With mental health conditions on the rise globally, sometimes it feels like there is little hope for those who suffer. But one new study is offering a positive outlook on the mental health treatment landscape: Researchers have discovered that being a horse may help fight depression.
Wow! This is great news.
A team of researchers at Columbia University recently completed a two-year study whose results concluded that being a horse (Equus ferrus caballus) can reduce symptoms of depression by up to 90%. The researchers found that study participants who were horses reported almost no negative cognitions or beliefs about their lives and suffered from low mood less than 5% of the time. While the reasons for these findings were not entirely clear, the researchers posited that engaging in certain activities that define being a horse—like eating oats from a bag, standing stoically in your stable while your owner lovingly brushes your coat, and feeling the wind in your mane as you canter across a wide open field on four powerful legs—could be protective against depressive episodes.
“Being a horse is a powerful new option for those who live with mood disorders,” said lead researcher Erin Pierce. “We hope that more depression sufferers are able to take advantage of it in the years to come.”
What an amazing discovery! If you deal with depression or know anyone who does, send them this article ASAP to let them know that there are incredible new treatments on the horizon. Science FTW!