EQuestions and answers

I found a list of publications on research on therapeutic riding. I will investigate these for pertinent research. Much is related to physical therapy, occupational therapy, and hippotherapy. However, I will mine it with my inquiry in mind. Web site:
http://www.equest.org/misc/bibliography.shtml

EQuest

EQuest just checking to see if the commentary works

Another parent testimony

Mr. Mezzadra, as stated on the NARHA website, has attested to therapeutic riding and has "seen great strides in his daughter" who has mild MR and profound hearing loss with a cochlear implant. He says she gets very excited when they arrive, that her muscles relax when riding, that the horse's movement calms her, and that she imitates sounds and body movements.
I think this is an important observation by the father because it can be measureable. We need the researchers to carry this type of research out. I think I am getting some ideas that may be able to be drawn up and proposed to the Institutional Review Board.

Self Esteem and Therapeutic Riding

One study published on NARHA looked at pre and post self-esteem scores for five children ages 8-13 with CP, LD, and hypotonia who were engaged in therapeutic riding. Using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, these children did show significant increases in self esteem pre-post.
This was a minute pilot study, but could definitely have implications for future studies. It could be triangulated with other pieces of information, including parent perceptions.

Galty, C.M. (no date given). Psychosocial impact of therapeutic riding: A pilot study. retrieved from www.narha.org/PDFfiles/pyschosocial_impact.pdf June 8, 2006

Parent anecdote

I found an anecdote from a parent, Connie Lee, on the NARHA website. Her three year old daughter has "a serious medical disorder" and has had three brain hemmorages and multiple surgeries. She says that the therapeutic riding has been positive for her daughter; that her daughter is "being challenged and growing in every developmental area." She also states that her daughter is becoming very attached to the horse.
I would argue that most children become attached to the horses they ride. In addition, riding is challenging for all beginning riders. Again, measuring what growth is a result of the riding program and what is just normal development is warranted - but tricky to do.

Natural Environments

I have not been attentive to the blog lately -

Instruction in the natural environment requires significant planning. It should have clear, observable goals and reflect the principles of effective instructional practice. As researcher Steven Warren (1998) reminds us, these procedures "were developed because they can be embedded in the stream of ongoing interaction and can effectively accelerate the development of certain skills if they are used frequently, with fidelity, and within the child's zone of proximal development."
Given this goal for ECSE, isn't therapeutic horseback riding perfect?

Warren, S. (1998). Back to the future? Journal of Early Intervention, 21(4), 297-298.