Hippotherapy in neurodevelopmental disorders: a narrative review focusing on cognitive and behavioral outcomes

摘要: Hippotherapy (HT) is a rehabilitative tool inducing psychological and motor improvements using human-horse interaction. HT provides sensory stimulation to the rider through the rhythmic and repetitive movements of the horse, facilitating communication between patients and healthcare professionals, favoring the establishment of a therapeutic alliance. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the effects of HT treatment on cognitive-behavioral processes in neurodevelopmental disorders. We screened studies published between 2002 and 2020 on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Sciences databases. The search combined the following terms: “hippotherapy”; “horseback riding”; “equine-assisted therapy”; “developmental disorder”; “autism spectrum disorder”; “dyspraxia”; “infantile cerebral palsy”; and “attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder”. This review shows that HT can be a valuable tool for the treatment …