Influence of therapeutic horseback riding on balance development among children with special needs

Motor ability in the scope of skills characterized by the willingness and readiness of both rider’s and horse’s locomotive system to oppose the various gravitational, centrifugal and centripetal forces as well as inertia, imposed by accelerating or decelerating movement, has been defined as balance. Considering the importance of balance within the development of cognitive, neuro-motor, sensory-motor, psycho-motor and socio-emotional skills of children and youth with special needs, the research has been conducted to determine the significance of therapeutic horseback riding in terms of balance development among subjects with special needs. Therapeutic horseback riding is a supplement to the existing rehabilitation programs (faster achievement of therapeutic goals). The therapy itself provides a new quality and contribution to the subject’s health condition overall. The structure and the movement of human and horse’s pelvises are very similar and therefore while on the horseback subjects feel as if they walk by themselves. Physically speaking, the outcome of aforementioned process is correction of the subject’s balance. The horse in the motion constantly unbalances the rider. To maintain on the horseback, rider must engage the specific group of muscles i.e. counterbalance the movement of the horse. The study encompasses nine test subjects, users of therapeutic horseback riding program for children and youth with special needs, out of which six males and three females, four with Down syndrome (Down›s syndrome), one with mild mental retardation, one with cerebral paralysis, one with hemiparesis, two with disharmonic development (one child displays symptoms of mild mental retardation whereas the other one shows preserved intellectual capacity). The longitudinal survey by using a battery of balance tests has primarily revealed balance improvement as well as significant progress in terms of cognitive, physical, emotional, social, educational and behavioral characteristics of children and youth with special needs, i.e. users of therapeutic horseback riding program.