Human Movement Sciences: Psychomotor Therapy

Objective: To evaluate the effect of equine assisted therapy (EAT) in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Design: Prospective single-blinded clinical trial. Setting/location: SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center, Corinth, Texas. Methods: Sixty children ranging from 2 to 14 years of age with a diagnosis of ASD participated in this study. During 10 weeks, all patients received EAT once weekly. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was conducted preand post-treatment to establish overall change in ASD severity. The Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was completed pre-, mid-, and post-treatment for assessing both overall change in ASD severity and the effects on specific areas of functioning (communication, sociability, sensory/cognitive awareness, and physical behavior). Results: After 10 weeks of EAT, a significant improvement in ASD severity was observed. Improvements in ASD severity were larger for patients who received more EAT lessons and for patients with milder forms of ASDs prior to therapy. Effects on the specific areas of functioning were all significant, with the largest effects on sociability and sensory/cognitive awareness. Conclusions: EAT may be an effective treatment for children with ASDs.