Introduction: The consequences of neurological disorders are reflected in the altered motor, sensory, cognitive and behavioural function of individuals. This leads to their long-term reduced ability, limitations of activity and participation. Hippotherapy and therapeutic riding create an effective complementary approach to treating neurological impairment in children and adults. Building a relationship with a horse promotes confidence, interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities. The rider thus gains new experience and becomes more independent, which leads to a better self-image and, consequently, a better quality of life. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis was to determine the impact of hippotherapy and therapeutic riding on the quality of life of persons with various neurological diseases and impairments, based on a review of scientific writings. Methods: The scientific literature was sought in the PubMed database. We used advanced search with the following search strings: hippotherapy OR therapeutic riding OR equine-assisted therapy AND quality of life; hippotherapy AND quality of life; hippotherapy AND stroke; hippotherapy AND multiple sclerosis; hippotherapy AND cerebral palsy; hippotherapy AND spinal cord injury; hippotherapy AND ADHD. Results: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 8 studies published between 2007 and 2019 were included in the literature review. Neurological disorders of patients were stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury and ADHD. The horse therapy program lasted from a minimum of 4 weeks to a maximum of 16-20 weeks. The beneficial impact of hippotherapy or therapeutic riding on various aspects of a health-related quality of life was confirmed in six studies, while in two cases no overall positive conclusions were determined. In two studies the long-term effects of hippotherapy have been observed. In one they were not confirmed, in the other confirmed, but in the latter the results were not statistically evaluated. Discussion and conclusion: It can be concluded that most studies have reported statistically significant effects of hippotherapy or therapeutic riding on the quality of life of subjects compared to other interventions. Nevertheless, there have been too many differences between the studies to conclude on the overall efficacy of hippotherapy as a complementary treatment method in a variety of neurological disorders. Research with a more uniform sample, intervention program, and evaluation method would give more reliable conclusions about the impact of a horse as a mediator during therapy on rider's quality of life.
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