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Horse Riding May Improve Your Child's Intelligence

A new study reveals that this countryside activity boosts memory, problem solving and learning.

BY KATIE AVIS-RIORDAN

MAR 9, 2017

 

Rather than immersing your child solely in books to enhance their intelligence, you might want to try horse riding.

This beloved countryside hobby may help improve memory, problem solving and learning in children, new research has found.

Scientific researchers from the Toyko University of Agriculture have discovered that the vibrations created by horses while being ridden activates the area of the brain known as the sympathetic nervous system.

So, while your child is sat in the saddle, their cognitive ability may be greatly enhanced.

The study, published in Frontiers in Public Health, involved asking children to complete simple response and mathematical tests, before and after taking part in horse riding.

The results showed that riding horses greatly improved the children's ability to perform behavioral tasks, leading to better memory, learning and problem solving. But, in terms of working out mathematical problems, the findings were less significant.

So does this mean that any activity that causes a slight vibration could be beneficial for our children? Cycling, for example? Apparently not.

"One important characteristic of horse steps is that they produce three-dimensional accelerations," study author Professor Mitsuaki Ohta told the Independent. "The movement of the horse's pelvis may provide motor and sensory inputs to the human body and in this study I believe some of the differences among the rider's performances might be due to these accelerations."

On top of apparently boosting brain performance in children, horse riding is also a fantastic way to keep in shape for all ages