A New Form of Ecotherapy: Pasture Bathing with Horses

August 1, 2024

The stress of living in a global pandemic for a few years has put a spotlight on how we are living our lives and managing our health. Many have turned the volume up on various stress reduction practices, including infrared saunas, ice baths, breathwork, meditation, etc. Some of us have refocused our time to make sure we get outside for a good dose of nature, utilizing all of our senses. One of my favorite things to do is spend time outside in a pasture with a few horses, and I invite you to consider why.

Forest Bathing

Are you familiar with the practice of “forest bathing,” or shinrin-yoku? It’s not sitting in a hot tub in the middle of a forest, naked – although that does sound lovely. Rather, it was discovered in the 1980s by Japanese researchers and is now practiced all over the world. We already know that spending time mindfully in nature, including forests is good for our health. As an Equine Experiential Learning Guide, I’d like to propose a new concept called “pasture bathing,” in which spending time in a pasture with one or more horses and no agenda is also good for your health and can offer a therapeutic and healing experience.

In the 1990s researchers began examining the physiological and psychological benefits of forest bathing, providing the science to support what is inherent to the human experience and that time spent communing with nature is good for us. This is ancient wisdom in many cultures, where plants, minerals, animals, and humans share sacred space. People recognized and celebrated the interconnection of all things and the importance of the natural world to human health.

Dr. Qing Li, a medical doctor at Tokyo’s Nippon Medical School, and author of Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, outlines the history of the practice as well as the many benefits it offers, including:
• Reduce blood pressure
• Lower stress
• Lift depression
• Improve energy and sleep
• Improve pain thresholds
• Increase concentration
• Boost the immune system

The discovery of phytoncides, organic compounds released by plants and trees to protect them from predators, has notable benefits to human health. Another substance we inhale in green space is a “common and harmless bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae.” These bacteria, which live naturally in soil, have been found through multiple studies to increase energy levels and lift mood. These connected pathways also boost the immune system. And it turns out, spending time with a horse or horses outside also shares these health benefits.

Overall, being outdoors is associated with increased happiness and reduced stress. Some of these effects are chemical but may also be explained by the biophilia hypothesis. This theory states that humans have a biological drive to connect with nature and animals. Ask any pet lover and they will enthusiastically concur.

I enjoy facilitating a “pasture bathing” experience with my clients (no riding involved), especially since so many of us suffer from “nature deficit disorder.” People have a chance to ditch their devices, slow down, get in touch with all their senses and connect to their environment, internally and externally. This includes sharing space with horses. You get all the benefits of being outside with a few extra perks.

Here’s what it can look like: To ensure a safe space, we sit in a chair in the middle of the pasture. We take in all the sights and sounds and get to know each other a bit. Then, I guide you in a centering meditation, activating all of your senses and helping you drop into your heart and body. Remember, there is no agenda, beyond being fully present and aware. We then witness horses in their natural setting element and notice what transpires.

Mindfulness

Horses are expert mindfulness teachers — being in the present moment is all they know. They are prey animals so their survival depends on their ability to sense things energetically through their body. Beyond their need for food and water, horses need safety, so they constantly sense what’s happening in their environment and communicate with their herd. This instinctual wisdom enables horses to be fully present in the moment — relaxed enough to graze, poop, and play, while trusting that should a threat occur, their survival instincts will kick in and enable them to move in a split second. Once the threat is gone and it’s safe, they let go of the (now past) threat and go back to grazing. As humans doing vs. being, we have simply forgotten what it feels like to be truly present, and the horses remind us of the opportunity to explore the world with our bodies, our senses, and not just our minds.

Harmony

Horses model harmony. When we sit with a healthy herd of horses, their coherent heart rate is contagious, and we can achieve deeper states of ease and harmony. Dr. Anna Baldwin and Dr. Gehrke (and others) in independent studies by measuring HRV (heart rate variability) showed horses “seem to live in a coherent (happy, calm, peaceful) state” unless “scary situations” arise. When a heart is in “coherence” as established by the HeartMath Institute, your heart rhythm reflects a balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic parts of the autonomic nervous system, which can enhance feelings of calm, joy, gratitude, peace, and well-being. Research shows that horses live in this state unless frightened and can return to their coherent state within minutes.

Recent studies conducted by the HeartMath Institute provide a clue to explain the bidirectional “healing” that happens when we are near horses. The human heart weighs between 9 to 10.5 ounces and puts out an electromagnetic energy field created by the heart as it beats and surrounds our bodies (think of a bubble) up to 8 to 10 feet, as measured by a magnetometer. A horse’s average heart weighs between 9 to 11 pounds and its electromagnetic field is five times larger and stronger than the human one. So if you are near or touching a horse, his heart field will merge with your heart field and bring it to his level, helping you feel better. Your nervous system automatically syncs up with the horse. “Research shows that people experience many physiological benefits while interacting with horses, including lowered blood pressure and heart rate; increased levels of beta-endorphins (neurotransmitters that serve as pain suppressors); decreased stress levels; reduced feelings of anger, hostility, tension, and anxiety; improved social functioning; and increased feelings of empowerment, trust, patience, and self-efficacy.” (Dr. Maria Katsamanis & Dominique Barbier, THE ALCHEMY OF LIGHTNESS). When we are in their presence, we are positively impacted by the horses’ energy whether we are aware of it or not.

Connection

A herd of horses is a beautiful representation of connection as well as interconnection and invites us to do the same. Their bodies – from the tips of their ears to the bottom of their hooves – are extremely sensitive and connected to the Earth and everything that surrounds them. A Horse is like a large biofeedback device, reading the energy of the land, their herd members, and the humans who share space with them. So, as you are sitting in the pasture, horses sense what is going on in your body and your emotions (energy frequencies). Oftentimes, while sitting in a pasture with a client, I’ll notice how the horses seem to position themselves in a circle around us, as if they are creating and perhaps holding a safe and sacred space for what may transpire during a pasture bathing experience.

In their gentle way, horses are looking for an opening to connect. They feel most comfortable when we are in a coherent and congruent state because it feels safe and inviting and creates an opening for the beginning of a relationship. They are interested in what is authentic and do not care if we are feeling sad, angry, fearful, or happy, as long as we are present to what we are feeling. A horse may choose to come close to a client and say “hello,” during a session or not. Since the pasture bathing experience has no agenda other than to mindfully experience being present in a natural space with horses and embody your connection, each session will be different.

Equine Experiential Learning is an exciting field incorporating horses into human development, growth, and learning. At Haberman Harmonics, we understand that nature and horses are profoundly gifted at guiding us to reconnect with the essence of ourselves, revealing our connection and relationship to everyone and everything around us. Like forest bathing, pasture bathing is not only good for your health but also good for your soul.