The notion of horses being able to help humans heal and grow has been gaining more and more recognition in recent years. You may have noticed that there are an awful lot of terms being tossed around out there to describe various forms of equine-assisted activities and therapies. But what do they all mean? Read on to find out!

Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT): A broad term referring to services provided by a licensed health professional that incorporates horses into the therapy process. Practitioners are often required to have a graduate degree and are regulated by a state board. Examples of EAT include equine assisted counseling/psychotherapy and hippotherapy.

Equine-Assisted Activity (EAA): Refers to services provided by a non-licensed professional that utilizes the inherent therapeutic benefits of being around horses to enhance non-clinical activities. Facilitators are not regulated by a state board and are not required to have a degree in their field. Examples include therapeutic horseback riding, therapeutic vaulting, and therapeutic driving. Equine assisted learning is also considered to be an EAA.

Equine Assisted Counseling (EAC) or Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP): EAC and EFP fall under the heading of equine-assisted therapy. It is a clinical service that incorporates horses into mental health therapy and is provided by a qualified/licensed mental health professional. For example, the ECC counselors are Licensed Professional Counselors or graduate-level interns working under supervision of a licensed counselor. Other examples of credentialed professionals that can provide EAC/EFP include: licensed psychologists (PsyD), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), and psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNP). The goal of EAC/EFP is not to teach riding or horsemanship but rather to address specific mental health goals through interaction with horses.
* Licensure credentials and requirements vary from state to state, so it's important to do be familiar with what mental health professionals are qualified to do in your state.

Hippotherapy: This term is often incorrectly used to describe all forms of equine-assisted activities and therapies, but actually refers only to the use of horseback riding/equine movement in physical, occupational, or speech therapy. It is provided by a licensed physical, occupational, or speech therapist. The goal of hippotherapy is to use the horse's movement to promote functional improvements in sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive functioning. To learn more, visit the American Hippotherapy Association website.

Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR): THR is an equine-assisted activity that adapts horseback riding lessons for individuals with disabilities. It is a non-clinical, recreational service with inherent therapeutic benefits. Many people have seen in videos of THR on the internet but often mistake it for hippotherapy, its clinical cousin. Unlike hippotherapy, THR is not facilitated by a licensed professional. Rather, it is taught by instructors that have been specially trained and certified to adapt riding lessons for people with disabilities. Its goal is to teach people how to ride a horse with considerations made for their disability. THR instructors are not regulated by a state board and most certifications do not require a degree.

So what's the difference between a license and a certification, anyway?
Even for people who work in the industry, the differences between professional licenses and certifications can be hard to grasp. At the most basic level, licensed professions are regulated by the government while certifications are offered through independent organizations. That means it is illegal to say you are providing certain services if you are not licensed by the state (think "practicing medicine without a license"). While both licensure and certification exist to protect consumers, certification is usually easier to obtain and not necessary for practice.

For example, although we highly recommend that a therapeutic riding instructor be certified by an organization such as PATH International, it is not legally required for someone to be certified to teach riding lessons to people with disabilities. It does, however, provide more confidence that the riding lessons will be safe and suitable for the riders. On the other hand, it is illegal for someone without a license to practice equine assisted counseling because mental health counseling is a field regulated by state laws. 

Here is a brief breakdown of the differences between licensure and certification:​
LICENSE:

• Supervised by a state licensing board and subject to specific laws governing legal practice
• Often requires at least a bachelors degree (most mental health licenses require a graduate degree)
• Considered mandatory to work in certain fields such as medicine and mental health

CERTIFICATION:

• Supervised by a private organization
• May not require a specific educational degree
• Does not provide legal authority to practice in a specific field
• Considered voluntary to demonstrate competence in a profession

We hope that this has clarified some of the confusing aspects of this growing industry. Still confused? Ask your questions in the comments below!


Definitions have been adapted from PATH International.

"The horse will teach you if you'll listen."  -Ray Hunt

You'd be hard pressed to find an equestrian who doesn't believe they've learned a lot simply by being around horses. But whether you are an experienced horse person or have never seen a horse up close, there are many things about life and living that horses can teach us. Here are five lessons we learn from our equine therapy partners over and over again.

1. Be Authentic
The dictionary defines authentic as being real or genuine. Humans learn to hide many things inside because of messages we've internalized from our families, friends, and society at large. Constantly hiding our true selves and our experiences can lead to physical and emotional stress. Horses, on the other hand, do not know how to be anything other than who and what they are. They also understand authenticity--it is uncomfortable for a horse to encounter a human who is not being genuine because it is difficult for a horse to gauge how safe that person is to be around. Horses teach us that it is healthy to always be who we truly are.

2. Be Present
Horses aren't very concerned about the past or the future. They don't think in terms of their next meal, they think more along the lines of, "I'm hungry right now." Much of the emotional stress that humans experience has to do with dwelling on what happened before and what might happen in the future. Attending to our here-and-now experience can be powerfully healing. You may have heard the practice of being present referred to as mindfulness. Mindfulness is an important tool in recognizing and managing emotions, something that many clients who struggle with depression, anxiety, or trauma identify as an area of struggle. Horses are always in tune with the present moment so that they can keep themselves comfortable and safe.

3. Let It Go
This idea goes hand-in-hand with being present. Horses are focused on the present moment, so if right now includes a dangerous situation, the herd will immediately react in order to keep everyone safe. Once that danger is past, however, horses have the ability to return almost immediately to their previous state of calm. They don't worry about the next time the bear might come out of the woods or what they could have done differently the last time they encountered a bear. This ability to let it go sets a great example for those dealing with trauma and anxiety.

4. Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say
Have you ever had a conversation with someone that makes you wonder how sincere they are? Horses might not be able to speak, but they are still master communicators. Horses are deliberate with everything they do. In the herd, this keeps other horses from being confused about what is going on and therefore maintains safety. It's difficult for everyone to be secure if they have to second-guess whether their herdmate actually means it when they say that bear is on its way to eat them. For people who struggle to communicate effectively, it can be a challenge to ask a horse for what they want. Horses will respond if we communicate clearly and assertively (note that we didn't say "loudly").

5. We're Better Together
Horses are herd animals. Everything from their physical safety to their emotional security depends on having other horses with them. Humans are also hard-wired to be in relationships and we can gain a lot by having a support network. However, humans have a tendency to withdraw from their social supports when dealing with life's challenges. Horses' relationships with each other become more important during times of stress and danger. They know that having someone at your back can make all the difference. For people, a "herd" can consist of family members, friends, co-workers, and professionals (like teachers or therapists!).

Have you learned any important lessons from horses or other animals?