The Science Behind Why Horses Change Us with Dr. Leanne Nieforth | Episode 58

episode

Previously titled “Why Horses Change Us with Human-Animal Interaction Researcher Dr. Leanne Nieforth | Episode 58” — renamed by the publisher on Sep 9, 2026

The Touch of a Mustang | Wellness and Healing Through Wild Horses and the Natural World not yet transcribed

▲ 0

Transcript

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet Upvotes decide what gets transcribed next — 0 so far. Sign in to upvote

recent transcribed audio

A.I. Safety Goes Mainstream + a ‘Hard Fork’ Exit AMA 1h 25m · 18 Sep 2026 · Hard Fork

Layoffs at the Kansas City Star will hurt local communities 15 min · 18 Sep 2026 · Kansas City Today

AWP: Beyond the Exam Room: Purpose, Myopia, and Population Health 54 min · 17 Sep 2026 · EyeCode Media

Planning Commission Meeting - Sep 17, 2026 1h 11m · 17 Sep 2026 · Leesburg Planning Commission

Heritage Commission - Sep 14, 2026 1h 57m · 17 Sep 2026 · Loudoun County Board Committees and Advisory Boards

Historic District Review Committee - Sep 14, 2026 1h 36m · 17 Sep 2026 · Loudoun County Board Committees and Advisory Boards

Report any issue

Source

Recorded26 Feb 2026

Publisheranchor.fm ↗

Handlerec:16178878

Show notes

Many of us who have spent time with horses understand that our time with them changes something about us. It's difficult to describe, to explain. Often, it's referred to as magic. I sit down with Dr. Leanne Nieforth who studies this very thing, to talk about what the research says. Do horses really help people and what is it that creates the change?Leanne Nieforth is an Assistant Professor of Human-Animal Interaction at the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University. With a PhD in Human-Animal Interaction, a Master of Science in communication, and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, she has a unique interdisciplinary approach to study human-animal interactions. Her rigorous research portfolio includes both quantitative and qualitative exploration, incorporating both theoretical and empirical analyses. She has applied these analyses to multiple populations of individuals and multiple species of animals. To date, she has 29 peer-reviewed publications with additional publications under review at high impact journals. She has also written five book chapters and multiple extension publications focused on human-animal interactions. She is dedicated to researching evidence-based approaches for developing safe and effective interventions and experiences that foster mutually beneficial partnerships between humans and animals. She also has more than a decade of experience as a certified practitioner by multiple equine-assisted services organizations. Outside of work, Leanne enjoys spending time with her daughter, husband, dog and horses.Connect with Leanne!Human-Animal Partnerships and Interactions (HAPI) Lab Website: https://vet.purdue.edu/discovery/nieforth/Personal Website: www.leannenieforth.comSupport the Podcast:buymeacoffee.com/thetouchofamustang

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related