The 3 Foundations of Therapeutic Riding
This 12 month course is based on 3 core foundations that we will visit and re-visit through 8 modules of taught content, practice hours, and assessments. We take a relational approach - facilitating relationships between clients, horses, and ourselves in an ethical and reflective way.
Equine Welfare
We will teach you how to keep your equine team happy and enjoying their work. You will learn about species-appropriate living environments, minimising emotional load, and be confident using positive reinforcement/rewards-based training methods.
Skill & Learning
By the end of the course, you will feel confident in running ridden therapeutic sessions. You will know how to support clients to develop their riding skill, why this is important, and how to maintain high levels of safety for all involved. You will also have an understanding of developing the horse's skills, and how this might happen in parallel.
Therapeutic Benefit
At the heart of the course is helping you understand and deliver therapeutic benefit for your clients. You will learn how to promote wellbeing and confidence, and we will teach you how to implement therapeutic techniques whilst staying within your scope of competence.
Professional Standards
This course is accredited by Crossfields Institute and registered by Ofqual. This means it meets the standard of regulation for a Level 4 Diploma in the UK. We are committed to excellence and professionalism at Hope Meadows, and if you complete any training with us you can be assured we will uphold these high standards.
This course is recognised by the Association for Animals, Horticultural and Equine Practitioners Register. You are therefore eligible to join the register on completion of the diploma.
Entry Requirements
This course is open to people from riding instructor backgrounds and mental health professionals.
The entry requirements are as follows:
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Minimum 21yrs of age
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DBS checked*
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Safeguarding trained*
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First aid trained*
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Qualification in either riding instruction (or evidence of experience via a reference) or registered mental health professional.
*Requirements can be completed during the course
Course Structure
There are 4 in-person training blocks and 1 assessment block, each is 4 days long, 10am - 4pm, in Lincoln, UK.
There are 5 online group reflective practice sessions, these will be evenings or weekends to suit the cohort.
Each student will also have a minimum of 4 one-to-one coaching calls or in-person training with one of the team throughout the course.
We have sadly closed our ridden programme as several of our horses are retiring.
The next cohort of this diploma is therefore on hold until further notice. Sign up to our mailing list to receive further updates about the Level 4 and our other training offers.
Tutors
Your teaching team is comprised of experienced and committed tutors who are passionate about this way of working and bring their own specialisms to support your learning.
The team is led by Emily, who set up Hope Meadows' therapeutic riding programme 4 years ago and oversees its delivery.
Dr Emily Walters
Counselling Psychologist
Lead Tutor
Sara McIver
Clinical Animal Behaviourist
Tutor
Georgie Peacock
IQA
Learner Journey Tutor
Emma Jeffery
Specialist Therapist
Tutor