Overview
Through the AQHF America's Horse Cares grant program, centers primarily utilizing American Quarter Horses for Equine Assisted Services (EAS) may apply for grant funding to create educational workshops designed to elevate horsemanship skills within the EAS industry.
Grant Program Vision
The America’s Horse Cares grant program seeks to advance the American Quarter Horse as a partner in Equine Assisted Services. By leveraging the exceptional professional horsemen and women of the horse industry this grant program fosters educational opportunities that ensure appropriate horses working in Equine Assisted Services are cared for and utilized with specific performance expectations to maximize the well-being of both clients and horses.
Grant Scope
Proposed multi-day workshops should be led by a qualified instructor(s) selected by the host center to provide consulting and educational opportunities in at least one of the following categories:
1. EAS Horse Selection
2. Horse Care/Management/Welfare
3. Behavior Assessment and Management
4. Horse Handling/Training/Conditioning
Instructors
It is the centers responsibility to confirm the proposed instructor's proficiency at teaching the horsemanship skills to workshop participants. AQHF requires all instructors demonstrate qualified horsemanship skills representative of the specific performance expectations for the EAS service being provided by the host center.
NOTE: EAS service areas include - therapy (PT, OT, SLP), adaptive/therapeutic riding, mental health therapy, and/or equine assisted learning.
To ensure the workshop effectively demonstrates the principles of sound herd management, AQHF encourages host centers to thoroughly review the standards of practice outlined by the corresponding associations:
1. American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. (AHA, Inc.)
2. Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA)
- Instructors of Riders with Disabilities
- Equine Professional Certification
3. Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH, Intl.)
- Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
- Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
Participants
AQHF requires the proposed training workshop event be open to staff and volunteers of the host center as well as those from guest centers. Comprehensive promotion and outreach performed by the host center is required to recruit outside participation from other local and/or regional EAS centers. The number of workshop participants should be based on what the host center can appropriately accommodate for the type of proposed workshop (i.e., Certified Horsemanship Association Standards for Equestrian Programs for the ration of instructors to riders and arena size).
Allowable Costs
Funding awarded through this grant may cover workshop instructor(s) fees, travel, lodging, insurance, equipment rentals, training manuals, educational materials, or other supplies, as well as multimedia services for video recording the workshop training event. Optional funding items to ensure participant attendance may include meals for each participant (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages) and/or scholarships for participant travel and housing.
Grant Reporting
To determine effectiveness of the workshop, host centers will be required to perform follow up with participants to evaluate implementation of the training and acquired skills.
NOTE: Workshops should be conducted within a designated time frame between March and September of 2025.
National Snaffle Bit Association
AQHF has partnered with NSBA to promote added grant funding available to centers with an EWD program. The Coaches Summit is a workshop presented as a special project of the NSBA Foundation for equine industry professionals, therapeutic riding center coaches, staff, volunteers, or anyone interested in exploring opportunities for the engagement and expansion of current or new riding programs for Equestrians with Disabilities. The three-day program features instruction from industry professionals, post-secondary educators, therapeutic riding instructors, and business and industry professionals.
This is a unique opportunity for attendees to network with therapy centers, instructors, staff, as well as professional horsemen, show managers, and other industry stakeholders while exploring new avenues and possibilities created through competition. Visit the NSBA Foundation website for additional information on the 2025 workshop.
America's Horse Cares EAS Grant Program
Overview
Through the AQHF America's Horse Cares grant program, centers primarily utilizing American Quarter Horses for Equine Assisted Services (EAS) may apply for grant funding to create educational workshops designed to elevate horsemanship skills within the EAS industry.
Grant Program Vision
The America’s Horse Cares grant program seeks to advance the American Quarter Horse as a partner in Equine Assisted Services. By leveraging the exceptional professional horsemen and women of the horse industry this grant program fosters educational opportunities that ensure appropriate horses working in Equine Assisted Services are cared for and utilized with specific performance expectations to maximize the well-being of both clients and horses.
Grant Scope
Proposed multi-day workshops should be led by a qualified instructor(s) selected by the host center to provide consulting and educational opportunities in at least one of the following categories:
1. EAS Horse Selection
2. Horse Care/Management/Welfare
3. Behavior Assessment and Management
4. Horse Handling/Training/Conditioning
Instructors
It is the centers responsibility to confirm the proposed instructor's proficiency at teaching the horsemanship skills to workshop participants. AQHF requires all instructors demonstrate qualified horsemanship skills representative of the specific performance expectations for the EAS service being provided by the host center.
NOTE: EAS service areas include - therapy (PT, OT, SLP), adaptive/therapeutic riding, mental health therapy, and/or equine assisted learning.
To ensure the workshop effectively demonstrates the principles of sound herd management, AQHF encourages host centers to thoroughly review the standards of practice outlined by the corresponding associations:
1. American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. (AHA, Inc.)
2. Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA)
- Instructors of Riders with Disabilities
- Equine Professional Certification
3. Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH, Intl.)
- Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
- Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
Participants
AQHF requires the proposed training workshop event be open to staff and volunteers of the host center as well as those from guest centers. Comprehensive promotion and outreach performed by the host center is required to recruit outside participation from other local and/or regional EAS centers. The number of workshop participants should be based on what the host center can appropriately accommodate for the type of proposed workshop (i.e., Certified Horsemanship Association Standards for Equestrian Programs for the ration of instructors to riders and arena size).
Allowable Costs
Funding awarded through this grant may cover workshop instructor(s) fees, travel, lodging, insurance, equipment rentals, training manuals, educational materials, or other supplies, as well as multimedia services for video recording the workshop training event. Optional funding items to ensure participant attendance may include meals for each participant (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages) and/or scholarships for participant travel and housing.
Grant Reporting
To determine effectiveness of the workshop, host centers will be required to perform follow up with participants to evaluate implementation of the training and acquired skills.
NOTE: Workshops should be conducted within a designated time frame between March and September of 2025.
National Snaffle Bit Association
AQHF has partnered with NSBA to promote added grant funding available to centers with an EWD program. The Coaches Summit is a workshop presented as a special project of the NSBA Foundation for equine industry professionals, therapeutic riding center coaches, staff, volunteers, or anyone interested in exploring opportunities for the engagement and expansion of current or new riding programs for Equestrians with Disabilities. The three-day program features instruction from industry professionals, post-secondary educators, therapeutic riding instructors, and business and industry professionals.
This is a unique opportunity for attendees to network with therapy centers, instructors, staff, as well as professional horsemen, show managers, and other industry stakeholders while exploring new avenues and possibilities created through competition. Visit the NSBA Foundation website for additional information on the 2025 workshop.