Building Social Communication Skills Through Equine Therapy

Communication goes far beyond just words and sentences. Effective communication includes understanding the unwritten rules of social interaction—knowing when to speak, how to read facial expressions, how to take turns in conversation, and how to adapt our communication style to different situations and partners. These skills collectively form what speech-language pathologists call "pragmatic language."

What is Pragmatic Language?

Pragmatic language encompasses the social aspects of communication—how we use language in social contexts, change language according to the needs of the listener or situation, and follow rules for conversations and storytelling. It includes:

• Making and maintaining connection with others

• Reading and using appropriate facial expressions

• Understanding personal space

• Taking turns in conversation

• Staying on topic

• Interpreting non-literal language (jokes, idioms, metaphors)

• Adjusting communication style based on social context

• Understanding and expressing emotions appropriately

For many children with communication disorders, autism spectrum disorder, social communication disorder, or other developmental differences, these skills present significant challenges. Traditional therapy approaches can be helpful, but at Speaking of Horses, we've discovered that equine-assisted therapy offers unique advantages for developing pragmatic language skills.

The Foundation: Connection and Engagement

The most sophisticated pragmatic language techniques are ineffective if we can't first establish genuine connection with a child. This is where horses offer something extraordinary.

Horses have an almost magical ability to engage children who may otherwise struggle with human interactions. There's something about the non-judgmental, authentic presence of a horse that can break through barriers that traditional therapy sometimes cannot. I've seen children who seldom initiate communication eagerly point out observations about their horse. I've witnessed children who rarely connect with people spontaneously search for connection while on their therapy horse in order to have others share in their joy.

This authentic engagement creates the foundation upon which all other pragmatic language skills can be built.

Preverbal Communication Skills: The Building Blocks

Before children can master the complexities of pragmatic language, they need foundational preverbal communication skills:

Joint Attention

Joint attention—the shared focus of two individuals on an object or event—is a critical precursor to social communication. In traditional settings, establishing joint attention with children who have developmental differences can be challenging.

On horseback, joint attention happens naturally:

• The child and therapist share attention on the path ahead

• Both focus on an obstacle the horse is approaching

• Together they observe the horse's behavior

This shared experience creates countless opportunities to establish and reinforce joint attention skills that transfer to human-to-human interactions.

Relating and Social Referencing

Social referencing—looking to others for emotional cues about situations—develops organically in equine therapy. Children learn to:

• Check the therapist's face for confirmation they're handling the horse correctly

• Look to the horse handler for reassurance in new situations

• Observe the horse's reactions to different stimuli

These skills form the basis for more complex social understanding later on.

Learning From the Herd: Horse Social Dynamics as Teaching Tools

Horses are inherently social animals with complex herd structures and communication systems. This provides rich opportunities for teaching about human social dynamics through compelling parallels.

Herd Hierarchy as a Model for Social Relationships

Horses maintain clear, consistent social hierarchies within their herds. We can use these observable dynamics to teach children about:

• Different roles in social groups

• How to recognize leadership

• The importance of respecting boundaries

• How relationships require trust and consistency

For example, when a child observes how the lead mare commands respect through consistent, clear communication rather than aggression, we can draw parallels to positive leadership in human contexts.

Nonverbal Communication Made Visible

One of the most remarkable aspects of horses is their expressive, easy-to-read nonverbal communication—particularly through ear position:

• Forward-facing ears indicate interest and attention

• Pinned-back ears signal discomfort or irritation

• Ears flicking back and forth suggest the horse is listening to multiple inputs

For children who struggle to read subtle human facial expressions, these clear, consistent nonverbal signals provide an excellent teaching opportunity. We might say, "Look at how Whinny's ears are pinned back. She's telling us she's feeling uncomfortable. What are some ways humans show they're uncomfortable without using words?"

These concrete observations create bridges to understanding the more subtle nonverbal cues humans use in everyday interactions.

Perspective Taking Through the Horse's Eyes

Perspective taking—understanding another's thoughts, feelings, and motivations—is a critical pragmatic language skill that many children find challenging. Horses offer a unique pathway to developing this ability.

We regularly invite children to consider questions like:

• "How do you think the horse feels about that loud noise?"

• "Why might the horse be hesitant to walk across that puddle?"

• "If you were the horse, what would you want your rider to do right now?"

These perspective-taking exercises with horses often feel safer and more accessible than similar questions about human interactions. Over time, we bridge these skills to human scenarios: "Remember how you figured out what your horse needed when he was nervous? How might we use those same thinking skills to figure out what your friend needs when she's upset?"

Conversational Skills in Action

Equine therapy provides natural opportunities to practice core conversational skills:

Turn-Taking and Conversational Reciprocity

The give-and-take nature of horsemanship naturally reinforces turn-taking:

• The child gives a command, then waits for the horse's response

• The child offers a treat, the horse accepts

• The child communicates through the reins, the horse communicates back through movement

We explicitly highlight these patterns: "See how you and Blink are having a conversation? You asked him to turn by pulling the rein, and he answered by turning. Now it's your turn again to tell him what you'd like next."

These structured, physical exchanges provide a concrete foundation for understanding the back-and-forth nature of conversation.

Topic Maintenance and Relevance

While riding, we create natural opportunities to practice staying on topic:

• Planning a riding route together

• Discussing the steps in grooming a horse

• Narrating a shared experience

The inherent structure of horseback riding activities supports topic coherence in a way that feels natural rather than contrived.

Problem-Solving and Conflict Resolution

Perhaps one of the most valuable aspects of equine therapy for pragmatic language development is the natural occurrence of problems that require resolution. When a horse doesn't follow a command, refuses to cross an obstacle, or displays unexpected behavior, it creates authentic opportunities to practice:

• Identifying the problem ("Phil doesn't want to walk over the pole")

• Generating potential solutions ("We could try leading her first, or maybe choose a different route")

• Predicting outcomes ("If we force him, she might get more nervous")

• Implementing and evaluating solutions ("Let's try walking beside him first. Did that help?")

These real-time problem-solving experiences help children develop critical thinking and communication skills that transfer to social problem-solving.

A Parent's Perspective

One mother shared: "Before equine therapy, my son could explain all the rules of social interaction—he could tell you he was supposed to take turns and listen when others speak. But he couldn't actually do these things in real-life situations. Something about working with the horses has helped him translate that knowledge into action. Now I see him waiting his turn and really listening, first with the horses and now with his peers."

The Professional Integration

As speech-language pathologists, we're careful to integrate evidence-based pragmatic language interventions into our equine-assisted therapy. We use techniques from established approaches like Social Thinking®, social narratives, and video modeling alongside the natural opportunities horses provide.

The difference is that these interventions no longer feel like "therapy" to the child—they're simply part of the meaningful, motivating experience of connecting with a horse.

Is Equine-Assisted Pragmatic Language Therapy Right for Your Child?

Children who may especially benefit from this approach include those who:

• Show interest in animals but struggle with human connections

• Learn better through physical, experiential activities

• Have not responded optimally to traditional office-based pragmatic language therapy

• Have adequate physical abilities to participate safely in mounted or unmounted horse activities

Even children with physical limitations that prevent horseback riding can benefit from unmounted equine activities that target pragmatic language skills.

The Lasting Impact

The pragmatic language skills developed through equine-assisted therapy extend far beyond the riding arena. Parents consistently report improvements in:

• Connection in everyday interactions

• Ability to recognize others' emotions

• Conversational turn-taking

• Problem-solving in social situations

• Overall social confidence

When children experience the power of successful communication with a 1,000-pound animal, they gain both skills and confidence that transform their human interactions as well.

Speaking of Horses is a nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of community members, corporate sponsors, and grant funding to continue our mission. While we accept insurance including Medicaid to make our services accessible to families of all socioeconomic backgrounds, the costs of maintaining our therapy horses, facilities, and specialized equipment far exceed what insurance reimbursement covers. Your donations make it possible for us to provide this transformative therapy to children who would otherwise not have access to these life-changing services. https://www.speakingofhorsesincorporated.org/donate