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Talk Description:
Equine-assisted services (EAS) are increasingly used to support psychological and emotional well-being across diverse populations. However, much of the existing literature focuses narrowly on human outcomes, limiting understanding of how EAS function as relational and ethical intervention contexts. This talk presents a biopsychosocial framework that conceptualizes equine-assisted services as dynamic systems involving both human and equine participants. Drawing on my research, I examine momentary and short-term indicators of well-being in individuals with and without trauma histories alongside parallel assessments of equine biopsychosocial functioning. Using intensive, process-oriented methods, this work moves beyond global pre–post designs to capture within-person variability and contextual influences on well-being. Findings underscore the importance of attending to cross-species dynamics, program context, and ethical considerations related to equine welfare. Implications are discussed for the design, evaluation, and potential benefits of equine-assisted services across diverse populations.