Equine Assisted Therapist
Facilitate therapeutic work with horses to support emotional regulation, trauma recovery, and mental health — a BAEAT-affiliated practitioner working in outdoor and equestrian settings.
Moderate
High
Prior professional qualification (2–4 years) + BAEAT-accredited EAT training 1–2 years part-time; total pathway 3–6 years depending on starting point
Prior professional qualification in counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, social work, nursing, or education; BAEAT-accredited Equine Assisted Therapy training (typically 1–2 years part-time); personal horse experience not always required but strongly beneficial. No statutory qualification for EAT specifically.
common
What you do
Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) practitioners facilitate therapeutic sessions in which horses serve as co-facilitators of psychological and emotional work. Drawing on theories of biophilia, somatic psychology, attachment, and the horse's sensitivity to human emotional states (horses respond to non-verbal cues and emotional congruence), equine assisted therapy is used with a range of client groups including trauma survivors, adolescents with behavioural difficulties, people with addiction, adults with mental health conditions, veterans, and children with SEND.
Sessions typically take place in a field or arena rather than a riding arena — activities may include leading, grooming, observing, or working alongside horses on the ground (most equine therapy models do not require riding). You observe the interactions between client and horse, facilitate reflection on what emerges — trust, boundaries, control, fear, co-regulation — and use these observations as therapeutic material. You work alongside a qualified horse professional or equine specialist in most models. The British Association for Equine Assisted Therapy and Activities (BAEAT) is the UK professional body. EAT practitioners typically bring a prior professional qualification in counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, social work, or healthcare, and then undertake specialist equine therapy training. EAT is not statutorily regulated.
Why this career is resilient
Equine assisted approaches occupy a growing niche in trauma-informed practice, youth work, addictions treatment, and SEND provision. The embodied, outdoor, and relational quality of horse-facilitated work reaches client groups who do not engage with conventional therapy rooms — making EAT a complement to, not a replacement for, other therapeutic provision. Veterans' mental health charities, addiction services, and children's residential care providers have invested in equine therapy programmes.
BEAT accreditation and the requirement for a prior therapeutic qualification create a professional framework that protects quality. The outdoor, farm-based, and non-clinical setting creates a genuine therapeutic alternative for people who find clinic-based work threatening or inaccessible. Growing public and policy interest in nature-based therapies sustains demand and funding.
A typical day
Morning: group equine assisted therapy session at a rural equestrian centre for five young people from a CAMHS day service — structured activities including haltering and leading a horse, observed by the therapist and equine specialist; facilitated group reflection on themes of trust, patience, and emotional regulation that emerged. Individual session with a veteran with PTSD — unstructured time alongside a specific horse in the field, followed by a reflective conversation. Afternoon: liaison with referrers and care coordinators about session progress. Review risk assessments and update client records. Attend monthly BAEAT peer supervision online.
Routes in
Full-time college course
Study full-time at a further education college, usually for 1–2 years. You will need to fund yourself or apply for a student loan (available for Level 4+ courses).
Pay and costs
Earning potential: Sessional EAT work: £100–£300/session depending on setting and commissioning. Employed roles in specialist services: approximately £28,000–£38,000. Independent practice income variable. Many EAT practitioners combine with an employed therapeutic role.
Training costs: BAEAT-accredited EAT training: approximately £3,000–£8,000. Prior professional qualification costs variable. BAEAT membership fees — check BAEAT website. Professional indemnity insurance required.