Research summaries for autism therapy: therapeutic horseback riding

definition of therapeutic horseback riding: Therapy that involves individuals interacting with and riding on horses. Therapeutic horseback riding may be beneficial to people with a variety of special needs, including children with autism. Therapeutic Horseback riding can encompass many different disciplines and is a recreational lesson that can be used for social, educational or other reasons.
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The Effect of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Social Functioning in Children with Autism, Summarized Oct 5, 2009

Therapeutic horseback riding may improve social skills in children with autism.

Children with autism who rode horses as therapy showed improvements in several social skills after 12 weeks of therapy. This study compared before-therapy and after-therapy scores on social skills tests for 19 children (5-10 years old). Children were improved in sensory seeking and sensitivity. They also had more social motivation and were less distracted. The authors said that this is the first study to measure the impact of horseback riding on social skills in children with autism.

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Current Approaches to Intervention in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: Commentary, Summarized Aug 15, 2007

There is a lot of research going on right now on how and why children move the way they do.... The review focuses on how to help these children by targeting therapies at the tasks the children want to learn to do (riding a bike). Motor control research shows that in many cases the problems come when a child cannot switch his gaze from one part of the task to the next part of the task.... Read more...

Current Approaches to Intervention in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder, Summarized Aug 14, 2007

Movement coaches can help focus their different therapies on teaching a child how to move better through space.

Some children with autism are clumsy (development coordination disorder (DCD)). There are not many therapies that have been shown to help children who are clumsy. This review article describes how sensory integration therapy can be one tool. In order for the therapy to work, the child has to be an active part of the therapy. Therapy should focus on tasks that have meaning for the child (e.g., riding a bicycle, drawing, and writing). Parents can also learn how they can help to change the task so that it is easier for the child. Read more...

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Synonyms for therapeutic horseback riding include: horseback riding, riding, riding therapy, therapeutic riding
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