A crowd-funding campaign, launched on Veteran’s Day by the Rutgers Equine Science Center, will raise money for a large-scale research project focusing on Equine Assisted Activities & Therapies (EAAT) for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The ESC research project will focus on the horse human bond, and how EAAT affects both humans and horses during these types of therapy sessions.
“The study will look at how the interactions between the horses and humans, sometimes referred to as a “horse/human bond” affect one another,” said Ellen Rankins, Ph.D. Candidate and project lead.
“Not only will data be collected during the trial period, we will also follow up with the participants to observe how long these changes are sustained over time.”
The Center’s goal is for all of the costs associated with the study to be paid for by the research fund, making the therapy sessions completely free to the veterans. After hearing about the project, Foundation Equine Wellness and Performance (a mobile veterinary practice based out of Bordentown) decided to make a donation by issuing a challenge match to anyone willing to donate. For every dollar ESC raises, Foundation Equine will match up to $2,500.
“We are so happy to take part in the Equine Science Center’s crowdfunding campaign,” said Dr. Daniel Keenan, owner of the practice.
“We wanted to contribute to this project not only because it will better our understanding of how Equine Assisted Activities & Therapies affects the health and wellness of the horse, but because it will also examine how these types of therapies can improve the lives of veterans with PTSD, and others who would benefit by these types of therapies.”
To help with this challenge-match visit the Equine Science Center’s crowdfunding webpage at: https://go.rutgers.edu/ESCResearchFund.
The project is a partnership with statewide stakeholders including: the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs; Special Strides located in Monroe, New Jersey (where the therapy sessions will be conducted); Rutgers’ graduate school of applied and professional psychology, the university’s office of veterans and military programs and services and the Rutgers Business School’s military and veteran engagement programs.
For information about donating to the project, contact Leadership Gifts Officer Roz Beberman at roz.beberman@rutgers.edu or phone 848-932-3593.