Cardiorespiratory and biomechanical responses to simulated recreational horseback riding in healthy children

Self-Reported Physical Activity and Perception of Athleticism in American Equestrian Athletes

BACKGROUND

Over 75% of American adults are not meeting aerobic and muscular physical activity recommendations, with the majority being females. Equestrian activities are a potential avenue to increase physical activity, especially in females who account for approximately 90% of sport participants. This study describes perceptions of equestrian activities and establishes the patterns of self-reported equestrian, barn work, and nonequestrian physical activity engagement to understand participation in activities that may sustain physical activity across the lifespan.

METHODS

American equestrians (n = 2551) completed an anonymous online survey with questions about perceptions and benefits of equestrian activities, demographics, and engagement in equestrian activities, barn work, and nonequestrian activities.

RESULTS

There were 2039 completed responses, (95.6% female), with representation from all regions of the United States. Professionals (20.6%), amateurs (39.1%), and recreational (40.3%) comprised participation status. Significantly fewer recreational participants perceived equestrian as physical activity and as a sport than amateurs (P < .05) and professionals (P < .05). Engagement in equestrian and barn work physical activity was significantly higher in professionals (P < .0001), followed by amateurs (P < .0001), with the lowest in recreational equestrians (P = .001). Professional and amateur equestrians engaged in significantly more nonequestrian physical activity than recreational participants (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Equestrian physical activity engagement is dependent on the status of participation. Equestrian, barn work, and nonequestrian physical activity do meet physical activity aerobic and muscular recommendations and should be encouraged as a physical activity for females across the lifespan.

Puberal and Adolescent Horse Riders' Fitness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Effects of Training Restrictions on Health-Related and Functional Motor Abilities

The aim of the study was to analyse the fitness level of young horse riders before and after 12 weeks of training restrictions instituted due to the COVID-19 emergency. Anthropometrical measure assessment and an eight-items fitness test battery were administered to 61 puberal and adolescent female amateur horse riders. Subjects were evaluated within 3 weeks before (pre-tests) the period of training restrictions and on the first day of normal training after it (post-tests). Post-test results showed significant increases in body weight (Z: −1.732; p value: 0.001; ES: −0.157) and BMI (F: 9.918; p value: 0.003; ES: 0.146), whilst the performance in hand grip and abdominal strength, hip mobility, and 10 × 5 m Shuttle and Cooper 12 min tests’ outcomes significantly decreased (F: 29.779; p value: 0.001 F: 29.779; p value: 0.001 F: 29.779; p value: 0.001 F: 29.779; p value: 0.001 F: 29.779; p value: 0.001, respectively). Correlation analysis revealed that riders’ experience was significantly correlated with hand grip (p < 0.01), leg strength (p < 0.01), hip mobility (p < 0.05), and 5 × 10 m Shuttle (p < 0.01) and the Cooper 12 min (p < 0.01) test results. It could be suggested that equestrian activities could produce a higher fitness level in puberal and adolescent riders, whilst home-based, unsupervised, and unattentively planned training during the twelve weeks of training restrictions might be insufficient to maintain it.

Effects of Simulated Horseback Riding on Balance, Postural Sway, and Quality of Life in Older Adults With Parkinson's Disease

The purpose of this study was to determine changes in balance, postural sway, and quality of life after 6 wk of simulated horseback riding in adults diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Eight older adults completed two 60-min riding sessions weekly for 6 wk. Variables of balance, postural sway, and quality of life were measured 6 wks before and within 1 wk before and after the intervention. Berg Balance Scale scores decreased from baseline to preintervention (48.36 ± 5.97 vs. 45.86 ± 6.42, p = .050) and increased from preintervention to postintervention (45.86 ± 6.42 vs. 50.00 ± 4.38, p = .002). Cognitive impairment, a dimension of quality of life, improved from baseline to postintervention (37.5 ± 20.5 vs. 21.5 ± 14.4, p = .007). Six weeks of simulated horseback riding may improve balance and cognitive impairment in older adults with Parkinson's disease.

Influence of Horseback Riding and Horse Simulator Riding on Heart Rate Variability: Are There Differences?

This study aimed to compare the heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy young people while riding a real horse or a horse gait simulator. The sample consisted of a group of 23 healthy young adults aged 22.91 (2.37), who rode a horse for five minutes at walking speed and spent five minutes on a horse gait simulator, while their HRV values were being recorded. Furthermore, immediately after each protocol, the HRV at rest was also recorded to observe the acute effects. We used the paired samples t-test to compare between the HRV during the horse-riding and the horse simulator-riding activities, as well as the differences in the acute effects between both situations. The findings indicate that the HRV was lower when participants were riding the horse compared with the activity on the horse simulator. However, no differences were observed immediately after the two protocols. Therefore, we state that the sympathetic tone is higher while riding a real horse than while riding a horse simulator. These differences may be due to emotional aspects and not due to differences in the physical load, considering the absence of differences in the acute effects.

Equine Exercise in Younger and Older Adults: Simulated Versus Real Horseback Riding

Horseback riding is an effective exercise for improving postural control and balance. To reduce costs and improve accessibility, simulated horseback riding has been developed; but no differential effects of simulated and real horseback riding on muscle activation patterns in older adults have been studied. Thus, we compared muscle activation patterns for older and younger adults engaged in real and simulated horseback riding exercises, using surface electromyography recordings of the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, internal oblique abdominis, and rectus femoris muscles. We recorded muscle activity for three riding patterns: walk, slow trot, and fast trot. Muscle activation was uniformly higher for simulated (vs. real) horseback riding and increased from the walking pattern through slow and fast trot. There was no age effect, but among older participants, muscle activation was higher for simulated (vs. real) horseback riding across all gait types. Simulated and real riding produced a similar pattern of muscle activation of the thigh and trunk. These results demonstrate that simulated horseback riding can be an effective alternative to actual riding for increasing trunk and thigh muscle activation and improving postural control and balance, perhaps especially among older adults.

Changes in Cardiorespiratory Responses and Kinematics With Hippotherapy in Youth With and Without Cerebral Palsy

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to characterize pelvic displacement and cardiorespiratory responses to simulated horseback riding and walking in youth with cerebral palsy and to compare responses to youth without cerebral palsy before and after 8 weeks of hippotherapy.

METHOD

Eight youth with cerebral palsy (M_age = 10 ± 4 years; M_height = 137 ± 24 cm; M_weight = 32 ± 16 kg) and 8 youth without cerebral palsy (M_age = 11 ± 2 years; M_height = 149 ± 14 cm; M_weight = 48 ± 15 kg) underwent a hippotherapy intervention. Participants completed simulated horseback riding at an intensity approximating a fast walk (0.65 Hz) and walked on a treadmill (1 mph, 0% grade) before and after hippotherapy. Pelvic displacement along the anterior-posterior, vertical, and medial-lateral axes, heart rate, oxygen consumption, ventilation, and blood pressure were measured at rest and during steady-state exercise in both exercise modes.

RESULTS

Kinematics and cardiorespiratory responses were similar between the 2 groups during simulated horseback riding (p > .05 for all) before the intervention. Significantly greater cardiorespiratory responses were observed in the youth with cerebral palsy compared with the group without cerebral palsy while walking before and after the intervention (p <  .05, effect sizes 26% to 237% greater). Eight weeks of hippotherapy did not alter responses, but anecdotal improvements in gait, balance, posture, and range of motion were observed in those with cerebral palsy.

CONCLUSION

These results contribute to our understanding regarding the efficacy of hippotherapy as an intervention to improve functional abilities in those with cerebral palsy.