Equine Therapy Qualifications

Equine therapy is a program in which horses help children with physical or mental handicaps to improve muscle control, emotional growth, and cognitive impairment. Horses are used to help children with behavioral problems as well. By caring for the horse, they learn to help others and to trust again. Acting out is diverted because their attention is focused on caring for the horse.

The NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) offers accreditation to facilities who meet the industry standards. This accreditation process is a peer review system in which accredited volunteers review centers by visiting applicants and grading them based on "administrative, facility, program and applicable special interest standards." If they are in accordance with NARHA, they become a Premier Accredited Center.

  1. Volunteer

    • The first step to become an instructor is to volunteer at a NARHA-accredited facility as a side-walker or leader. Taking time to volunteer will help you decide if you want to pursue accreditation for your own facility.

    Training

    • The center must have a NARHA member who will represent the facility and complete a Center Accreditation Training (CAT) Course. This course is mandatory in order for the center to apply for accreditation. It is designed to assist the center in understanding the terms of compliance with NARHA.

    Instructor Certification

    • Three levels of training are offered by NARHA: registered, advanced, and master. Additional certifications for driving and interactive vaulting are also available. Certification for registered level can be accomplished by successfully completing a NARHA-approved training course or by completing a multistep educational process. Advanced and master levels require the individual to be already certified as a registered level instructor.

    Applying

    • After completing the CAT, the facility can submit an application within 90 days to the NARHA for accreditation. The fee for application is $150.00 and should be accompanied by proper documentation.

    The Visit

    • The facility is assigned a lead visitor who will schedule a visit to the facility. They will score the facility on all requirements by the NARHA and submit the forms to the NARHA office.

    Notification

    • The facilities visit score and file is reviewed by the NARHA Accreditation Committee, and a decision is made on accreditation. Official results are mailed out on a quarterly basis to applying facilities.