The Effectiveness of Hippotherapy for Children With Language-Learning Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of hippotherapy versus traditional therapy for children with language-learning disabilities. Three boys, ages 9, 10, and 12 years, and their parents independently completed a satisfaction questionnaire at the end of traditional therapy (T1) and again at the end of hippotherapy (T2). A comparison of the responses from T1 and T2 indicated that both the parents and the children reported improvement in speech and language abilities after both therapies. Overall, responses were noticeably higher following hippotherapy, with additional benefits of improved motivation and attention also reported.