Summary
This article introduces the American Hippotherapy Association as a professional education nonprofit, highlighting its history, mission, learning pathways, and role in shaping standards within equine-related professional development.
The American Hippotherapy Association (AHA), Inc. is a United States–based nonprofit that focuses on education, resources, and professional development for licensed clinicians who are interested in incorporating equine movement into their work. Although AHA relates to a clinical discipline, this article does not describe treatment or provide guidance for families. Instead, it offers a neutral overview of AHA as an organization — what it does, how it evolved, and how it fits into the broader landscape of equine-related professional associations.
What AHA Is
AHA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides educational materials, continuing education courses, and professional resources for occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology practitioners who choose to study the use of equine movement within their professions. The association’s mission centers on promoting high-quality education, supporting responsible practice, and encouraging collaboration among professionals who share an interest in this specialized area of study.
AHA’s Mission and Purpose
AHA exists to develop structured learning opportunities, support professional dialogue, and offer clarity around terminology and concepts used when equine movement intersects with clinical practice. Its broader purpose is to advance knowledge in this area, foster consistency across professional education, and encourage ethical and thoughtful engagement with horses in environments where licensed professionals work.
While individual practitioners determine how their training fits into their own scope of practice, AHA provides the educational foundation and shared language that help unify the field.
How AHA Describes Hippotherapy
AHA provides a formal definition of the term “hippotherapy” for educational purposes. In AHA’s materials, the term describes how some licensed clinicians choose to integrate purposeful equine movement within their professional scope. This article references the term only as part of AHA’s organizational role and not as advice, guidance, or description of clinical practice.
AHA’s definition offers vocabulary, conceptual clarity, and history to help professionals understand how the term is used within their own continuing education.
What AHA Offers
AHA provides several resources that support professional learning. These offerings are educational in nature and are intended for licensed practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of equine movement in their fields.
Education and Coursework
AHA develops a multi-part curriculum that introduces terminology, concepts, and practical considerations surrounding equine movement. Courses blend classroom-style instruction with hands-on exposure to horses in controlled environments. The curriculum is designed to build foundational understanding before progressing into more advanced topics.
Research Support and Conceptual Frameworks
AHA maintains educational frameworks and resource pages that trace how ideas around equine movement have developed over time. These materials help students and professionals explore the evolution of concepts in the field and understand how research questions have shifted across decades.
Ethics, Professional Resources, and Membership
The organization publishes a Code of Ethics for members, along with resource documents, reference materials, and member-only content. AHA also maintains a public directory where professionals may choose to list themselves if they meet the association’s requirements.
Conferences and Continuing Education
AHA periodically hosts conferences and educational events that bring together professionals, researchers, and instructors to discuss trends, share knowledge, and highlight developments within the field. These gatherings help maintain connection among practitioners and contribute to the field’s ongoing growth.
Training Pathways and Certification Relationships
To understand AHA’s role, it is helpful to distinguish education from certification. AHA provides education, but it does not certify practitioners. Instead, certification is handled by the Hippotherapy Certification Board (HCB), a separate entity.
AHA coursework prepares learners who may wish to pursue HCB credentials, but completing AHA courses does not, by itself, constitute certification. This separation helps clarify the structure of learning pathways within the field and ensures that education, assessment, and credentialing remain distinct functions.
A Short History of AHA
AHA emerged from early collaborations among clinicians in the late 1980s and early 1990s who sought to standardize terminology and develop consistent education around equine movement. Key milestones include the formation of AHA in 1992 and the later establishment of the Hippotherapy Certification Board. Over time, the organization expanded its curriculum, published conceptual frameworks, and hosted international conferences.
Today, AHA continues to serve as a hub for professional education and dialogue, contributing to the field through coursework, resources, and events.
How AHA Relates to Other Organizations
AHA sits alongside other equine-related professional groups but occupies its own niche. It focuses exclusively on clinician education rather than instructor certification, center accreditation, or riding program development. Programs that use horses in various ways may incorporate AHA-trained professionals, but AHA itself does not run riding lessons, certify instructors, or provide program oversight.
Its resources complement — rather than replace — broader standards set by other equine-assisted service organizations.
Why AHA Matters in the Broader Landscape
AHA plays an important role in establishing shared terminology, supporting professional learning, and contributing to a common educational foundation for clinicians who study equine movement. By offering structured training, ethical guidelines, and opportunities for peer connection, the organization helps promote consistency and thoughtful engagement across a diverse field.
For the wider ecosystem of equine-involved programs, AHA adds clarity, historical context, and educational depth that enrich the overall understanding of how humans and horses work together in professional settings.
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