Therapeutic riding is an rehabilitation programme, where the horse is the therapeutic medium; it improves the overall health and quality of life of people with physical, mental, or emotive disorders or handicaps.

The horse becomes an extension of their own body; it helps them venture into new experiences and discover unprecedented feelings: the pleasure of a ride or the thrill of a walk in the countryside, or, mainly, that precious sense of movement and personal independence.

The walk of a horse is similar to the human gait; therefore, it transmits to the rider's body that same movement which legs produce in people with no disabilities.

In this way, the torso muscles of people with mobility problems are strengthened significantly; at the same time, sitting in that particular upright posture promotes good respiration.

Therapeutic riding is a unique experience for people with handicaps, who never thought that they could ride; it differs from traditional treatments of gyms, physical therapy, and hydrotherapy.

XIV Congress of Therapeutic Horse Riding 24-27 April 2012