The Accredited Practitioner Register recognises a range of professional Equine Facilitated Interactions. These are practices where qualified professionals incorporate horses into therapy, learning, or personal development activities to enhance physical health, mental well-being, and life skills.

Practices on the Register may be:

• Clinical therapies delivered by medical or allied health professionals

• Mental health or counselling services incorporating horses

• Learning or personal development programs

All practitioners must provide proof of qualifications and training when registering. Activities are conducted ethically and safely, with the well-being of both horses and participants at the core.

Hippotherapy is a medical treatment that uses purposeful horse movement to activate sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems.

• Primarily ridden therapy.

• The horse’s walking motion mimics the human pelvis, improving balance, posture, and coordination.

• Delivered by physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists as part of a broader treatment plan.

Therapeutic Riding involves teaching horsemanship and riding skills to children or adults with special needs.

• Offers educational, recreational, and therapeutic value.

• May progress toward independent or competitive riding.

• In the UK, often delivered under Riding for the Disabled (RDA).

Equine Facilitated OT promotes health and well-being through the partnership of therapist, horse, and equine environment.

• Requires additional OT training to cover domains such as:

  • Hippotherapy

  • Riding for therapy or learning

  • Equestrian sports

  • Groundwork and environmental activities

• Combines therapeutic and experiential learning for functional outcomes.

Practitioners provide therapeutic services such as counselling for mental health support.

• Horse interactions enhance therapy, creating meaningful clinical outcomes.

• Typically one-to-one and ground-based.

• Focused on improving emotional well-being and mental health.

For more information on what to expect during a session, please see the Short Guide to Equine Facilitated Interaction Sessions.

As a registrant, you declare that:

• You will make your membership of the Register clear on your own website and promotional materials, including the use of the correct logo provided by the Register.
   
• Alongside your membership information, you will make clear to the public that the Register provides a means of raising concerns or complaints about your service.
   
• You will maintain correct, complete, and up-to-date personal and professional details on your personal “Profile” page of the Athena Herd Foundation website as required for the Register.
   
• You are aware that the Register is accessible to the public via the Athena Herd Foundation website and as such you agree that information regarding your name, geographical location, contact details, and membership status is freely available.

As a registrant, you declare that:

• You will immediately notify the Register of any unspent convictions or any restrictions that may prevent you from working with children and vulnerable adults.
   
• You have never been the subject of formal disciplinary findings or upheld complaints, nor have you been suspended from any professional or regulatory body.

As a registrant, you declare that:

• You will abide by and align your practice to the Register’s Framework for the Ethical Treatment for Horses.
   
• You will provide a clear route for other registrants or your service users to raise concerns about the treatment of horses engaged in the provision of your services.

As a registrant, you declare that:

• In completing your application or renewal, you have read and agree to be bound by the Athena Herd Foundation Terms and Conditions as amended and updated from time to time.

The following documentation and confirmations must be provided with your application. Incomplete submissions will not be processed.

• Copies of appropriate equine interaction-related qualifications, and any other supported practice qualifications.
• A copy of your “Certificate of Proficiency” from the Register, where this pathway is required or appropriate.
• Proof of membership of associated professional bodies, lists, or registers, including membership numbers.
• Your general terms and conditions document.
• Your Data Protection/Privacy Policy.
• Your Data Retention Policy.
• Your Compliments and Complaints Policy.
• Your Safeguarding Policy.
• A copy of your standard client waiver form.
• A copy of your current Professional Indemnity Insurance certificate.
• Copies of appropriate and current Risk Assessment(s) for your practice.
• Confirmation of your ongoing commitment to Supervision obligations.
• Proof of a current First Aid qualification or a formal commitment to working only where a nominated first-aider is on-site.
• Confirmation that (where appropriate) up-to-date DBS checks are in place (or the regional equivalent).
• Confirmation that client waivers and session records are being actively maintained.
• A statement of completed CPD hours in the last 12 months (this is not required for first-year applications).