Research Project

Therapeutic Riding, Communication, and Autism

We are currently seeking grant funding for our research project that investigates the impact therapeutic riding and other horse-related activities on communication for children with autism.  Children’s communication prior to their first riding experience will be compared with communication during the riding lessons.  Multivariate analyses will reveal the effect of the riding experience on communication. We hypothesize that autistic children speak more when they are near horses, or in physical contact with them. 

This proposed project represents a ground-breaking study in the field of therapeutic riding.  The implications of such a study are far-reaching, and if our hypothesis holds true, will be able to impact children with autism the world over.

Our research team is composed of Wade Johnson MD, retired psychiatrist, Dr. Tom Ward PhD, Assistant Dean of Education at the College of William and Mary, Sandy Ward, PhD, Professor of Education at the College of William and Mary, Kelley Whalen, PhD, also of the College of William and Mary, and Nancy Hawfield, MA, CCC-SLP, MBA.

More Research Coming!

For more information about research using horses, visit the Horses and Humans Research Foundation: http://www.horsesandhumans.org/index.html