European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Autism Symptoms. Twenty children ranging from 8 to 15 years of age with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) participated in this study. For 12 weeks, all participants received therapeutic riding session once weekly. The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale test was conducted pre- and post-intervention to establish overall change in ASD severity. According to the results of the present study, it can be inferred that the intervention significantly reduces the symptoms of autism (stereotypical behaviour) in the experimental group. The results provide evidence that therapeutic horseback riding may be an effective treatment for children with ASD.