Dr. Kimberly I. Tumlin’s purpose is to advance the science of asset-based resilience in people who interact with horses. Her research at the University of Kentucky builds on the growing evidence that the development of strengths outcomes contributes to healing. Nationally, human health transformation with horses lacks a single approach for measuring impact. To bridge this gap, Dr. Tumlin is working with the Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management conceptual framework and equine-assisted programs to understand how, when, and why psychosocial, learning, and physical activity approaches help in various populations. In addition, as the Director of Research for the Equestrian Athlete Initiative in the UK Sports Medicine Research Institute, she combines her lifelong equestrianism to research concussion injury, the mental health of athletes, and worker well-being.

Kimberly was inspired to research human-horse interactions because of her lifelong passion for horses and how horses helped her. She was part of a team working towards accreditation through the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA—now Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship International–PATH, Intl.) at Hoofbeats Therapeutic Riding Center in Virginia. Her firsthand observations of the power of horses and healing during their Cancer Camps has shaped her approach to trauma research and recovery.

To note, my vision is to have IPH-C be the location which houses a linked assessment process for equine-assisted programs across sectors (Therapy, learning, horsemanship) and be a place where personnel are trained in safety culture to inform efficacious and efficient treatments.