NCT07497035

Equine Therapy Programme on Stress, Autonomy and Balance in School-age Children With Intellectual Disabilities

Influence of an Equine Therapy Programme on Variables Related to Stress, Autonomy and Balance in School-age Children With Intellectual Disabilities

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Universidad Pontificia Comillas · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 22 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to determine the impact of an equine therapy programme on the emotional state and autonomy of school-aged individuals with intellectual disabilities. Methodology: pre-post quasi-experimental study of a single group. Study subjects: individuals with intellectual disabilities enrolled at the Cambrils special education school. Variables related to stress (salivary cortisol), balance, autonomy, vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, pulse oximetry) and clinical variables will be collected. Intervention: this will consist of 30 minutes of equine therapy and 30 minutes of activities related to horse care. All variables will be collected in an initial baseline measurement and some variables (stress, balance, autonomy and vital signs) will be monitored during and after the intervention.

Detailed description

Horse-assisted therapy (HAT) or equine therapy has been defined by the National Centre for Equine Facilitated Therapy as a treatment strategy that uses equine movement as part of a coordinated intervention programme to achieve physical, emotional, occupational, and cognitive goals. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of an equine therapy programme on the emotional state and autonomy of school-aged individuals with intellectual disabilities. Methodology: pre-post quasi-experimental study of a single group. The research will be carried out at the facilities of the Yabusan Equestrian Club. Study subjects: individuals with intellectual disabilities enrolled at the Cambrils special education school. Variables related to stress (salivary cortisol), balance, autonomy, vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, pulse oximetry), and clinical variables will be collected. Intervention: This will consist of 30 minutes of horse therapy in which the subject participates according to the degree of their disability. There are three types of therapy: hippotherapy, therapeutic riding, and adapted riding. The second intervention consists of 30 minutes of activities related to horse care (feeding, grooming, physical contact). Follow-up and data collection: all variables will be collected in an initial baseline measurement, and some variables (stress, balance, autonomy, and vital signs) will be monitored during and after the intervention.

Conditions

• Intellectual Disability

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	EQUINE THERAPY	EQUINE THERAPY AND HORSE CARE

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-10-10
• Primary completion: 2026-05-25
• Completion: 2026-07-06
• First posted: 2026-03-27
• Last updated: 2026-03-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain