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The Effect Of Grooming And Therapeutic Riding By Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder On Equine Salivary Cortisol Concentrations, Morgan Shields
The Effect Of Grooming And Therapeutic Riding By Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder On Equine Salivary Cortisol Concentrations, Morgan Shields
Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects
The use of horses in therapeutic riding programs, especially for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has grown, yet the impact of grooming and riding on equine stress levels remains unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of grooming and therapeutic riding on salivary cortisol concentrations of 10 horses in a therapeutic riding program. Samples were taken pre and post over two control and grooming days and over two series of nine therapeutic riding lessons for adolescents with ASD. On grooming days, each horse was groomed using a set protocol. On riding days, horses were ridden …