then Driving for the Disabled as come about and is growing. Certain carriages are made or modified to accept wheelchairs. And sitting in a carriage that rocks and sways with the beats of the horses foot fall is very similar to the feeling of riding. I knew some day I might end up in a wheelchair with my Lupus so I took up driving 20+ yrs ago. So that if I could not ride I would still have a way to get mental and physical benefits from being around equines. I have neighbors that are afraid of horses and are too scared to ride. But if I hook up my donkeys to a carriage they are more than willing to jump in and go for a drive and truly enjoy it. It’s much different than driving a car, you need to work with the equine as partners to achieve your desired goal. And yes just being around them grooming, petting and giving treat for tricks performed is very good mentally. It’s fun and relaxing. They are now using it as a gateway to more advanced hippo therapy for PTSD patients. I know it works, I’m just surprised more people aren’t taking advantage of the benefits. Doctors know about this type of therapy so why aren’t they even mentioning it to their patients? People who travel in horse circles know. It’s talked about on tv and in magazines regularly. There are more and more places opening all the time. If this is something that interests you then by all means search for it in your area. I know with COVID a lot of them had to close for awhile. But out here they came up with stricter safety measures so that patients could still receive their therapy lessons, it was just too important to stop. Take care ttyl

Mules, donkey's and horses gaits are very similar to humans and I was looking into riding horses for PT. My balance won't allow for riding but I read where just brushing these animals has theraputic impact. I guess what I'm saying is you are definitely on to something

Sorry it should read mules and donkeys