PATH International

12/13/2025

Happy National Day of the Horse! Horses are essential partners in the delivery of equine-assisted services and we are so thankful for their contributions! Let us know how you are celebrating with your horses in the comments!

12/12/2025

Time is running out–nominations for the AQHA-PATH Intl.EAS Horse of the Year Awards close December 31! If you know an American Quarter Horse making a positive impact in equine-assisted services, nominate today pathintl.org/membership/centers/aqha-path-intl-eas-horse-of-the-year-award/.

12/10/2025

PATH Intl. is pleased to announce Kevin P. Price as the association's next Chief Executive Officer! To learn more about Kevin and the timeline for the change over please visit: https://conta.cc/4iPzPct

12/10/2025

Here is another certification tip from the PATH Intl. credentialing team for certified therapeutic riding instructor candidates. The CTRI candidate handbook can be found here: https://loom.ly/YtuWifY.

For more information on the application process and to get started, visit https://loom.ly/VZUU-go.

12/09/2025

Today is the International Day of Veterinary Medicine, which is meant to honor the work of veterinarians and their teams. Here are some of the 2025 Veterinarian Region Award winners! We know how grateful our members are for the wonderful veterinarians who travel to their centers to care for their equines at all times of the day and night!

12/08/2025

Interested in PATH Intl.'s Innovation Circles course, but unsure of what organizational stage your center is in? PATH Intl. Innovation Circles courses offer three stages, early, mid and mature, based on your center's development. The Michigan Nonprofit Association’s Organizational Assessment and Planning Tool will be used to assess each participant’s program and will be part of the initial application process. Learn more and apply for Innovation Circles here: https://loom.ly/8Y7Mwp0.

12/05/2025

It's hard to believe it's been a month since the PATH Intl. Conference! We wanted to again thank all of the organizations that exhibited with us this year! For links to each of these organizations visit: https://pathintl.org/path-intl-conference-2025/

American Hippotherapy Association American Quarter Horse Association, CommonTeri Services, EC Pro US, Freedom Rider Specialty Tack Shop, Horses on a Mission by Maureen Gallatin, Leadership Adventures, Inc., Killian Insurance Agency - American National, Markel Horse, SureHands Teaching Aids for EAS, The Comprehensive Guide to Equine Assisted Services, Wranglr Volunteer Management for Therapeutic Riding Centers, Zoetis Equine

12/04/2025

Interested in building a sustainable plan for your business? Apply now for PATH Intl.'s Innovation Circles Leading Business Practices course! June's session is entitled Implementing Your Plan – Building a Sustainable Future. Sessions will be held on the first, second or third Tuesday of each month (depending on your center’s stage) from 10:00–11:30 AM MT. Learn more and apply here: https://loom.ly/8Y7Mwp0.

12/03/2025

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is about promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, a goal the PATH Intl. community strives to accomplish every day!

12/03/2025

It is Welfare Wednesday and we have another tip from the PATH Intl. Equine Welfare Committee, sponsored by Zoetis, Official PATH Intl. Equine Health & Wellness Partner. How often do you think about the physical space where your EAS sessions occur? To read about considerations to be thinking about when choosing the spaces for EAS sessions in a blog post by Leanne Nieforth, visit: https://loom.ly/ELtpxEA.

12/03/2025

Imagine a therapy that helps stroke survivors regain mobility and communication—while also caring for the horses involved. HHRF is proud to fund Dr. Julia Mazzarella’s 2025 project, and your support helps make research like this possible. Read more about it here: bit.ly/43xBwnx

12/03/2025

Useful facts as winter sets in in the northern hemisphere!

THE COLD WEATHER IS UPON US! ❄️

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee