Abstract

Although horseback riding therapy has been reported to have beneficial physical and emotional effects, few studies have validated these benefits due to the difficulty of simultaneously measuring humans and horses on horse tracks. In this study, we developed an assistive device to encourage posture correction in older adults during horseback riding and evaluated its effectiveness in both experienced and beginner riders. The participants included four experienced older horse riders (mean age: 68.8 years) and four beginner older horse riders (mean age: 81.5 years). A trial wedge-shaped supportive device for horse riding (wedge) was developed, with seating angles of 3º, 5º, and 7º. Motion analysis was performed to obtain mean peak angles of the neck, spine, and knee, mainly observed in the sagittal plane during riding. In addition, a riding therapy instructor performed qualitative postural analyses of horse-riding posture. A multiple comparison test showed significant differences between experienced and beginner riders and between wedge angles of 0º and 3º, 0º and 5º, and 0º and 7º. In the posture qualitative evaluation scores, horse riding skill and wedge angle were found to have significant main effects. However, it was difficult to clarify the relationship between quantitative and qualitative postural analysis in this study. In future studies, we intend to verify the effects of the wedge by performing a more detailed analysis. The preliminary study suggested that the assistive wedge-shaped device for older adults to maintain proper limb positioning suggest that the device could improve the riding posture of older adults in horseback riding therapy.

Keywords:Horseback riding therapy; Older adults; Posture; Device