The use of equine-assisted therapy in children with learning disabilities: a narrative review focusing on secondary support needs

Abstract

Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) often face, beyond academic difficulties, secondary support needs impacting their social, emotional, and cognitive well-being. While conventional interventions primarily target academic skills, equine-assisted therapy (EAT) has emerged as a potential alternative addressing those secondary needs. However, rigorous research on EAT’s effectiveness for children with SLD remains scarce, leaving practitioners without a solid evidence base or clear guidance. A narrative review was conducted to (1) explore the secondary support needs co-occurring with SLD and (2) explore EAT’s potential in tackling such needs. A structured search in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar was conducted, yielding 37 articles on secondary needs in SLD and 65 articles on EAT across various populations that were collected for review to assess EAT’s therapeutic relevance for SLD. Results indicate that EAT may address emotional-, social-, cognitive- and motivational needs, primarily through mechanisms such as the child’s affinity with the horse, its multisensory and rhythmic movement, its non-judgmental nature, and the experiential learning opportunities inherent in EAT. These mechanisms may contribute to emotional safety, cognitive engagement, and self-reflection, which in turn indirectly support learning and school-related functioning. Despite promising indications, current research on EAT is limited by methodological flaws. Academic outcomes are underexplored, and animal welfare is rarely considered. Suggestions are made for future research that include a focus on rigorous study designs, the exploration of indirect contributions to learning, and investigating the therapeutic mechanisms through qualitative and mixed-method approaches. At this point, EAT cannot be considered evidence-based for children with SLD.