Equine therapy and assisted learning in the UK

According to Saddl's directory, there are 60 UK venues currently listed offering equine therapy or equine-assisted learning. The field includes hippotherapy (therapy delivered on horseback), equine-assisted psychotherapy, and equine-assisted learning programmes that work with children and adults on the ground rather than from the saddle.

Equine therapy and equine-assisted learning use the relationship between horse and human as a route into therapeutic work, education and personal development. The format ranges from clinical hippotherapy delivered by qualified occupational therapists, to ground-based learning sessions for school-refusal, autism support, trauma recovery and team development. Most UK centres do not require any prior horse experience; many do not involve riding at all. Practitioner standards vary - look for centres affiliated with Eagala, the LEAP Practitioner Network, or the British Horse Society's Changing Lives Through Horses programme.