Proposed workshops should be thoughtfully structured, professionally led, and designed to enhance equine-assisted service (EAS) practices through skill-based instruction and collaboration. Multi-day events are encouraged and should include time for instructors to complete a herd walk-through to assess the suitability of each horse involved in the workshop.

Instructional content must focus on at least one of the following core topic areas:

1. EAS Horse Selection

• Evaluation of horse suitability for specific EAS modalities based on horse age, soundness, conformation, overall health, and training.
• Assessment of each horse’s program and herd fit, with a focus on determining the percentage of usability per horse for the intended services.

2. Horse Care, Management, and Welfare

• Development and consultation on best practices for daily care routines, including grooming, bathing, medication administration, veterinary services, dental and hoof maintenance, nutrition, and appropriate documentation.
• Guidance on establishing and maintaining welfare standards, including documentation protocols for tracking session frequency, workload, and strategies to support both the physical and mental well-being of equine partners.

3. Horse Behavior Assessment and Management

• Instruction on recognizing, interpreting, and responding to equine behavior – both positive and adverse – and its impact on program safety and success.
• Development of behavior-based assessment tools and recommendations for maintaining and improving equine housing, facilities, and turnout spaces.

4. Horse Handling, Training, and Conditioning

• Strategies for transitioning horses into EAS roles, including desensitization to service-specific equipment (e.g., ramps, props, balls, etc.).
• Safe handling techniques in a variety of settings (stalls, turnout areas, arenas) including tacking, leading, lunging, and side-walking.
• Conditioning practices to support horse performance and well-being, addressing areas such as movement quality, flexibility, transitions, suppleness, and responsiveness at different gaits through leading, long-lining, and lunging.
• Training of handlers to optimize the horse’s role in specific services (adaptive riding, therapy sessions, mental health support, etc.).
• Protocols for identifying and reporting safety issues, and maintaining conditioning/training logs.

Workshop Capacity

The number of participants should be determined based on what the host site can safely and effectively accommodate for the type of workshop offered. Refer to the CHA Standards for Equestrian Programs for guidance on instructor-to-rider ratios and arena requirements.

All collaborative training opportunities must align with the American Horse Council’s Welfare Code of Practice.

Workshop Structure and Progression

Educational workshops may be designed as standalone events or as part of a progressive training model that builds on prior instruction. Applicants are encouraged to structure workshops in one of the following ways:

• Multi-Session Format:
  A single workshop may consist of multiple sessions delivered over the course of several days. Each session should build upon the previous one, offering a structured progression of learning that deepens participant knowledge and skills.

• Multi-Year Training Plan:
  Organizations may also propose a multi-year training framework in which foundational content is delivered in the initial year, with expanded or advanced instruction offered in subsequent years. This approach allows for ongoing professional development and the opportunity to work toward specific program or industry-aligned benchmarks over time.

In both formats, workshops should clearly outline how each session or training year contributes to the overall learning goals and desired outcomes. Proposals must include an explanation of how content will be sequenced and reinforced to support long-term skill development and sustainable application within equine-assisted services programs.

Instructor Qualifications

Instructors may be members of the host organization’s staff or external professionals contracted for the event. The host is responsible for confirming the instructor’s qualifications and ability to teach the proposed content. All instructors must demonstrate horsemanship competencies aligned with the EAS discipline being addressed (e.g., physical, occupational, or speech therapy; adaptive/therapeutic riding; mental health therapy; or equine-assisted learning).

To ensure high-quality and well-rounded instruction, AQHF strongly encourages collaboration between instructors and the following EAS professional associations:

• American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. (AHA, Inc.)
• Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA)
• Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH, Intl.)

Required Documentation 

To Be Submitted with Grant Proposal:

• Completed AQHF Workshop Budget Sheet.
• Workshop syllabus, daily schedule, and content outline.
• Instructor biography and qualifications (e.g., résumé or CV), including applicable certifications or professional affiliations.
• A video demonstration showcasing the instructor’s relevant horsemanship skills, including at least two of the following examples:
  • Leading a horse in an EAS session
  • Maneuvering a horse through gait transitions
  • Long-lining in a therapy context (PT, OT, SLP)
  • Identifying and addressing horse behavior concerns

Example of Training Expectations 

Skilled Horse Handling of the Hippotherapy Horse

The horse handler in an occupational, physical, or speech-language therapy session where hippotherapy is used as a treatment tool is responsible for the quality of the equine movement being provided to the patient. When the therapy horse is being led, it is recommended that they be bit led – and that the leading be done in a manner that is performance based. The best comparison to other equine disciplines is that in a hippotherapy horse should perform in hand like a well-trained showmanship at halter horse. The handler must understand the principles of using body posture and subtle cues to maneuver the horse through graded gait transitions and school figures while always maintaining a performance-based connection with the horse. Performance long lining has the same general requirements. The handler must be able to respond to the treating therapist’s directives while ensuring that the horse remains responsive and engaged. Additionally, the horse handler must monitor the horse’s behavior and be able to appropriately deal with behavior to promote a safe experience for the patient, the treating therapist, and any safety support personnel.