Table 1.
Mean heart rate and heart rate variability averaged over 24 participants before, during and after participating in equine-assisted learning exercise, Hand Grooming each week for 4 weeks.
| WEEK 1 (n = 24) | Baseline: | During: | Post: |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR (bpm) | 80.3 ± 9.1 (SD) | 85.9 * ± 10.5 (SD) | 81.3 ± 10.5 (SD) |
| SDNN (ms) | 35.9 ± 15.5 | 36.9 ± 16.6 | 30.1 ± 12.1 |
| RMSSD (ms) | 26.0 ± 23.0 | 29.3 ± 25.0 | 22.8 ± 21.5 |
| %VLF | 53.3 ± 23.3 | 61.9 ± 19.9 | 52.5 ± 24.8 |
| WEEK 2 (n = 24) | Baseline: | During: | Post: |
| HR (bpm) | 81.3 ± 12.6 (SD) | 85.4 * ± 10.3 (SD) | 81.6 ± 10.8 (SD) |
| SDNN ((ms) | 29.5 ± 15.5 | 29.3 ± 11.7 | 29.7 ± 11.5 |
| RMSSD (ms) | 21.3 ± 18.1 | 21.1 ± 18.5 | 21.2 ± 19.0 |
| %VLF | 54.1 ± 23.9 | 56.1 ± 21.1 | 56.2 ± 26.9 |
| WEEK 3 (n = 24) | Baseline: | During: | Post: |
| HR (bpm) | 79.9 ± 9.4 (SD) | 85.7 * ± 9.6 (SD) | 80.3 ± 8.3 (SD) |
| SDNN (ms) | 31.1 ± 13.5 | 31.9 ± 15.3 | 37.3 ± 19.7 |
| RMSSD (ms) | 23.1 ± 18.1 | 26.3 ± 18.3 | 30.8 ± 24.8 |
| %VLF | 53.4 ± 24.1 | 49.9 ± 25.9 | 51.3 ± 23.9 |
| WEEK 4 (n = 24) | Baseline: | During: | Post: |
| HR (bpm) | 79.5 ± 10.2 (SD) | 86.3 * ± 11.2 (SD) | 80.8 ± 12.2 (SD) |
| SDNN (ms) | 32.3 ± 17.0 | 34.2 ± 17.2 | 32.9 ± 17.9 |
| RMSSD (ms) | 27.4 ± 22.2 | 26.2 ± 20.7 | 21.1 ± 19.6 |
| %VLF | 53.3 ± 21.2 | 57.8 ± 26.0 | 52.4 ± 20.9 |
* Value significantly different from baseline (p < 0.001).