Equine therapy: working with horses in recovery

Clinically reviewed byNerea Encinas SánchezDirector of the centre, MSc General Health PsychologyRegistered psychologist, COPAO AO13857

Checked for accuracy on 28 July 2026. Next review due July 2027. This page is general information about our programme and is not a substitute for advice about your own situation.

What is equine therapy?

Equine therapy is a relationship-based approach that involves working with horses in a calm, safe setting. You do not need any riding experience, and much of the work is done from the ground. It is less about handling a horse and more about learning to connect and communicate with one.

Horses are sensitive animals that read and mirror emotion. If you approach tense or distracted, a horse often senses it and hangs back. As you settle, the horse responds differently. That feedback, honest and immediate, is what makes equine work useful: it helps you notice your internal state and practise steadying it.

How working with horses supports emotional regulation

At Sierra our methodology is the Regulation Model, drawing on the PROMIS clinical approach used in the UK since 1986. Addiction is understood as a learned way of managing difficult feelings. Equine therapy fits that model well, because it gives you a place to practise regulating your emotions in real time, with a living animal responding to how calm or unsettled you are.

Simply being around horses, brushing or grooming them, can help some people feel calmer and more present. Because it is hands-on, it can be an easier way to process feelings than talking alone, and progress in the yard often carries over into the rest of your treatment.

Who might find it helpful

Equine sessions can support people working through a range of challenges as part of their programme, including anxiety and low mood, the emotional weight behind substance use, difficulty trusting others after trauma, and low self-esteem. Building a steady relationship with a horse, at your own pace, can be a quietly confidence-building experience.

What a session involves

Sessions are made up of simple, structured activities with the horses. None of them require you to ride.

• Grooming: brushing a horse’s coat or tending its hooves is a grounding, repetitive activity that helps you stay present and calm.
• Bonding: spending unhurried time near a horse, earning its trust, and letting a sense of safety build over the days.
• Leading: guiding a horse through a task, which asks for patience, clear communication and problem-solving.

Where equine therapy fits at Sierra

Equine therapy is one part of a wider programme, not a treatment on its own. We combine evidence-based clinical work with holistic therapies including yoga, mindfulness and meditation, and art therapy, and we tailor the mix to you, with regular check-ins to see what is helping.

Sierra Recovery is a registered health centre in Humilladero, Málaga (Junta de Andalucía NICA 67331) and nurses on the team. It is not a hospital or a detox unit; detox is completed elsewhere before you arrive. We will always be honest with you about whether our setting is the right fit before you travel.

Things to consider first

It is worth thinking about your goals for the sessions, and about physical and emotional readiness. Mobility limitations or allergies can affect how you take part, and some people feel uneasy around horses at first. None of this rules equine therapy out, but it helps us shape it around you.

If you would like to explore equine therapy as part of a stay with us, you can read what is included and the published cost on our pricing page, or talk it through with our team on the admissions page. We are happy to answer questions in English, confidentially and with no obligation.