Study involving P.A. area horses examines PTSD treatment for emergency responders

A research study is being done in the Prince Albert area trying to determine whether or not horses can help emergency responders managing PTSD.

Cartier Farms has partnered with McMaster University to see if Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) could be a viable treatment to help with symptoms and improve functionality.

The goal is to get 80 participants split into four different rounds. They will then be split again with one half getting to experience EAL treatment, while the other half does not.

“We’ll figure out if there are differences in those two groups that would suggest that the EAL helped or didn’t help,” said Ashley Williams, postdoctoral fellow with McMaster University’s trauma and recovery unit.