Abstract
Generally, adequate motor coordination (MC) ability is one among the critical factors for the overall development of children. In this paper, we have thoroughly analyzed the effects of equine-assistant activity (EAA) training on MC in children. For this purpose, MC test, specifically for children, was used to the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK), and a total of 100 children, particularly those in 8 to 10 age, were equally separated into equine-assistant activity group (EAAG) and control group (CG), respectively. The EAAG group has attended a 14-week EAA training program, while the CG joined in physical education activity once per week. The experimental results have indicated that four indices of KTK test (i.e., backward walk [WB], height jump [HH], jumping sideways [JS] and moving sideways [MS], and motor quotient [MQ] score) showed significant differences (∗P < 0.05) after a 14-week EAA training. Furthermore, the indices of physical fitness test, standing long jump (SLJ), and sit and reach (SAR) showed significant differences (∗P < 0.05), but the handgrip (HG) increased slightly without significant difference (P > 0.05) after a 14-week EAA training. In conclusion, there were improvements in MC, lower limb strength, and flexibility by EAAG for those who participated in a 14-week EAA training, and this study has demonstrated the effectiveness of the KTK assessment of MC in children 8 to 10 years.
Highlights
Adequate motor coordination (MC) ability is one among the critical factors for the overall development of children
MC test, for children, was used to the Korperkoordinationstest fur Kinder (KTK), and a total of 100 children, those in 8 to 10 age, were separated into equine-assistant activity group (EAAG) and control group (CG), respectively. e EAAG group has attended a 14-week EAA training program, while the CG joined in physical education activity once per week. e experimental results have indicated that four indices of KTK test showed significant differences (∗P < 0.05) after a 14-week EAA training
There were improvements in MC, lower limb strength, and flexibility by EAAG for those who participated in a 14-week EAA training, and this study has demonstrated the effectiveness of the KTK assessment of MC in children 8 to 10 years
Summary
Adequate motor coordination (MC) ability is one among the critical factors for the overall development of children. The indices of physical fitness test, standing long jump (SLJ), and sit and reach (SAR) showed significant differences (∗P < 0.05), but the handgrip (HG) increased slightly without significant difference (P > 0.05) after a 14-week EAA training. There were improvements in MC, lower limb strength, and flexibility by EAAG for those who participated in a 14-week EAA training, and this study has demonstrated the effectiveness of the KTK assessment of MC in children 8 to 10 years. Other study results showed that coordination of flexible movement of multiple parts of the body [3] and motor coordination is one of the important human developments [4]. In daily life and study, skilled movements require the coordination of multiple body muscles [5]. In Germany, KTK has been widely used to test general gross motor coordination in children. Laukkanen [27] used KTK to detect MC differences among children aged 6 to 9 in northern, central, and southern Europe
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