The benefit of placing a 4-year-old child with Developmental Delay prone over the barrel of the horse includes which of the following?

• A. Activation of axial extension of head, neck and trunk.
• B. Activation of axial rotation and trunk stabilization without extension.
• C. Activation of arm flexors.
• D. Activation of leg adduction.

Answer: (A)

Placing a child prone over the barrel creates a dynamic postural demand that the body must meet to stay balanced as the horse moves. To counter the rhythmic, multidimensional motion, the head, neck, and trunk must extend and stabilize, leading to activation of the axial extensor muscles along the spine. This promotes an extended posture of the head, neck, and trunk, supporting proximal stability and alignment that are key for functional control in everyday activities. The setup emphasizes trunk extension rather than rotation, arm flexion, or leg adduction, so the benefit most directly reflects the activation of axial extension of the head, neck, and trunk.