Assessment of the behavior and suitability of primitive horse breeds for hippotherapy using the ‘Hippotest’ empirical test scale

Hippotherapy is a method of physical rehabilitation used to support many different human diseases and conditions with the help of horses. The appropriate selection of a horse as a co-therapist is a key factor in therapy with a patient. Horses of a wide range of different breeds and ages are typically selected for this type of rehabilitation. The study aimed to compare the behavior and reactions of horses of two primitive breeds that are not typically used in Hippotherapy outside of Poland: Hucul (hc) and Polish konik (kn), and determine their mental and physical predispositions to work in hippotherapy using an empirical test scale. Research observations following the Hippotest protocol were conducted on 20 horses, from two different equestrian centers. The research sample consisted of 9 geldings and 11 mares. The mean age of the horses in the sample was ± 7 years old. The horses’ behavior and reactions were observed using the eight trials in the Hippotest protocol. The behavioral assessment results based on the Hippotest’s empirical data were used in the statistical analysis of the Student’s t -test for one sample. Both breeds appeared to show they were suitable for hippotherapy work, while Hucul horses performed better ( p > 0.05) than Polish koniks. The one of the test involving, the assessment of lunge movement showed statistical significance ( p > 0.04) only for Hucul horses. The obtained results suggest that, regardless of their age, horses of these two primitive breeds show high predispositions to work in hippotherapy in terms of their behavior. • The appropriate selection of a horse as a co-therapist is a key factor in therapy with a patient. • We investigated the effect of use empirical test scale on behavior of primitive horse breeds. • Horses of primitive breeds appeared to show they were suitable for hippotherapy work. • Hucul horses showed a high predispositions to work in hippotherapy. • The results highlights the need to estimate the different behavior for a horse breeds.