From Scientific American Mind, July/August 2012:

Horses Soothe Kids with Autism
The animals' motion may correct rhythm coordination problems

Animals have helped many kids with autism improve their speech and social skills, but these cases have been largely isolated.  Now the first scientific study of horse therapy finds its many benefits may have to do with rhythm.  

A study of 42 children with autism, six to sixteen years old, found that riding and grooming horses significantly bettered behavioural symptoms.  Compared with kids who had participated in non-animal therapy, those exposed to horses showed more improvement in social skills and motor skills, rated via standard behavioural assessment surveys, according to the study published in the February issue of "Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders."  Psychologist Robin Gabriels of the University of Colorado Denver, who led the study, speculates that the calming, rhythmic motion of the horses played a role.

"Rhythmic coordination issues underlie all the symptoms of autism, including repetitive behaviours and difficulty communicating," comments Robert Isenhower, a researcher at Rutgers University.  Using drumming games, Isenhower has found that children with autism struggle more than typically developing children to keep a beat.  This impairment affects unconscious social behaviours  that most of us take for granted, such as pausing after questions or walking in step with others.   "I think the horse might serve as a surrogate motor system for individuals with autism,"  he says.

This post was last modified: 08-07-2012 08:42 AM by Alison.

I don't know that I entirely agree with the above article, but it was interesting to read.  What do others think?
Alison

I highlighted the two relevant parts.  No conclusion drawn from this can be complete.  

Horses should be compared to other animals, before anyone starts singing their praises.

I agree with Conlang. I would like to see a similar study where autistic kids are helped to train a puppy, groom it, take care of it and take it for walks. I would guess that the results would be similar.

It sounds to me like horses were chosen in order to back up a rather bizarre and silly theory (as quoted).

I think saying that "rhythmic coordination issues underlie all the symptoms of autism" is a gross oversimplification.  

That being said, I think that work and animal based therapies like this one are underrated.  The kids get so much out of it - a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of being industrious, the sensory input, etc.  My kids get a lot out of caring for our dog.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a dynamic proprioceptive environment, but you can get the same experience from a rollercoaster without animal slavery.  Okay, I know some horse owners are absolute saints, but there's something about riding an animal like a car or other inanimate object that bothers me.

I knew a horse enthusiast for about a month, actually, and she could spot a mistreated horse from a mile away.  She still liked to ride, but had a huge problem with riding a horse that didn't trust people.  Animals that don't trust people usually have a good reason.

I've always loved animals. Animal therapy is under-rated, especially for children.

But I fail to see how rhythm coordination issues cause autism. How does hypersensitivity have a connection to rhythm? I've never been able to dance though. This is a example of correlation does not equal causation.

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence showing autistic kids getting on very well with many different animals.

This has brought out a host of pseudo scientists trying to fit the evidence into their own pet theories.

I believe that profoundly autistic kids want to make friends just like any other kids. It is just a matter of them finding animals easier to understand and get along with than the incomprehensible and unreliable humans around them.

I definitely agree with that

I agree with this. I get on well with animals on a case-by-case basis - they all have different personalities and levels of intelligence. At school, I far preferred being around the cows than being around the other kids.

I don't think the rhythm theory looks very robust.

I asked myself a question once, "why do I like animals so much?" and the answer is: because they don't speak! I've always had problems with speech processing, background noise etc. I was literally mute as a child, my parents treated me like air, I never liked to talk much and listen to others talking (funnily, I like when people sing and love music, it's like a different channel of communication) and that's why I loved the company of animals, that weren't too noisy or lively of course.

As a kid I liked to believe I can talk to animals using their language of sounds, you could see me making sounds to a cat and a cat responding (very confused look on a cat's face, wagging tail). I could "wheek" to guinea pigs and make them all talk back I can mimic the behaviour of so many weird animals (like moths) and make my husband and daughter laugh, they even call me an insect psychologist . I cannot imagine my life without animals.
Even when I look at a fish I feel tempted to mimic it (I just do it in my head . thoughts dissappear and I'm a fish), which is SO SO WEIRD for an adult to actually want to do, but it's in me.

When I think about horses I don't see myself riding them - rather brushing, stroking the head, feeding, feeling the warmth of a huge body that can stay still, not wriggle or jump at you all the time. I can have a weird "movement confusion" so I'm not sure I would feel good riding a horse... I'd rather ride a bike.