The Potential and Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities in a Day Care Center for Children and Adolescents with Developmental Disorders

Abstract This study examined whether equine-assisted therapy is effective for treating developmental disorders. Equine-assisted activities (not including horseback riding) were performed once a week for 10 months at a Japanese daycare center. Social maturity and self-esteem were assessed every two months. The participants were six children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), three with autism spectrum disorder, three with anxiety disorder, and one each with obsessive-compulsive disorder, reactive attachment disorder, and somatic symptom disorder. The equine-assisted activities improved self-esteem in all participants. Improvements in occupation in those who continued for 10 months and self-direction in those with ADHD were observed.