Research
Selected Research Reports
Stergiou A, Tzoufi M, Ntzani E, Varvarousis D, Beris A, Ploumis A. Therapeutic Effects of Horseback Riding Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Oct;96(10):717-725. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000726. PMID: 28252520. Equine-assisted (EA) therapies are supported by research and recommended by medical professionals for patients with a broad set of disabilities. A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis found that therapeutic riding and hippotherapy are viable interventions for patients with balance, gait, and psychomotor disorders.
Equine-assisted therapies using horses as healers: A concept analysis Sharon White-Lewis 27 September 2019. A 2019 concept analysis on “'horses as healers”' identified tangible benefits such as improved balance, well-being, quality of life, trust, spasticity, self-efficacy, self-esteem, pleasure, and a sense of accomplishment.
The Transmitter, January 2019 - “How to Help Low-Income Children with Autism”
National Institute of Health - “The Economic Costs of Childhood Disabilities”
Zhao M, Chen S, You Y, Wang Y, Zhang Y. “Effects of a Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program on Social Interaction and Communication in Children with Autism.” Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 6;18(5):2656. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052656. PMID: 33800787; PMCID: PMC7967314. A 16-week therapeutic horseback riding (THR) program led to significant improvements in overall social skills and communication abilities, including making eye contact, using gestures, and taking turns in conversations, among children with ASD.
Stergiou, et al. ”The efficacy of Equine Assisted Therapy intervention in gross motor function, performance, and spasticity in children with Cerebral Palsy.” A systematic review and meta-analysis found that THR interventions had significant therapeutic effects on gross motor function and spasticity reduction in children with cerebral palsy.
Weiss-Dagan, S., Naim-Levi, N. & Brafman, D. “Therapeutic horseback riding for at-risk adolescents in residential care.” Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 16, 90 (2022). Qualitative studies highlighted the benefits of THR in fulfilling the basic psychological needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness, which can increase motivation for treatment and psychological well-being in at-risk adolescents.
THR has been associated with positive effects on emotional well-being, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and overall quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
Zhao M, Chen S, You Y, Wang Y, Zhang Y. “Effects of a Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program on Social Interaction and Communication in Children with Autism.” Funded 2019. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 6;18(5):2656. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052656. PMID: 33800787; PMCID: PMC7967314. The multisensory stimulating environment and therapeutic interactions with horses during THR activities are believed to contribute to the observed benefits.
Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI | Principal Investigator: Laurie McDuffee, DVM, PhD, DACVS, “Psychophysiological effects of Equine-assisted therapy on horses and in veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).” Funded 2019. Measures of anxiety decreased at the end of each session when measured daily.
Elizabeth Kemeny, PhD, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA, “The Effect of Therapeutic Riding on Stress Levels in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders," Funded 2016.
Publication in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, DOI 10.1007/s10803-021-05136-z
Limited research with younger children, ages 5-15, suggests that therapeutic riding (TR) improves gross motor and postural skills (Hawkins, Ryan, Cory, & Donaldson, 2014), spontaneous verbalization (Holm et al., 2014), irritability, hyperactivity, social cognition, and receptive communication skills (Ajzenman, Standeven, & Shurtleff, 2013) as well as quality of life (Lanning, Baier, Ivey-Hatz, Krenek, & Tubbs, 2014).
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA, Principal Investigator: Tim Shurtleff, Funded 2011, “Effects of Hippotherapy on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.”Based upon these results, hippotherapy treatment may provide another alternative treatment that could enable children with ASD to participate more in typical activities of childhood with their peers. Status: Pilot study published in American Journal of Occupational Therapy, Nov/Dec 2013.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Margaret Bass, “The Effect of Equine Assisted Activities on the Social Functioning in Children with Autism” Good Hope Equestrian Training Center - Miami, FL. The results of this study indicate that EAA activities may be a valuable therapeutic option for children with autism spectrum disorders. More specifically, compared to waitlist control participants, autistic children in the experimental group improved in critical areas such as sensory seeking, emotional reactive, inattention/distractibility and sensory sensitivity. The experimental subjects also demonstrated improved cognition, communication as well as motivation following the intervention. Submitted for publication, pilot study results published in the Journal for Autism & Developmental Disorders.
A Record Number of Kids Are in Special Education—and It’s Getting Harder to Help Them All, WSJ, 20240620
B. Rhett Rigby, Ronald W. Davis, Melissa D. Bittner, Robin W. Harwell, Eileen J. Leek, Geoben A. Johnson and David L. Nichols, Changes in Motor Skill Proficiency After Equine-Assisted Activities and Brain-Building Tasks in Youth With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Front. Vet. Sci., 31 January 2020
Ohtani N, Kitagawa K, Mikami K, Kitawaki K, Akiyama J, Fuchikami M, Uchiyama H and Ohta M (2017) Horseback Riding Improves the Ability to Cause the Appropriate Action (Go Reaction) and the Appropriate Self-control (No-Go Reaction) in Children. Front. Public Health 5:8. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2017.00008
Drew C. Coman; Margaret P. Bass; Michael Alessandri; Christine S. Ghilain and Maria M. Llabre, Effect of Equine-Assisted Activies on Social and Sensory Functioning of Children with Autism, Society and Animals, Dec 17, 10.1163/15685306-12341479
Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, Gary Phillips, Emily Darrough, Sarah DeAnna, Marie Jarden, Denise Johnson & Gwendolen Lorch Equine-Assisted Intervention for People with DementiaAnthrozoös Vol. 27 , Iss. 1,2014
Harris, Androulla and Williams, Joanne M., The Impact of a Horse Riding Intervention on the Social Functioning of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(7), 776; doi: 10.3390/ijerph14070776
Gabriels, R.L., Pan, Z., Dechant, B., Agnew, J.A., Brim, N. & Mesibov, G. (2015) Randomized controlled trial of therapeutic horseback riding in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, The Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Pyschiatry, vol. 54, no. 7, 541-49.
Guest Editorial: Examining effects of equine-assisted activities to help combat veterans improve quality of life Beth A. Planning, PhD, MCHES; Nancy Krenek, PT, HPCS, http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2013.07.0159
Effects of therapeutic horseback riding on post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans, Rebecca A. Johnson, David L. Albright, James R. Marzolf, et al. Military Medical Research 20185:3
Effect of Hippotherapy on Motor Control, Adaptive Behaviors, and Participation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study, Heather F. Ajzenman; John W. Standeven; Tim L. Shurtleff, American Journal of Occupational Therapy, November 2013, Vol.67, 653-663.
Dabelko – Schoeny, H., Phillips, G., Darrough, E., DeAnna, S., Jardin, M., Johnson, D., & Lorch, G. (2014). Equine animal -assisted intervention for persons with dementia: Not just “horsing around”. Anthrozoos, Vol. 27, no.1, 141 -155
Borgi, et. al. Effectiveness of a Standardized Equine-Assisted Therapy Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, ISSN 0162-3257, J Autism Dev Disord, DOI 10.1007/s10803-015-2530-6
Stergiou A1, Tzoufi M, Ntzani E, Varvarousis D, Beris A, Ploumis A., Therapeutic Effects of Horseback Riding Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis., Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Mar 1. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000726. This paper includes an excellent bibliography.