Therapeutic Horsemanship in Veterans

NCT ID: NCT02891421

Last Updated: 2016-09-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 38 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-05-31
• Study Completion Date: 2015-02-28

Brief Summary

The project partnered with U.S. military veterans with a premier accredited therapeutic riding center for six weeks. The veterans interacted with horses by grooming and learning about them, as well as riding them for one hour per week during which they gained a variety of skills. We hoped the veterans would experience a reduction in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, and loneliness, while improving their social and emotional health and self-efficacy.

Detailed Description

Large numbers of post-deployed U.S. veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury make effective interventions urgent, to reduce symptoms and increase veterans' coping. PTSD includes anxiety, flashbacks, and emotional numbing. Symptoms expand health care costs for stress-related illnesses making veterans' civilian life difficult.

The proposed study used a randomized experimental design with repeated measures and waitlist control group testing the efficacy of a 6-week human-horse interaction and systematic therapeutic horseback riding program in: decreasing PTSD symptoms, increasing coping self efficacy, emotion regulation, and social engagement. The Riding Group spent one hour weekly interacting with and riding the same horse at one of two PATH-accredited riding centers in Mid-Missouri supervised by an Occupational Therapist, Profession Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International-certified instructor, leader and side walkers as needed. Riding was directed by a systematic lesson plan. Data collection occured at baseline, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks. The Control Group was assessed at the same intervals and again 3 weeks and 6 weeks after joining the Riding Group.

Conditions

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; Traumatic Brain Injury

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

Therapeutic Horseback Riding: Veterans were matched to a horse by the instructor and occupational therapist for best fit and the same horse was ridden each week

Group Type: OTHER

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Veterans were matched to a horse for best fit and the same horse was ridden each week. The warm-up exercises involved various repeated physical movements while the horse was walking or standing steady, such as head rotations, lifting arms, rotating ankles, flexing toes. The exercises began with riding at a walk during the early weeks, learning reining skills and riding positions, and progressed to light trotting. Veteran participants were able to build on skill sets related to grooming, tacking, mounting, and riding that were introduced in prior weeks. Skill progression was based on individual abilities and safety as determined by certified riding instructor and occupational therapist.

Standard Care

Participants received standard care.

Group Type: OTHER

Standard Care

Intervention Type: OTHER

Standard Care: Participants received standard care

Interventions

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

Veterans were matched to a horse for best fit and the same horse was ridden each week. The warm-up exercises involved various repeated physical movements while the horse was walking or standing steady, such as head rotations, lifting arms, rotating ankles, flexing toes. The exercises began with riding at a walk during the early weeks, learning reining skills and riding positions, and progressed to light trotting. Veteran participants were able to build on skill sets related to grooming, tacking, mounting, and riding that were introduced in prior weeks. Skill progression was based on individual abilities and safety as determined by certified riding instructor and occupational therapist.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Standard Care

Standard Care: Participants received standard care

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 18 years or older
• Veterans, left active military service (not serving in reserve units.)
• Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/Traumatic Brain Injury or both according to ICD-9 diagnostic codes.
• Weight less than 220 pounds.
• Able to walk at least 25 feet without the assistance of a person (but potentially with assistive devices).
• Willing to interact with and ride a horse.
• Have not ridden a horse in the past year.
• Care Provider assent

Exclusion Criteria

• Age less than 18 years
• Veterans in active military service (including reserve units).
• No diagnosis of PTSD/TBI or both according to ICD-9 diagnostic codes.
• Weight greater than 221 pounds.
• Unable to walk at least 25 feet without the assistance of a person (but potentially with assistive devices.)
• Unwilling to interact with and ride a horse.
• Have been riding a horse in the past year.
• Care Provider unwilling to provide assent

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Horses and Humans Research Foundation

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Missouri-Columbia

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Rebecca Johnson

Prinicipal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Rebecca A Johnson, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Missouri-Columbia

References

Bisson J, Andrew M. Psychological treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jul 18;(3):CD003388. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003388.pub3.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 17636720 (View on PubMed)

Brewin CR, Andrews B, Valentine JD. Meta-analysis of risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in trauma-exposed adults. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2000 Oct;68(5):748-66. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.68.5.748.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 11068961 (View on PubMed)

Hakanson M, Moller M, Lindstrom I, Mattsson B. The horse as the healer-a study of riding in patients with back pain. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2009 Jan;13(1):43-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2007.06.002. Epub 2007 Aug 24.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 19118792 (View on PubMed)

Hoge CW, McGurk D, Thomas JL, Cox AL, Engel CC, Castro CA. Mild traumatic brain injury in U.S. Soldiers returning from Iraq. N Engl J Med. 2008 Jan 31;358(5):453-63. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa072972. Epub 2008 Jan 30.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 18234750 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

1207664-1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id