NCT04606966Completed
Physiological Mechanisms of Therapeutic Horseback Riding Intervention Effects in a Psychiatric Population of ASD Youth
Physiological Mechanisms of Action Relating to Immediate and Long-term Therapeutic Horseback Riding Intervention Effects in a Psychiatric Population of Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 18 Aug 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
This randomized control trial (RCT) seeks to assess the mechanisms underlying Therapeutic Horseback Riding's (THR) previously observed significant positive effects on ASD youth, particularly those with co-occurring psychiatric disorders, and to refine information on the durability, dose and sub-population effects of the intervention.
- Status (registry)
- Completed
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 236 (actual)
- First submitted
- 15 Oct 2020
- Start date
- 22 Dec 2020
- Primary completion date
- 22 Feb 2025
- Lead sponsor
- University of Colorado, Denver
- Diseases
- Autism
- NCT number
- NCT04606966
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Participants enrolled: 236
- From 22 Dec 2020 to the primary completion date, 22 Feb 2025
- 2 sites in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- smoking or regular use of oral, inhaled, or topical steroids on a regular basis, factors known to affect cortisol levels
Other
- medical or behavioral issues that prevent participation
- ward of the state
- judged during riding center screen to have significant riding experience
- Participants weighing 200 pounds or greater will be excluded due to the riding center's safety policies
- Participants will not be allowed to begin baseline assessments until at least six months have passed from the time they last engaged in mounted EAAT, given pilot evidence for the six-month maintenance of THR effects.
Who the study is looking for
- documented ASD diagnosis and a co-occurring psychiatric disorder
- ABC Irritability subscale score ≥8
- Leiter-III Nonverbal IQ ≥ 40
- meet Symptom Criterion score (minimum number of symptoms necessary for a DSM-V (mood, anxiety, or ADHD diagnosis) on CASI-5)
- meet ASD cut-offs on the SCQ (≥ 11) and on ADOS-2
- Only one child with ASD per family to maintain independent observations
- a consistent caregiver (i.e., parent or legal guardian) to complete study outcome measures
Age in the registry: 6 years to 17 years · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (2)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Aurora | United States | Unknown status |
| Maine Health Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Portland | United States | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.