Equinophobia

Equinophobia or hippophobia is a psychological fear of horses, derived from the Greek word 'Phobos', meaning fear and the Latin word 'Equus', meaning horse. The term hippophobia is also derived from the Greek word 'Phobos' and the prefix is derived from the Greek word for horse, 'Hippos'.

An example of the phobia can be found in Freud's psychoanalytic study of Little Hans.

Symptoms of Equinophobia

The following symptoms can be exhibited when a person suffering from Equinophobia either thinks of a horse or is physically near them:

• Feeling of terror

• Anxiety(even if the horse is calm)

• Trembling

• Panic

• Palpitations

• Shortness of breath

• Sudden increase in pulse rate

• Nausea

Causes of Equinophobia

Negative experiences with horses during one's childhood may give rise to this phobia. Many times, after being kicked off a horse, people avoid them and gradually, this develops from fear to a full blown phobia.

Treatment

Many treatment options are available for those suffering from it. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one form of therapy for people who suffer from certain phobias. It focuses on one's fears and the reason they exist. It tries to change and challenge the thought processes behind one's fear. Studies have shown that it has been effective in treating people with Equinophobia. Another treatment option is Systematic desensitization. This focuses on gradually acclimating patients to their phobias. The first step in this process may involve thinking about horses. The second step may be looking at pictures of horses. Once the patient gets comfortable with the images, they may proceed to meeting a horse, touching a horse, and finally riding a horse. For extreme cases, it may also be necessary to use medication, even though its effects are only short term.

References

• http://www.allaboutcounseling.com/library/equinophobia/
• http://www.phobia-fear-release.com/equinophobia.html

See also

• List of phobias