Effect of therapeutic horseback riding on balance in community-dwelling older adults with balance deficits.

The research article investigates the impact of a therapeutic horseback riding (TR) program on balance and quality of life in older adults who have balance issues. The study found that the TR program significantly improved balance scores and perceptions of general health, potentially reducing the risk of falls in this population.

Study Overview

• The study was a pretest-posttest single-group trial that sought to explore the effects of a therapeutic horseback riding program on balance and quality of life in older adults having existing balance difficulties.
• The participants were nine community-dwelling adults—consisting of five females and four males—with an average age of 76.4 years and known balance deficits.
• The program spanned 24 weeks, starting with an 8-week observational period, followed by an 8-week TR program which included one hour of supervised horseback riding per week, concluding with an 8-week follow-up period.
• The program used balance testing methods at 0, 8, 16, and 24-week intervals using the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FABS). The quality of life was measured at weeks 8 and 16 with the use of the Rand SF 36 quality-of-life measure.

Key Findings

• There was no notable change detected in balance scores from the start to the end of the initial 8-week observation period
• At the end of the TR program, significant progress was noted in the participant’s balance scores and general health perception
• There was no significant difference in balance and health perception registered between the end of the TR program and the end of the complete study, indicating that the improvements gained might have been sustained over the follow-up period.

Study Conclusions

• The TR program was deemed a safe activity suitable for older adults with mild to moderate balance deficits
• The program was effective in enhancing balance and perceived quality of life in the participants
• However, the research calls for more comprehensive and large-scale studies to further examine the utility of equine-assisted activities in improving balance and lowering fall risk in older adults.