Enhance your therapy practice and join our extensive course for therapists

Equine Facilitated Therapy  Basic

...empowering professionals to unlock the therapeutic potential of horses.

Course dates

E-learning: 20 November 2023 (8 modules, learn at your own pace)

Practical week: 10 to 14 February 2024 (5 days, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

A special launching price of 1.280 EUR (regular price is 1.480 EUR), limited place to 12 participants

Equine Facilitated Therapy (EFT) is a targeted rehabilitation approach applied by physical, occupational and speech therapists to treat most movement disorders in children and adults. The unique combination of 3D movement of the equine back, live animal and outdoor settings make the therapy well accepted and processed.

Why should you attend this course?

We know therapists need to understand how to apply the method in their clinics apart from the theory. Therefore we emphasise hands-on skills on the practical part. Our mission is that our participants can immediately start practising at home after completing the practical week and get a complete package of knowledge and skills.

Who can attend?

This course has been designed for physical, occupational, speech therapists and speech-language pathologists.

Are you in a different profession and looking for education in Equine Assisted Services? Contact us here

What will you learn?

Our course focuses on gaining theoretical and practical skills for performing Equine Facilitated Therapy (EFT, formerly hippotherapy). What will you learn?

  • The EFT principles
    and how it may positively influence human health
  • How to utilise all aspects of the stables environment
    and the presence of the equine to achieve client's treatment goals
  • EFT history and evolution
    in the world, EFT associations
  • Applying EFT
    by Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists
  • Referral to the EFT
    including list of contraindications and precautions
  • Determine progress and treatment efficacy
    evidence based practice, outcome measures and assessment tools, treatment planning
  • Therapy positions on the equine back
    and neurodevelopmental milestones
  • EFT treatment applications
    for common diagnosis
  • EFT team members
    and their roles
  • Factors contributing to safety
    in the EFT treatment sessions and program
  • Potential emergencies
    and appropriate procedures
  • Selection and use of EFT equipment
    for the centre, equines and clients
  • Documentation and record keeping
    including EFT program administration and funding
  • Equine skills and knowledge
    equine evolution, body language, health, wellbeing, anatomy and physiology
  • Equine movement
    the desirable conformation and qualities of the equine movement
  • Therapy equines
    their selection, preparation and training
  • Equine handling during EFT
    including up-to-date approaches to equine welfare
  • BONUS
    getting in touch with these amazing animals, learn how to care for them, including tacking and riding!

Lecturers

In 2006, Vera and Nadia met in the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City (SBAHC) in Riyadh as physiotherapists working at the Child Development Center. Vera, as a Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist provided know-how for opening and managing a Hippotherapy centre and teaching hippotherapy courses. Nadia participated in the course in 2007, having no experience with equines. However, she fell in love with horses and hippotherapy, taking over Vera´s position after her departure from Europe. They have stayed in touch, so now they can teach you this excellent treatment technique in Riyadh again!

Vera Lantelme-Faisan

Hippotherapy clinical specialist, senior lecturer
Vera has extensive experience in paediatric rehabilitation (since 1999) and has completed several specialized courses – Hippotherapy (under the Czech Equine Facilitated Therapy Association and American Hippotherapy Association), Vojta method, CranioSacral Therapy, etc. She focuses on Equine Facilitated Physiotherapy (EFT)/Hippotherapy services for children from 3 months of age with a wide range of diagnoses.

Nadia Al Zamil

Hippotherapy clinical specialist, lecturer
Nadia has gained experience in rehabilitation services as a physiotherapist in different fields (paediatrics, TBI, SCI, post-surgery rehabilitation, etc.) since 2006. She joined the hippotherapy program in 2007 and graduated with the Czech Equine Facilitated Therapy Association (CEFTA) training. In 2014, she completed the course Hippotherapy treatment principles Part I, organized by the American Hippotherapy association. 

How does the course work?

Course duration
190hours (120h e-learning, 40h hands-on and 30 self-study) + gaining horsemanship skills

E-learning (8 modules, ONLY IN ENGLISH)
You will receive a username and password to access the online study platform. You can study at your own pace and time availability. We will answer your questions online via email in English or Arabic during this period. 

Practical part (5 days, English with Arabic translation) in Sara Sultan Stables, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
By the end of the week, you will get significant hands-on experience and be able to provide your practice. We will evaluate several clients with various diagnoses and apply the EFT treatment sessions. We will answer and explain your inquiries and doubts. Part of the training is focused on mastering equine handling and preparation.

Self-study
The theoretical part is comprehensive, and apart from the literature review, you are expected to submit several assignments - 4 control tests, a case study and a virtual centre project.

Support
As with all our courses, this is a well-supported program – to ensure you keep progressing and don't get stuck. Your lecturers are ready to answer your inquiries via email and in person during the practical week. There will be 2 live ZOOM calls - first before the practical part and second before the final exam.

Horsemanship skills
Having minimum essential experience in equine handling and care is highly recommended. Part of the final exam is submitting a video of a dressage task at walk and trot. If you have not gotten these skills, you must gain these at your own expense and time. Horsemanship skills are essential premises to conducting safe and productive treatment sessions.

Final exam (English and Arabic)
Before the final exam, a participant is requested to attend the practical part, submit all assignments, and submit a video to demonstrate horseback riding skills. The final exam is in the form of an online, multiple-choice test.

Certificates of completion
The organiser will provide the certificate of completion.

Course timeline

Registration deadline: 16 October 2023
E-learning:  20 November 2023 to 8 January 2024 (8 weeks, self-study)
Practical week: 10 to 14 February 2024 (5 days)
Submitting a case study deadline: 22 April 2024
Submitting a virtual project deadline: 22 April 2024
Submitting a video with the dressage test deadline:
22 April 2024
Final exam - online test: 10 to 11 May 2024

Your gained competency

Our course focuses on gaining theoretical and practical skills for performing Equine Facilitated Therapy (EFT, formerly hippotherapy). What will you learn?

  • To apply clinical experience and knowledge
    when carrying out an assessment that is relevant and effective in the equine environment, on the ground and when mounted
  • The competency to use clinical experience
    and equine characteristics to plan an EFT program following the initial and ongoing assessments of the client
  • The ability to facilitate a safe and effective EFT treatment
    based on observation of, and reaction to non-verbal human-equine interaction
  • The ability to plan a goal specific EFT intervention
    to meet the client's needs and to adjust if required
  • To identify when EFT
    is an appropriate and beneficial treatment choice
  • The ability to adapt the handling techniques
    and the client's positions to meet the specific treatment goals, using ergonomic principles
  • The ability to evaluate any client's reaction
    with different equine movement and to provide an EFT intervention under any circumstances
  • Selecting the method of mounting and dismounting
    with the equipment available in accordance with the treatment goals and the client´s needs
  • Expertise in selecting the most suitable equine
    for the client based on knowledge of conformation, temperament and movemen
  • Expertise in selecting special tack and equipment
    based on the needs of the client and the treatment goals
  • Expertise in observing and reacting to the equine, client
    and environment to facilitate a safe and effective treatment session for all involved
  • The ability to document effectively
    and accurately the influence of the equine and its effect on the client
  • To demonstrate confident team leadership
    at all times and maintain privacy under all circumstances

Registration and payment

Registration process

The course is limited to 12 participants to ensure an individual approach. Please complete and submit the registration form bellow. After reviewing it, you will receive an email with acceptance information and the link to proceed with online payment.

GDPR
The organiser will collect your personal data in the scope of the name, email address, and telephone for communication purposes till your written withdrawal.

Price
A special launching price of 1.280 EUR (regular price is 1.480 EUR). 
The price does not include transportation, accommodation, breakfasts and dinners

Your course includes

  • Online and practical parts, final exam, certificate of completion
  • Full content of the e-learning in a digital book at the end of the course
  • During the course and after, you can consult your lectors by email with your inquiries
  • Lunches and refreshments during the practical part

Bonuses

  • You will receive all the future e-learning additions and edits for Free
  • Access to a particular FB community group to connect the EAS practitioners to share your experience
  • Books Hippotherapy (2018), Therapy Horse Certification System (2018) for Free

Cancellation policy

The organiser reserves the right to adjust program dates, times and lecturers to accommodate unforeseen circumstances; we will only notify advanced registrants of any program changes. The organiser is not responsible for any expenses incurred by registrants due to such adjustments.

The organiser reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrolment or unforeseen circumstances up to 2 weeks before the start of the course. The course fee, including the administrative fee, will be returned to the participant's bank account within 2 weeks.

If a participant wishes to cancel, cancellation notices must be provided in writing from participants up to 2 weeks before the course start date to receive a refund minus a 100 EUR administrative fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations received within two weeks before the start of the course.

Any transfer fees will be charged on behalf of the participant. In case of any additional fee charged to the organiser, the amount will be requested from the participant.  

GENERAL BUSINESS TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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