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Abstract
For centuries, horses have been suggested as “healers” and “helpers,” although it wasn’t until the 1900s that horseback riding was scientifically proven as a treatment and rehabilitation method. The exploitation of hippotherapy, the implementation of the three-dimensional pelvic movement stimulated by the oscillation and gait of the horse to combat symptoms of diseases and disorders, has since become a flourishing field of study, but one that is often overlooked. Benefits of hippotherapy often include increased motor neuron function, facilitating proper anatomical alignment, and reducing spasticity. This research analyzes the diverse and dynamic nature of treatment that hippotherapy facilitates, exploring the utilization of hippotherapy and its effectiveness of rehabilitation for those facing chronic non-progressive encephalopathy (also known as Cerebral Palsy). Cerebral Palsy, a non-degenerative disorder, is a result of a neural lesion or cranial damage and it often results in issues such as reduced mobility, decreased range of motion, and increased spasticity. As a result, this research focuses on the effectiveness of hippotherapy’s unique ability to offer a multidisciplinary rehabilitation framework including the reduction of spasticity and fatigue as well as increase in range of motion and increased neuromuscular activation, muscle strength, balance, and overall coordination. Additionally, this study includes how hippotherapy, an underutilized alternative form of therapy, has been and continues to be proven as an effective treatment and rehabilitation. In the United States alone, 1 in 345 children suffer from a form of Cerebral Palsy; however, only 2% of those who could benefit from hippotherapy actually receive it. Reviewing this research demonstrates the immense benefits that hippotherapy provides and breaks down how it combats symptoms associated with Cerebral Palsy, proving it is more than “just horseback riding.”
Publication Date
2026
Subject Major(s)
Hippotherapy, Physical Therapy, Neuron Function
Keywords
Hippotherapy
Current Academic Year
Sophomore
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Professor Christopher Rudeen
Sponsorship or Grant Funding
Virginia Commonwealth University. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
Rights
© The Author(s)
Disciplines
Alternative and Complementary Medicine | Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment | Animal Sciences | Neuroscience and Neurobiology
Is Part Of
VCU Undergraduate Research Posters
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Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons, Animal Sciences Commons, Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons