Horse riding and ASD

Anecdotal evidence only but, I used to volunteer regularly with a local RDA group(only on committee now), our riders, both adults and children, had a variety of learning disabilities, with associated physical disabilities, including ASD and some adults had MH issues. We had two little girls in particular, who did not speak at all prior to starting riding, both were on the spectrum. One memorably uttered her first word 'puppy' after being taken to look at a litter of JRTs on the farm, after her riding session had finished while the other gradually started to speak during the many years that she rode with the group.
 
I volunteer with a RDA group once a week, which includes helping children on the autistic spectrum as well as children with physical disabilities. The postitive changes that are seen in terms of concentration and posture week on week have to be seeen to be believed 😃😃
 
The yard where I keep my madam does Therapeutic Riding lessons & I see the benefits first hand for children and adults on the Spectrum 🙂
 
I care for a girl with autism and adhd. At school she is frankly hard work who never sits still and has no attention. She comes to the horses with me and she rides and leads the horses and calms right down.

My hyper toddler also never sits still except on a horse!
 
I volunteer at an RDA too - we have a lot of kids coming with autism. Some of them respond amazingly while they are with us and for some it seems to make no difference - but then we don't see how they are at home or at school.

We have a lot of schools as clients and I do think it's a real shame that the kids usually only get a term or half-term of riding so more of them can have an opportunity. I do understand the rationale, but I wish they could have longer.
 
Hi all,

Timely post for me! I'm a third year Trainee Clinical Psychologist, undertaking my thesis in Equine Therapy and females with autism. I feel very fortunate I'm able to conduct research into an area that is so close to my heart!
I'm looking for females aged 11-25 with a diagnosis of ASD who are undertaking/ have undertaken equine therapy to be interviewed about their experiences- I'm based at the University of Hertfordshire, but can travel.
If anyone is interested, do feel free to send me a PM for more information. I have full ethical approval for the study ( (Protocol number: aLMS/PGR/UH/03289(2)).
 
I am an adult female with ASD.
I struggle quite a lot day to day, with communication and social situations.
However my horses are my calm. My place to go for peace when I have had a noisy day at work, if I have things worrying me. When I am with the horses, my brain can empty and I am in that moment there. Definitely beneficial to me mentally.
 
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I am an adult on the spectrum and my weekly riding lessons transform my state of mind. I can be suffering from sever anxiety/panic attacks/chest pains en route to lesson and leave completely relaxed,calm and positive. My OH has gone from resisting me riding (too dangerous and expensive) to fully recognising the importance of riding to my mental health. I think it’s something about having to completely switch off and be in the present, plus the horses are so calming to be around.
 
A very good friend of mine's son has Autism. He had started regular riding lessons and definitely shown an improvement in communication and eye contact since starting. I'd not seen them for a while, and the difference was very notable. He's also apparently a lot calmer.
 
I'm definitely better when I'm around them but I think it would be impossible to decided how much of that was special interest effect or the equines themselves.

having my own has also been the source of some pretty epic meltdowns/shutdowns though, more than anything else.
 
When I was learning to ride some 30 odd years ago there was a boy in my group called David. I was too young to know the full story but he had to have fluid drained from his head on a regular basis. His dad said he hadn’t spoken a word in his life until he started riding, I always remember him as the loud one in the group! It clearly made a huge change to that young boys life and I often wonder what happened to him.
 
My youngest son was pretty much non verbal at the age of four until we put him on a pony. He had very unpredictable behaviour at the time too so I was quite worried about it, but from the moment he sat on it was like he accessed being calm from that moment. His speech improved dramatically, his behaviour too, he loves it. He is now eight and holding his own in a mainstream school which I never thought possible. He still rides, up to now just sat on and been led, but now wanting to do it for himself, he is a star.
My older daughter is still battling for a diagnosis as she masks at school, but everyone else sees it clearly. She is twelve so possibly the worst time of life and her pony is her lifeline. I see her anxiety relax, it's just her and him, she doesn't have to pretend with him they just are. It's beautiful, and I'm so grateful to him for giving her that relief that she can't get anywhere else!
 
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