In this study we have examined in which way the horse is used in Equine Assisted Therapy, and what effects the treatment staff experience and describes that the interaction with horses has on girls who self-harms. Our Empirical data was collected through qualitative methods such as interviews, participant observation and informal interviews with a total of six different informants, from five different activities with Equine Assisted Therapy for girls who self-harms. In the analysis we have assumed symbolic interactionism, a theory focusing on the human as a social being, where the self-image alters in the social interaction with other human beings. We interwove this theory with the Biophilia hypothesis, an explanatory model concerning human?s relationship to animals and nature.The conclusions we have found in the results are:Equine Assisted Therapy is a complementary treatment comprises both horseback riding and exercises which is not based on the horsebackEquine Assisted Therapy almost always involves three parts, the therapist, the client and the horse.

According to ?Fotförbundet" (2012), Overpronation occurs frequently (80 %) in the Western World and furthermore overpronation of calcaneus influences the position of the pelvic and thorax (Fotförbundet, 2012; Behnke, 2008). The aim of this study is to investigate whether or not it is possible to connect overpronation of calcaneus to the problem in the rider?s seat as observed by the instructors of Strömsholm. The study will also investigate if the riders seat problems as noticed by the riding instructors are comparable with the problems found by the analyst during testing. One purpose with the study is to raise the instructors and riders awareness that anatomical deviations in the rider might influence the rider?s position in the saddle. The questions of the study are: - Is it possible to see seat problems in riders with overpronation of calcaneus? - If it is possible to see more seat problems in riders with overpronation of calcaneus, do the instructors in the study considers the seat problems be similar with each other? - If there are seat problems in the study, is it the same according to the instructors and the analyst in human biomechanics? The hypothesis of the study is that overpronation of calcaneus has an effect of the rider?s position in the saddle. The study is conducted as a blind study where the test subjects have been filmed (from knees down) as they walked barefooted and later while riding.

The purpose of this study was to gather knowledge about the functioning of the rein tension meter and test it for future studies of match and mismatch between rider and horse. We looked specifically into the possibilities to use a rein-tension meter to determine the quality of cooperation between horse and rider. We examined whether a rider shows a specific tension pattern and also if certain patterns could be recognised for a specific horse. During the study, a manual with pictures and text was written to support the practical use of the meter. The manual describes in a simple way the first steps in the installation and use of the meter.

In this study we have examined in which way the horse is used in Equine Assisted Therapy, and what effects the treatment staff experience and describes that the interaction with horses has on girls who self-harms. Our Empirical data was collected through qualitative methods such as interviews, participant observation and informal interviews with a total of six different informants, from five different activities with Equine Assisted Therapy for girls who self-harms. In the analysis we have assumed symbolic interactionism, a theory focusing on the human as a social being, where the self-image alters in the social interaction with other human beings. We interwove this theory with the Biophilia hypothesis, an explanatory model concerning human?s relationship to animals and nature.The conclusions we have found in the results are:Equine Assisted Therapy is a complementary treatment comprises both horseback riding and exercises which is not based on the horsebackEquine Assisted Therapy almost always involves three parts, the therapist, the client and the horse.

For some time researcher has focused their interest on how women are being treated in sports and what impact it has on the development of the sports movement. Researchers in the field have tried to clarify where the problem lies, if it is gender or sex. Are the differences between the sexes caused by how society portrays women or because women and men are built for different purposes. This research paper studied how women in the sports of snowboarding and freeskiing perceived their possibilities to practice their own sports. Furthermore, the study tried to answer if the problems are originated from the culture of the sports, what the possibilities and opportunities women had to make ?it? and what women think is the reason why there are so few female athletes in their sports.

The horses have been in the care of humans for about 5000-7000 years. But even though the horses have been domesticated and artificial selected for such a long time their natural behaviours and instincts still remains. In the rich countries there are many people who have the opportunity to ride either on their own horses or at riding schools. Many of these people have not grown up on farms and have no experience of handling big animals. This can lead to implications of the horses? welfare.

Horses respond individually to challenges, and the possibility to use these reactions to evaluate equine temperament with an objective instrument would have several advantages. Horse welfare could be improved by making it possible to find individuals best suited for a specific use, and understanding of the development of abnormal behaviours, such as stereotypies, could be increased. Management routines and training could be adjusted tosuit each individual horse and it could facilitate the selection of individuals appropriate for breeding. There are also economic implications, as horse buyers consider temperament important and after evaluating temperament, money can be spent solely on specific horses with all the right qualities. During the last decade, many attempts have been made to measure different aspects of temperament in horses, and the first aim of this project was to look at these studies and see which methods were used and which temperamental characteristics they measured.

As the quality of internationally competing horses is increasing, a debate concerning the breeding goal of the Swedish Warmblood horse has arisen. Some people claim that the breeding goal should be divided into two separate goals in the future; one for show jumping horses and another one for dressage horses. At the same time others claim that since the largest group of people using the Swedish Warmblood horse today is amateur riders, the needs of these riders should be taken into a larger consideration in the breeding program. The largest emphasis in this matter is on the horses? temperament. The objective of the study was to investigate what the majority of the Swedish horse people think about a variety of questions concerning today?s breeding goal of the Swedish Warmblood horse.

For some time researcher has focused their interest on how women are being treated in sports and what impact it has on the development of the sports movement. Researchers in the field have tried to clarify where the problem lies, if it is gender or sex. Are the differences between the sexes caused by how society portrays women or because women and men are built for different purposes. This research paper studied how women in the sports of snowboarding and freeskiing perceived their possibilities to practice their own sports. Furthermore, the study tried to answer if the problems are originated from the culture of the sports, what the possibilities and opportunities women had to make ?it? and what women think is the reason why there are so few female athletes in their sports.

Eventing is often called as the formula 1 in equestrian sports and comprises three disciplines: dressage, show jumping and cross-country. The sport provides excitement, challenge and joy and is the ultimate sport for intelligent riders and horses. Many are fascinated by the challenges the sport offers while other consider it foolhardy to ride a cross-country. Eventing is not a risk-free sport and has even been given the label of being one of the world´s most dangerous sports. What do those risks mean to the horse? And particularly, is it associated with good animal ethics to use the horse for eventing? Finding answers to these questions is not easy as it probably is not a clear and simple answer.

The art of riding is a fugitive art, which signifies that the means available for documentation of performances are insufficient, and that the equipment used by the old masters are important clues for the understanding of their art. The most specialized tool used for riding is the bit, in particular the curb. As museum catalogues become accessible to the public through the internet, riders will look for information about bits. It is then important that the information provided in the catalogues is valid not just for the curator, archaeologist or art historian, but also for the rider.In this paper, I add context to the bits by explaining two opposing philosophies of bitting, and how they affect the design of the bits. This is followed by a brief history of the art of riding and how the bits have evolved since the 16?th century.

What if the emergency response directly knew exactly where to go and what to do if a road accident occured? During the last ten years the number of motorcyclists in Sweden has doubled. Every year, more than 300 riders are seriously injured and over 40 die in road accidents. Being found in time is critical to increase the chance of survival. The goal of this project is to use design methods to find a solution that enables a fast and adequate emergency response for motorcyclists and other unprotected road users..

The purpose of this study has been to look how pedagogic process interacts in horse riding lessons. In order to research this problem I have used an ethnographic approach and during a week I observed ten riding lessons in two separate Riding house in the south of Sweden. In my theoretical frame I have used Michel Foucault ?Discipline and punish? as a toll to make clear how dominance and submission is present and active in the horse riding education. The conclusion shows how dominant power rules by its presence and creates submission, stability and feeling of security. The discipline is used to create a feeling that will bring the riders to new experience and develop their talent.

Equestrianism is a big sport in Sweden with many practitioners. It is a dangerous sport and it is important for the rider to be aware of the risks, to study equine ethology and know how to handle the horse, to avoid accidents. Today most people have their first contact with a horse through a horseback riding school. Ölmstad rid- och körsällskap is a riding school that provides their pupils with a different kind of lessons. The lessons are 90 minutes long and contain both riding and horse-knowledge education.

Blakeslee och Goff (2007) föreslår att dressyrryttares visualiseringsfärdigheter bör skilja sig från andra sporter som inte involverar ett djur. Enligt Murphy, Nordin och Cumming, (2008) finns det ett behov av ett instrument som tar hänsyn till visualiseringstyp, funktion och dess utgång. The survey of imagery experiences in sport (SIES; Weibull & Wallsbeck, 2009; Wallsbeck & Weibull, 2009) är ett relativt nytt instrument som mäter dessa variabler. Syftena i denna studie var därför att: (1) studera elitdressyrryttares visualiseringsupplevelser, (2) studera elitdressyrryttares förståelse och (3) upplevelse av instrumentet SIES. En kombination av kvalitativ och kvantitativ metod användes i studien.