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The use of horseback riding as physical therapy is a rapidly growing concept. The benefits have proven to be enormous for individuals with all types of disabilities, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, autism and intellectual disability. Research shows that students that participate in therapeutic riding experience physical, emotional and mental rewards. Because of the gentle rhythm of the horse's movements, a rider who is unable to walk alone can experience a motion similar to the human gait, thereby improving abilities to be flexible, to have better balance and better muscle strength.
Horseback riding is also therapeutic for those with mental disabilities. The unique relationship that forms between horse and rider can lead to an increase in confidence, patience and self-esteem. A student who has always been too "slow" to participate in normal school athletics, as in the case of a student with intellectual disability, can now demonstrate their abilities through horseback riding. In many cases, the horse becomes an "equalizer" for the student.
