Presenting Hippotherapy Research at the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) 2026 Congress in Bangkok

Members of our therapy team, including Matt Mitchell, DPT, PT, HPCS; Randi Shannahan, DPT, PT, HPCS; and Jennifer Lee, OTR/L, ASDCS, recently traveled more than 8,000 miles to Bangkok, Thailand to present at the WFOT 2026 Congress (World Federation of Occupational Therapists), where 2,450 therapists from around the world gathered to share ideas and inspire innovation.

We were honored to present an academic poster highlighting our research project in partnership with Chapman University and Oregon Institute of Technology. This study examined how a standardized outcome measure can be used to track progress in children participating in hippotherapy.

Over a six-month period, we collected data from 196 children across five centers in the United States. This study represents one of the largest and most demographically diverse efforts of its kind in our field.

Our findings demonstrated statistically significant improvements for all participants in four key areas of functional skills:

• Mobility

• Daily Activities

• Social/Cognitive Skills

• Responsibility

Throughout the conference, we connected with therapists from around the world, including Greece, Australia, and Switzerland. Many were unfamiliar with hippotherapy and its measurable applications, making it especially meaningful to introduce this intervention on a global stage and contribute to conversations around evidence-based practice in pediatric rehabilitation. Our research was well received and offered a unique perspective within the broader conference dialogue.

Looking ahead, we aim to expand interdisciplinary research across occupational, physical, and speech therapies that incorporate equine movement, and to further strengthen the evidence base through future comparative studies.

We are deeply grateful to The David R. Clare and Margaret C. Clare Foundation and The Beckman Foundation for making this opportunity possible. Most importantly, we thank the children and families who participated in this research.

Attending WFOT 2026 was an inspiring experience, and we are proud to continue advancing meaningful, evidence-informed care for the children and families we serve.