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Don't Miss Out!

Due to popular demand, we've decided to add one more UK Rural Skills Accredited Therapeutic Riding Instructor Course to this year's calendar. The course will start on August  22nd and we're offering a payment plan so that you can spread the cost.  Pay your deposit by July 20th to reserve your place!
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About The Course

 The With Horses UKRS accredited Therapeutic Riding Instructor Course is designed to create an all-round equine assisted professional who is skilled at making equine assisted activities accessible for people with a diverse range of needs. This may include mounted or unmounted work ethically partnering with an equine. Provided by specially trained and certified equine professionals, therapeutic/adaptive horsemanship helps participants attain horsemanship skills and experience many natural mental and physical health benefits of riding, horse care and groundwork. 

 

Through five modules including two intensive onsite courses and accompanying online elements, candidates learn learn coaching, facilitation, horse handling and human behaviour modification techniques. Candidates must meet established criteria and standards of practice, demonstrating their knowledge of disabilities, equines, teaching and human-animal interactions.   Upon completion of the course, With Horses Certified instructors can take one or more CPD courses and can choose whether to specialise in working with children, people with disability, trauma or mental wellbeing.

Course Syllabus and Payment Schedule

August 22nd- December 22nd

Module 1:

Introduction to Equine Assisted Services

Pay £300 deposit by July 20th to secure place.

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This online course is intended to provide a general introduction to Equine Assisted Services and help candidates to find out about where therapeutic riding sits in the broader field of EAS as well as investigating the growth opportunities and therapeutic potential that horses offer.

January 15th - March 15th

Module 2: Equine Advocacy

Pay next installment of £300 prior to module start date.

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Learn in this online course about ethical care and training, equine behaviour and communication, how to create an enriching environment and much more! Equine advocacy ensures that the horse's safety, welfare, basic needs and particular preferences are honoured. Instructors can advocate for the voiceless equine by interpreting their behaviour and paying attention to subtle equine communication signals. A skilled equine advocate can make the difference between an interaction that is based on partnership, mutual trust and clear communication or one that is unfulfilling and or even harmful to both parties.

13th- 16th May 

4-day Onsite Intensive: Horsemanship Coaching 

Pay next installment of £300 prior to start date.

This 4-day Onsite Intensive takes place at Whisgills House in the Scottish Borders. Bed and Breakfast accommodation is available at a cost of £50 per person per night. This module involves hands-on  learning about how to coach and plan ground-based Therapeutic Horsemanship activities. You will work alongside our experienced herd of therapy horses and have the opportunity to meet and network with your fellow learners.

20th May- 20th August

Module 3: Therapeutic Riding Instructor Online Prep Course

Pay next installment of £300 prior to start date

Through this online course, candidates gain a secure theoretical grounding in the science of why therapeutic riding is such a successful intervention for a range of client demographics.  

August 25th- 29th
Onsite Intensive:
Therapeutic Riding Instruction
Pay final installment of £300
prior to start date

This 5-day Onsite Intensive takes place at Whisgills House in the Scottish Borders. Bed and Breakfast accommodation is available at a cost of £50 per person per night. This module includes hands-on coaching ad practice in therapeutic riding instruction including lesson planning,  safe mounting and dismounting procedures, adaptive tack, task analysis, contraindications and safety precautions.

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Course Criteria

Outcomes, Objectives and Entry Requirements

Learning Outcomes

Learners will be able to:

  • Describe the main models used to involve equines in learning and therapy.

  • Compare the differences between adaptive riding, therapeutic riding and hippotherapy.

  • Explain the ethical and safety considerations involved when working with equines and vulnerable people.

  • Demonstrate awareness of the ethical and safety considerations involved when working with equines and vulnerable people.

  • Select an appropriate horse for a range of different participants.

  • Demonstrate a variety of emotional regulation techniques and justify their use.

  • Evaluate various kinds of adaptive tack and equipment.

  • Critically evaluate several teaching strategies and techniques. 

  • Demonstrate the various kinds of mounting and dismounting procedures.

  • Understand the importance of effective screening and assessment 

  • Identify key areas of legislation including Health and Safety, and animal welfare, and apply to own practice

  • Plan safe and effective therapeutic riding lessons including rationale for choices, client type, modifications  

  • Deliver safe and effective therapeutic riding lessons

  • Evaluate therapeutic riding lessons Reflect on own practice and create action plans for improvement

Entry Requirements

This course is for:

Learners over the age of 18 who have at least 3 years of experience of working with or caring for horses. A background as an equine professional or human services professional (teacher/social worker/therapist) can be advantageous.  Young persons under the age of 18 years are often exposed to risks to their health and safety when using work equipment as a consequence of their immaturity, lack of experience of existing or potential risks. Therefore, such young people should not be allowed to operate equipment without supervision unless they have the necessary competence and maturity, as well as having successfully completed appropriate training (The Health and Safety (Young Persons) regulation 1997).
There are complex Health and Safety issues working with large animals, that require confidence, experience and maturity, and this course is aimed at the learner who is used to working with Equines and who requires minimal supervision in practice

Continuing Professional Development

Following certification, With Horses CIC Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors can  take our CPD courses  to specialise in working with a specific client group such as survivors of trauma or young people who need help with life, work or social skills. Our range of Equine Assisted Learning and Therapeutic Riding programs are tried and tested. They are piloted with real clients, peer-reviewed and independently evaluated to ensure high levels of quality, consistency and safety. They give you everything you need to begin providing one of our award-winning programs, so that you can work alongside horses to help people. 

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