02/06/2025
🐴 Is equine-assisted work really a profession yet? Let’s explore together...
Equine-facilitated learning, therapy, and human development are powerful, transformative practices. Across the UK and internationally, more people are drawn to this work — seeking to combine their knowledge of psychology, or education with the unique relational potential of horses. But many are still asking:
❓ “Is this really a recognised profession? Can I build a future in this work?”
At IFEEL Method, we believe that equine-assisted services (EAS) are standing at a turning point. We see growing impact. But we also see fragmentation — of methods, of language, and of standards.
📊 A recent international study helps clarify both the state of the field and what’s needed for it to truly evolve.
In 2024, a team of international researchers (Wolf et al., Animals journal) surveyed over 200 practitioners of equine-assisted services across the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Their aim was simple: to understand who is doing this work, how they came to it, and what support or structure they feel is missing.
Here’s what they found:
1️⃣ People come to this work from the heart
Most practitioners enter EAS not through a formal pathway, but through a calling — often shaped by their personal experiences, healing journeys, or relationships with horses. Many come from education, psychology, social work, or equestrian backgrounds. Few followed a clear professional track.
2️⃣ Training is often short and inconsistent
• The average duration of formal EAS training was only 20 days spread over a year.
• 41.5% of respondents had no formal qualification in equine work.
• Ethical dilemmas, emotional strain, and isolation were common among practitioners.
3️⃣ Key challenges were shared globally
Across countries, participants named several persistent issues:
• Lack of common language or terminology
• No shared ethical or practice standards
• Low public and institutional awareness
• Difficulty securing funding and insurance
• Unclear role of horses — whether as tools, co-facilitators, or sentient partners
If we reflect deeper, these gaps don’t just create confusion — they prevent EAS from becoming sustainable, integrated, and truly respected. This raises deeper questions — not just about formal structures, but about what it means to belong to a profession.
⚖️ Professionalisation is not about losing flexibility or passion. It’s about:
• Grounding your practice in ethics, research, and trauma-informed/skilled care
• Having access to supervision, mentorship, and peer support
• Being taken seriously — by health, education, and funding bodies
• Ensuring the welfare of both human clients and horses
• Being part of a community that learns and evolves together
It’s about holding this work with integrity, care, and the maturity it deserves.
🌟 From its early days, the IFEEL Method has chosen to support the professionalisation of the equine-assisted field — long before it became a trend.
Established in 2008, we’ve led international work in trauma-informed and focused practice, equine-facilitated personal development, and systems change. We’re proud to offer regulated, trauma-informed, ethically grounded training that stands as a benchmark in the field.
Both our trainings recognised and accredited:
• Registered on the UK’s Ofqual Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), accredited by Crossfields Institute
• Recognised internationally via the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)
• Professionally accredited by the National and International Councils of Integrative Psychotherapists (NCIP & ICIP)
• Organisational member of HETI
Our approach ensures:
• Small training cohorts with 3:1 supervision, mentorship and assessment ratios
• Research-based curriculum blending neuroscience, psychology, and equine science
• Immediate eligibility for professional membership and insurance
• This is not just training — it’s a pathway into professional recognition, employment, and long-term sustainability.
No one organisation can build a profession alone. And no profession should be built only from the top down. It starts from the people doing the work — day by day, session by session.
So we invite you to reflect:
🤔 What kind of practitioner do I want to become?
🤝 What do I need to feel supported, ethical, and confident?
🌱 What kind of future do I want this field to have?
Whether you are just beginning, or have been in the field for years, we welcome you to explore this space — with curiosity, reflection, and agency.
Our courses, workshops, and community spaces are open to those who want to go deeper into purpose, maturity, methodology, and professionalism.
This field is still young. But together, we can shape what it grows into.
💬 What are your thoughts? How do you see your role in this evolving profession? Share with us below 🌟
