title: Therapeutic horse back riding of a spinal cord injured veteran: a case study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine an incomplete spinal cord injured veteran's experience following participation in a therapeutic horseback riding program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following the establishment of a nationwide therapeutic riding program for America's wounded service veterans in 2007, a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse from the Michael E. DeBakey Veteran Affairs Medical Center worked with an incomplete spinal cord injured veteran who participated in the Horses for Heroes program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This program resulted in many benefits for the veteran, including an increase in balance, muscle strength, and self-esteem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A physical, psychological, and psychosocial benefit of therapeutic horseback riding is shown to have positive results for the spinal cord injured. Therapeutic riding is an emerging field where the horse is used as a tool for physical therapy, emotional growth, and learning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Veterans returning from the Iraq/Afghanistan war with traumatic brain injuries, blast injuries, depression, traumatic amputations, and spinal cord injuries may benefit from this nurse-assisted therapy involving the horse.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Cord Injury Unit, Needville, TX, USA. glennysreins@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Glennys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Asselin
authors.forename: Julius H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Penning
authors.forename: Savithri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramanujam
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Constance
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D056147:Equine-Assisted Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014728:Veterans