1. Below is an overview of how and why therapeutic horse
riding is beneficial for patients.
How does it work?
Sensory integration is the ability of the brain to receive and process stimuli and then
offer an appropriate response. (localize, sort and direct senses)
When sensory integration problems occur the correct response is not given to the
stimuli received.
Sensory Integration Location and Specification
In
o see lines
o Hear instruction, draw a block
Sensory Integration
(processing)
Out
o Block drawn according to
instructions
In
o see lines
o Hear instruction, draw a block
Sensory Integration
(processing)
Out
o Instructions not followed
Sensory integration
Somato Sensory System Vestibular System

2. 1. Somato Sensory System-is located in the area of the brain
where the initial message is received: taste, touch, sight, smell,
hearing
1.1 Modulation (hyper-over sensitive or hypo- under
sensitive)
Affected Area Internal symptom External symptom
Concentration Day Dreamer Looking around
Emotions Withdraws, silent Manipulate, my way
Co-ordination Gross Motor Fine Motor
1.2 Discrimination
• Perception-See + Interpret:spatial awareness, geometry, word
sums, hand eye co-ordination, un-neat hand writing.
• Learning problems- struggle to copy from blackboard, lack of
concentration.
2. Vestibular apparatus
Three canals located in the inner ear with fluid inside, these canals are
located near the cerebellum; the more stimulation these canals receive
the more the cerebellum and brain stem are stimulated the faster
formation of neuro pathways and learning takes place.
Stimulation
The vestibular system is constantly stimulated by the movement of the
horse throughout the therapeutic lesson.

3. Effects of vestibular malfunction
Due to the integration of the vestibular apparatus into the cerebellum
there are many different symptoms and conditions that result as a
malfunction of the vestibular apparatus. Even if the conditions are not
linked directly to the vestibular apparatus the location and stimulation of
the apparatus is beneficial and helps in improving all conditions.
1. Post rotary Nystagmus test-tests if the vestibular system is over
active or underactive.
Underactive- only vestibular, passivity
Over active- vestibular and hemispherical, hyper active
2. Muscle tone-the normal state of tension of muscles in the body
while in a relaxed state.
High muscle tone (hypertonia)- found in cerebral damage patients
results in tightly contracted muscles
Low muscle tone (hypotonia)- Found in patients with learning
disabilities, sloppyposture,tire easily, fidgeta lot.
Therapy- work on muscle tones by correcting posture,the positionon
the horse also corrects, heat a massaging movementof horse also
normalizes muscle tone,trunk rotation exercises.
3. PosturaladjustmentMechanism-the ability to adjust the bodywhen
its positionchanges or environment changes.
Effects– Balance, reflexes,trunk rotation
Results- Hemisphericalintegration> trunk rotation> spatial perception>
swap letters and numbers> reading and spelling problems
Therapy- just riding the horse stimulates this, trunk rotation and balance
activities will help.
(-) 0 (+)
• 0 is normal
• (-) underactive
• (+) overactive

4. 4. Bilateralintegration-the ability to co-ordinate the use both limbs
simultaneously.
Results- does not want to hold book while writing, struggles with
crossing the midline, struggles to eat with knife and fork
Therapy- do activities with both hands, clapping hands, playing with
shaving cream in plate with both hands.
5. Laterality-the ability to have an accurate bodyconceptand idea of
where what is.
Results- Discerning right and left, midline activities, writes the wrong way
around.
Therapy- Gross motor activities that involve crossing of midline, figure
eight with arms.
6. Eye muscle co-ordination-Following with eyes, convergence,
peripheral vision, localisation.
Results- visual foreground problems,reading, copying from blackboard.
Therapy- let the patient follow an objectwith their eyes, shift focus to
near and far, work on peripheral
7. Speech-one canal of the vestibular apparatus is for speech,thus
stimulation by horse riding improves speech.
8. Proprioception-the ability to sense the position and space of the
body
Therapy- Apply pressure to ligaments around wrists (anxiety) and ankles
(active), calming the patient and improving muscle tone.
9. Hand eye co-ordinationand fine motor skills- hand eye co-
ordination is used to perform any action ( throwing a ball), fine motor
skills are used for precise movements.(colouring inside the lines)
Therapy- Work on shouldergirdle, Daman se Brachiaton- ladder into
class.
10. Praxis-the ability to formulate an idea and effectivelyexecute it.
Motor planning and oral Planning.
1. Ideation (Right brain)
2. Logic (Leftbrain)

5. 3. Doing (Right and Left brain)
Results- rhythm, repetition, judgement, work speed,scratching
Therapy- repetitive activities that require motor planning.
10. Hemisphericalintegration-the ability of both sides of the brain to
function effectively.
Learning styles-
Visual (right brain)
Audio (left brain)
Movement (both)
Functional dominance- the preferred dominant hand
Genetic dominance-inherited dominance
Brain and dominance cross over
The Lesson
The following can be stimulated during a lesson.
• Tactile system
• Muscle tone
• Balance
• Reflexes
• Trunk rotation
• Eye muscles
• Bilateral motor integration

6. • Body image and concept
• Discrimination
• Crossing of midline
• Spatial perception
• Speech
• Proprioception
• Hand eye co-ordination
• Fine Motor skills
• Praxis
• Hemispherical integration
• Unbalanced vestibular system
Set- up of lesson
1. Horses in middle of ring lined up for riders to get on.
2. 15 min upper limbs (on horseback, constant vestibular stimulation)
3. 5 min lower limbs (on horseback,constant vestibular stimulation)
4. 10 min riding
- go and stop
- sitting trot
- rising trot
- standing
- weaving through drums
5. Get off,thank horse and helper