Equine-assisted therapy for children with neurodisability
Published May 2014
Download the full evidence summary PDF: Therapy with Horses (Equine-Assisted Therapies)
PLEASE NOTE: This summary was produced more than 4 years ago. Information provided may be out of date. If you think it would be helpful to update this summary please contact us at pencru@exeter.ac.uk
What were we asked?
Two questions were received about equine-assisted therapies. One asked about the general evidence base for this type of therapy for children with disabilities, and the other question asked more specifically about the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Key findings
There is limited evidence that equine-assisted therapies may produce short-term improvements in mobility, postural control and balance for some children with cerebral palsy.
There is little evidence that equine-assisted therapy is effective for other conditions such as ADHD and ASD.
More rigorous research is needed to clarify which children are likely to benefit from equine-assisted therapy, what ‘benefits’ are expected, and the optimum frequency and duration of therapy.
However, horse riding is an activity that many children enjoy and helps to keep them fit.