Terapia per mezzo del cavallo: la frequenza cardiaca quale strumento di valutazione dello stato di benessere dell'animale

The present research is connected with a global plan finalized to the characterization of a animal standard model for therapeutic horseback riding. Heart rate was chosen as welfare index and connected with hard or transitory horse psycho-phisic condition changes. We have experimentally evaluated 5 different horse-rider couples: horses from different breeds and specializations; riders with different kind of handicap seriousness. Generally heart rate changes, supported by video recording tapes, seem not to be connected with stressor factors and suggest higher attention level by the horse to rider’s movements and drives and to specif- ical kind of course work. Sometimes heart rate changes could be connected also with specified animal curiosity or with transitor