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💓 February is American Heart Month 💓

—A time to celebrate the incredible power of the heart and the many ways we can support heart health. When it comes to horses, the heart is not only a vital organ—it’s a remarkable force that can influence emotional, mental, and even physical well-being in humans.

A Heart Built for Strength and Endurance

A horse’s heart is truly extraordinary. Weighing up to 10 pounds, it is proportionally much larger than a human heart and designed for endurance, power, and efficiency. This powerful organ supports a life of movement—sometimes covering many miles each day over rugged terrain—while maintaining balance and resilience.

But the horse’s heart does more than sustain their body. Increasingly, research suggests it may also help support ours.

What Science Tells Us About the Horse’s Heart

The heart produces the strongest electromagnetic field in the body, and in horses—because of the heart’s size—this field is especially powerful. Research in psychophysiology suggests that the heart’s electromagnetic signals extend beyond the body and can influence those nearby.

This helps explain why many people report feeling calmer, more grounded, or emotionally regulated simply by standing near a horse—without even touching them.

Research from the HeartMath Institute has also shown that heart rhythms are closely connected to emotional states. When humans experience feelings such as appreciation, calm, or compassion, the heart enters a state called coherence—a harmonious rhythm that supports nervous system balance and well-being.

Horses naturally maintain this coherent state. When humans interact with horses in calm, attentive ways, their heart rhythms can begin to synchronize with the horse’s—a phenomenon sometimes referred to as biological entrainment.

In simple terms:
Horses help our hearts remember how to slow down.

Have you noticed? Most people who go out to photograph or film wild horses… keep going back. 😉

Emotional, Mental & Physical Benefits

Spending time with horses has been linked to:

🔹 Reduced stress + lower heart rate
🔹 Improved emotional regulation + presence
🔹 Support for trauma-awareness and mindful engagement

These benefits are why horses are increasingly included in therapeutic and wellness programs—and why so many people describe time with horses as healing, even when no words are exchanged.

When the Horse’s Heart Helps Heal Human Hearts

Across the country, horses—especially formerly wild mustangs—are playing a growing role in Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) programs that support emotional regulation, confidence, and connection.

The “Horses for Heroes Project,” a part of the Mustang Ambassador Program, works with formerly wild horses to support veterans, first responders, their families, and others experiencing stress or trauma.

In Equine Assisted Learning settings, participants work alongside horses on the ground—learning through presence, observation, and interaction. Horses provide immediate, honest feedback, responding to a person’s emotional state, focus, and intent in real time.

Participants are guided to reflect on these interactions and apply the lessons learned—such as awareness, boundaries, trust, and emotional regulation—to their relationships with other people. Through this process, many feel better equipped to communicate, respond thoughtfully, and remain grounded in their daily lives.

Importantly, Equine Assisted Learning programs do not drive wild horse removals. These programs work with horses already living in human care, often as part of broader education, adoption, or sanctuary efforts.

Benefits of the Wild Heart

Just as meaningful, experiencing horses living freely in the wild offers its own form of heart-healing—inviting awe, perspective, and a deeper sense of connection to the natural world. Because a horse’s electromagnetic field extends far beyond the body, quietly observing wild horses from a respectful distance offers a calming, grounding experience—honoring both the science of connection and the importance of allowing horses to remain wild.

Stillness Is the Medicine

Perhaps the greatest gift horses offer is not movement, but stillness. In a fast, overstimulated world, horses invite us into the present moment. Their hearts beat steadily. Their awareness is quiet but alert. When we slow down enough to meet them there, our own hearts often follow.

This Heart Month, we invite you to pause, breathe, and consider the simple miracle of the horse’s heart—strong, steady, and quietly teaching us how to reconnect with our own. 💙