Therapy Decision Guide
Therapeutic horseback riding is not covered under OAP core clinical services because riding instructors are not regulated health professionals. If an occupational therapist uses hippotherapy (OT on horseback) within their regulated scope, those sessions may qualify for OAP funding.
Ask any prospective provider which of these credentials they hold, and confirm the credential with the relevant regulatory college before starting.
The horse's walk produces a three-dimensional pelvic movement that mimics human walking. This rhythmic sensory input provides deep proprioceptive and vestibular stimulation. For autistic individuals with sensory processing differences, this input can be organizing and regulating. The warm body temperature of the horse adds tactile input.
Riding sessions incorporate structured activities targeting specific goals. Riders may practice following multi-step instructions, turn-taking with peers, sequencing grooming tasks, or navigating obstacle courses. The horse serves as a powerful motivator — children who resist traditional therapy settings often engage eagerly with horses.
Programs typically include ground-based activities alongside mounted work. Grooming, leading, and tacking require motor planning, bilateral coordination, and following sequences. The barn environment provides natural opportunities for social interaction, emotional regulation, and sensory exploration in a non-clinical setting.
Bass, Duchowny, and Llabre (2009) published a randomized controlled trial in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Participants receiving 12 weeks of therapeutic riding showed significant improvements in social motivation, sensory sensitivity, attention, and reduced distraction and sedentary behaviour compared to a waitlist control group.
Gabriels et al. (2015) conducted a larger RCT published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Results showed significant improvements in irritability, hyperactivity, social cognition, and social communication after 10 weeks. The evidence base is growing but remains classified as emerging due to small sample sizes and methodological variation.
Ontario has numerous therapeutic riding centres accredited by the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA). CanTRA certifies instructors and maintains safety standards for therapeutic riding programs. Centres operate across the province — from urban areas near Toronto to rural communities.
Families should distinguish between therapeutic riding and hippotherapy. Therapeutic riding is led by certified riding instructors. Hippotherapy is a medical treatment strategy delivered by occupational therapists, physiotherapists, or speech-language pathologists on horseback. Only hippotherapy may qualify for OAP funding when delivered by a regulated professional.
Bass, Duchowny & Llabre (2009)
The effect of therapeutic horseback riding on social functioning in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39(9), 1261-1267.
Gabriels et al. (2015)
Randomized controlled trial of therapeutic horseback riding in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54(7), 541-549.
O'Haire (2013)
Animal-assisted intervention for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic literature review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(7), 1606-1622.
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) delivered to children aged 18–30 months produced significant gains in IQ, adaptive behaviour, and autism severity — some children no longer met diagnostic criteria at follow-up
Cochrane systematic review finds evidence that early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) may produce positive effects on adaptive behaviour and communication for young children with ASD (low certainty of evidence)
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements — less than one in four