Three minutes changes teen mood

A new study found that teenagers who spent just three minutes petting rescued donkeys and miniature horses immediately felt less anxious, sad, and lonely while feeling calmer.

“interacting with nature could make such a positive difference so quickly”

The animals matter too

Researchers focused on how the animals reacted to different interactions, recognizing that both the teen and the donkey are making choices and responding to each other.

“You can't stand in a pasture watching a child and a donkey interact and pretend only one of them is having an experience”

Two different petting techniques tested

Sixty-one teenagers were split into two groups: one gently stroked donkey backs while the other scratched their necks, which mimics how equines groom each other.

Donkeys showed clear preferences

Donkeys wriggled their lips more during neck-scratching and usually walked away when petted on the back, showing they had distinct preferences for how they wanted to be touched.

Seeing choice matters most

Teens who saw donkeys wriggle their lips experienced bigger decreases in loneliness, while those whose donkeys walked away had bigger reductions in sadness. The key was recognizing the animal's agency.

“Seeing an animal exercise choice may make the interaction feel more authentic”

It's about reciprocity

The real benefit comes from the two-way interaction where teens see the animal is free to approach, stay, or walk away. This authenticity is what makes the therapy work.

“It's a story about reciprocity”