OTTAWA - Therapy dogs are being used to help patients with mental health issues and researchers want to know if horses can do the same job.
A pair of government-financed studies will look at whether horses can help veterans deal with stress-related mental injuries.
The Canadian Institute of Military and Veteran Health Research will receive $250,000 to conduct a horse study, while Can Praxis will receive $25,000 to continue its equine research.
Can Praxis is a not-for-profit organization that uses equine-assisted learning to support veterans with mental health conditions.
The health research institute is a hub for researchers from Canadian universities working on veterans' health needs.
A preliminary study on therapy horses was announced two years ago.
