Effects of Horseback Riding on the Postural Control of Autistic Children: A Multiple Baseline Across-subjects Design.

The sample size was very small (nine children), which limits the generalisability of the findings. The study used a single-case design without a concurrent control group, so natural development or other factors cannot be ruled out as causes of improvement. The intervention included multiple components: horseback riding, specific exercises, and intense social/sensory interaction. The contribution of riding itself cannot be separated from the other elements. Participants were excluded if they had severe behavioural problems or took medication affecting the nervous system, so the results may not apply to children with more complex needs. The study did not measure functional outcomes, such as whether improved platform balance translated to better performance in daily activities like dressing or walking. Blinding was impossible due to the nature of the intervention, and the researchers knew when the intervention was occurring.

The study was funded by Universitat Jaume I. No other conflicts of interest were reported.

Do not assume horseback riding normalises balance in autistic children. While scores improved significantly, the post-intervention values remained far outside the typical range for their age. Additionally, this was a small single-case study without a control group, so the improvement could be partly due to other factors like increased attention or routine.