An interventional study of Equine-assisted therapy in Equine-assisted Therapy, Children and Autism Spectrum Disorder, sponsored by Hopital La Musse. Completed at 1 site in France. Open to participants aged 8 Years to 12 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-30.
Sponsored by Hopital La Musse · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 110 studies in Autism Spectrum Disorder with a site in France — 51 open to participants now, 55 under way, 2 of them phase 3. Autism Spectrum Disorder · France.
Among the 110 studies in Autism Spectrum Disorder with a site in France, this one is the 73rd largest by enrollment of the 77 interventional ones, is one of 9 that started in 2024, is one of 58 with no phase, and was the 88th registered.
1,724 studies on the registry are indexed under Autism Spectrum Disorder; 500 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 11 is below the median of 52 across 1,368 interventional studies indexed under Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Browse Autism Spectrum Disorder studies →51 of the 110 studies in Autism Spectrum Disorder with a site in France are open now, in 10 countries. Each count lists the studies.
Of the 349 Autism Spectrum Disorder studies recruiting now, 48 (14%) set no upper age limit and 294 (84%) stop at 75 or younger; 297 take children under 18; 92 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 8 Years to 12 Years · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.
The full table on the hub →110 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 2007; this study’s year is marked. 9 started in 2024.
Median enrollment 70 across the 77 interventional studies, 120 across the 33 observational. Of the 43 that completed or were terminated, 8 (19%) have results posted.
8 of 110 have an industry lead sponsor. The 10 most frequent:
Hopital La Musse is the lead sponsor of 14 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.
Hopital La Musse has 2 studies filed under Autism Spectrum Disorder — fewer than ten, so there is no comparison to draw.
17 of the studies in Autism Spectrum Disorder with a site in France that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 1 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT07655115Phase 3Hospital General Universitario Gregorio MarañonSingle Dose Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Cross-over (SDDBPCCO) Shiftability Study, Will be Followed by a 10-week Open-label Study With Arbaclofen (4 Weeks of Titration and Then 6 Weeks of Active/Stable Treatment). The Effects of Arbaclofen on Target EEG and ERG Metrics Will be Associated With th | 2026-12-31 |
| NCT06871696Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, FranceGenetic of Intellectual Deficiency and Autism Spectrum Disorders (RaDiCo-GenIDA) | 2026-11 |
| NCT05512637University Hospital, MontpellierScreening for Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Siblings of Children With Autism Diagnosed in Tertiary Centers | 2026-11 |
| NCT04638452Centre Hospitalier Charles Perrens, BordeauxEvaluation of Behavioural Psycho & Physiological Responses in People With ASD During a Blood Test in Routine Care Practice | 2026-11-30 |
| NCT05864508University Hospital, ToulouseInterest of Oxytocin as an Adjuvant Treatment of Psycho-educational Measures in Challenging Behaviors in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders and Moderate to Severe Intellectual Disability: Feasibility and Safety Study. | 2026-12 |
Among the 110 studies in Autism Spectrum Disorder with a site in France, from their registry updates:
The main objective of this research is to measure the influence of equine-assisted therapy sessions on the quality of life of children with ASD, using the PedsQL™ 4.0 questionnaire as an evaluation tool.
The secondary objectives of this study are to measure the influence of these equine therapy sessions on the quality of life of parents of children with ASD, using the PAR-DD-QOL questionnaire, and to qualitatively analyze the progress of children in terms of communication, motor skills, social connections, etc., during equine therapy sessions, through tracking sheets.
This interventional, prospective, and monocentric study aims to evaluate the effect of equine therapy on the quality of life of children with ASD and their families. As a pilot study, it aims to assess the feasibility of a larger-scale study with a rigorous methodology, with the aim of including a control group and conducting a randomized, multicentric, single-blind trial in future studies. It will take place at the La Musse Hospital - La Renaissance Sanitaire, specifically within the equine therapy center of the La Musse facilities. Recruiting 20 children (8-12 years old) with ASD is required for this study. To do this, the inclusion criteria are as follows: participants must be children aged 8 to 12, diagnosed with ASD by a doctor. They must be able to participate in equine-assisted therapy sessions and understand instructions during these sessions. In addition, they must be affiliated with the social security system. The primary and secondary assessment criteria respectively include the average of the two scores obtained from the PedsQL™ 4.0 child and parent report questionnaires; the overall score of the PAR-DD-QOL questionnaire, as well as the qualitative analysis of the equine therapists' tracking sheets. Measures are taken to minimize selection, recruitment, and confusion biases, and specific eligibility criteria are defined. Each participant will benefit from 15 equine therapy sessions, twice a week, over 7 to 8 weeks. Each session will last 60 minutes.
The intervention of this study begins with the participant selection process, including an initial contact by phone or during a medical consultation, followed by an oral explanation and the provision of written information to parents and the child. After a reflection period, and if they agree, the parents and the child sign a consent form. The children then undergo 15 equine therapy sessions, including various activities such as emotional expression, contact with the horse, grooming, activities on foot or on horseback, and a debriefing time. Quality-of-life evaluations will be conducted five times during the study using the PedsQL™ 4.0 child, PedsQL™ 4.0 parent report, and PAR-DD-QOL questionnaires (before the first session, after the first session, at the 5th session, at the 10th session, and at the 15th session). Additionally, a tracking sheet will be completed by equine therapists during the sessions. The criteria for interrupting or modifying interventions are established, allowing participants to withdraw at any time for various reasons. Strategies are implemented to improve adherence to rehabilitation protocols, such as regular reminders and the distribution of a schedule of appointments. The individuals concerned are fully informed of the study and their rights.
The expected outcomes include an improvement in the average quality-of-life scores of children with ASD, an improvement in the quality-of-life score of their parents, and behavioral progress in the children. The sample size is set at 20 children with ASD, with a detailed statistical analysis plan using Excel and SPSS.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
15 equine therapy sessions
Other: Equine-assisted therapy
15 equine therapy sessions, twice a week, over 7 to 8 weeks. Each session will last 60 minutes, including various activities such as emotional expression, contact with the horse, grooming, activities on foot or on horseback, and a debriefing time.
Score obtained from the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQl™) 4.0 - Quality of life child and parent
The average of the two scores obtained from the PedsQL™ 4.0 child and parent report questionnaires. Higher scores mean a better quality of life.
Time frame: T0 (before the first equine therapy session), T1, T5, T10 and T15 (after the first, fifth, tenth and fifteenth equine therapy sessions)
Score obtained from Parental-Developmental Disorders-Quality of Life (PAR-DD-QOL) questionnaire - Parent's Quality of life
The overall score of the PAR-DD-QOL questionnaire. Higher scores mean a worse quality of life.
Time frame: T0 (before the first equine therapy session), T1, T5, T10 and T15 (after the first, fifth, tenth and fifteenth equine therapy sessions)
The progress of children
The qualitative analysis of the equine therapists' tracking sheets, in terms of communication, motor skills, social connections, etc., during equine therapy sessions
Time frame: 8 weeks
Plan to share: Undecided
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Ran from Sep 2024 to primary completion in Jun 2025, 9 months.
Of 800 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Autism Spectrum Disorder, half reached primary completion within 25 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 48. This study's 9 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 823 studies reached it within 25 months; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 47.
Since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026, the dates moved once, on Oct 30, 2026: primary completion Sep 2025 → Jun 2025 and completion Nov 2025 → Oct 2025.
Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Hopital La Musse