Abstract After thoracic spinal cord transection, a paraplegic syndrome occurs. Previous data showed that an acute administration of a 5‐HT 2 agonist (quipazine) could promote motor function recovery in spinal rats. However, continuous subdural perfusion of quipazine via an osmotic pump over 1 month proved to be more effective. The present study was designed to investigate the possible involvement of 5‐HT 1A receptors in such recovery. Motor performances and locomotor parameters were analysed in spinal animals receiving daily, for 1 month, a dose of the 5‐HT 1A agonist 8‐OHDPAT. The results were compared to those obtained in spinal rats receiving either a placebo or quipazine in the same conditions. Using daily injections instead of continuous perfusion of either receptor agonist to spinal animals allowed characterization of short‐ and long‐term consequences of pharmacological stimulation of 5‐HT 1A and 5‐HT 2 receptors on motor function recovery. Our data demonstrate that daily injections of a 5‐HT 1A agonist induce long‐term, cumulative, positive effects on motor function recovery, as assessed by the improvement in the walking parameters observed before the ‘day‐test’ injection. This might involve use‐dependent processes depending on a chronic and/or repetitive stimulation of the spinal network for locomotion in relation to 5‐HT receptor activation. A further improvement in the motor parameters, transiently observed following the injection, suggests a more direct action of 5‐HT 1A and 5‐HT 2 receptor activation on spinal neurons involved in motor pattern generation.