Abstract
The effects of horseback riding and contact with horses on mood change and heart rate was investigated. Healthy participants (n = 22) that had little experience of horseback riding engaged in half-hour of riding twice a day for two days. They completed two questionnaires designed to evaluate mood thirty minutes before the first ride and after the fourth ride. The participants also underwent a one-minute heart rate monitoring session five minutes before and after the first and fourth rides. The results revealed a decrease in state anxiety, fatigue and negative mood, as well as an increase in vigor. These results indicate that horseback riding resulted in an enhancement of mood. Moreover, an increase in heart rate was observed when trot riding. Furthermore, participant's heart rate and age index indicated that they engaged in a higher intensity of exercise after the fourth ride, in comparison to the first ride. These finding suggests that the increase in heart rate after riding can be attributed to the elevated physical load, and that both the effects of horseback riding and animal assisted activity with horses exerted a mood enhancement effect.
