What effect does impulsion in the horse have on the patient's pelvis and arousal level?

• A. Promote lateral pelvic tilt and decrease arousal
• B. Increase pelvic rotation in a single plane with no arousal change
• C. Stabilize pelvis in a fixed position and decrease arousal
• D. Facilitate anterior-posterior pelvic tilt in the patient and tend to raise arousal

Answer: (D)

Impulsion provides a forward-moving rhythm that prompts the client’s pelvis to tilt in the sagittal plane. As the horse advances and then moves through its gait, the rider’s trunk and pelvis must respond with coordinated weight shifts, yielding anterior-posterior tilting of the pelvis. This movement pattern supports active trunk control and functional alignment as the body follows the horse’s motion, which is a core goal of hippotherapy.

The sensory input from the horse’s gait—visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive—also tends to heighten arousal and attention, helping the patient stay engaged with the task and respond to the dynamic challenge. Lateral pelvic tilting or rotation in a single plane are not the primary responses to impulsion, and a pelvis held fixed with decreased arousal would miss the intent of using rhythmic, multisensory movement to activate postural and neuromotor systems.