The Effects of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Balance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of therapeutic horseback riding (THR) as an interven-tion to improve the balance of 30 individuals who par-ticipated in a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH INTL) therapeutic riding member program. The study lasted 10 weeks, with each participant receiving the intervention once a week for thirty minutes. The therapeutic riding program in-cluded several standard components in each session to challenge the balance of riders with disabilities. A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test-post-test design was used to examine the effects of THR for a single session, short-term 10-week period, and sustained effects after the program ended. The Multi-Directional Reach Test (MDRT; Newton, 2001) was used to quantify balance during the study. Paired t -tests were conducted to exam-ine a relationship between THR and balance outcomes. Recreational therapy applications and research implica-tions are also discussed. Subscribe to TRJ