FAQ

General
Do I need my member number to log in?
I'm having trouble logging in. What do I need to do?
I have a horse I would like to donate to PATH Intl. How do I go about that?
How do I return or exchange PATH Intl. merchandise?
How soon will merchandise I purchased be shipped?
Why did PATH Intl. change its name from NARHA?

Membership
What does a PATH Intl. membership cost?
What does an individual membership include?
Why can I not access the Foundation Directory Online?
Where is the Standards Manual?
What is the Higher Education Membership?

Center Membership
I'm interested in starting a PATH Intl. Center. How do I begin?
Where do I find information on becoming a Premier Accredited Center?

Certification
How do I start the certification process?

Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy and Equine-Facilitated Learning (EFP and EFL)
How does EFP/EFL fit with PATH Intl.?
What is the PATH Intl./EFMHA integration?
What is the difference between EFP and EFL?
What is an equine specialist?
How do EFP and EFL help clients with psychosocial healing and growth?
Are there any precautions or contraindications to EFP?
What is meant by horse partnership?

Donations
How can I support PATH Intl.?
Is PATH Intl. registered with eBay Giving Works?
Where can I find a list of PATH Intl. sponsors?

General

Do I need my member number to log in?

No. On the old website, you used your member number and password to get in. Now, you will need your unique email address and password. If you are logging in for the first time, the password is Password1 (case-sensitive and no spaces). You will be prompted to change your password when you log in. You will not need your member number, and your member number will not work in the email field.

I'm having trouble logging in. What do I need to do?

We've all had times of trying to log in to a webpage and didn't notice that our caps-lock was on. Here are a few of the more common mistakes:

caps-lock was on

didn’t capitalize when they should (e.g. “password1” instead of “Password1”) -- it’s case-sensitive

had the username and password flipped

using a numeric value for their user name (not an email address) -- in other words, don't use your member number

not filling in the username

I have a horse I would like to donate to PATH Intl. How do I go about that?

PATH Intl. Member Centers depend on the generosity of horse owners to acquire horses and ponies for therapeutic riding programs. Many horses are donated to PATH Intl. Centers because owners outgrow them. Some are retired competitors whose owners want them to lead less strenuous lives. And some horses are donated because the owner's tax credit is more of a benefit then selling the horse. Whatever the reason for the donation, each horse must meet a PATH Intl. Center's needs and pass a trial testing and training period before he is mainstreamed into the program. Read PATH Intl.’s standards regarding horse donations. Check with a PATH Intl. Center near you to see if it is accepting donated horses and what its requirements are.

How do I return or exchange PATH Intl. merchandise?
//old.pathintl.org/policies

How soon will merchandise I purchased be shipped?

Items are usually shipped within 5-7 days. However, items do not ship without a receipt of payment. Read our shipping policies here.

Why did PATH Intl. change its name from NARHA?

Read the story here.

Membership

What does a PATH Intl. membership cost?

For an individual member, the cost is $65 annually. For individuals residing outside North America, an Individual International Membership is available for $105 annually. The benefits are the same.

What does an individual membership include?

An individual membership includes a subscription to PATH Intl. STRIDES (our quarterly news magazine) and PATH Intl. News (our industry newsletter distributed twice monthly via email). Members also receive access to the Membership Directory and discounts on events, such as conferences, and products, such as magazine subscriptions.

Where is the Standards Manual?

The PATH Intl. Standards for Certification and Accreditation manual is a members only benefit. It can be found here. Please note that you must be logged in as a member first.

What is the Higher Education Membership?

You can read about the Higher Education Membership here. Or click on the FAQ page here.

Center Membership

I’m interested in starting a PATH Intl. Center. How do I begin?

The idea of starting an equine-assisted activities and therapies program or opening a PATH Intl. center can seem overwhelming at first, and many questions immediately come to mind. Find the answers here.

Where can I find information on becoming a Premier Accredited Center?

Click here.

Certification

How do I start the certification process?

The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH Intl.) offers three levels of certification for therapeutic riding instructors: Registered, Advanced and Master. Specialty Discipline Certification is also available for driving and interactive vaulting. Therapeutic riding instructors who teach at PATH Intl. Centers are required to achieve (one level of) PATH Intl. Instructor Certification status. Instructors may apply for any level of certification they feel they are qualified to achieve, as long as the application criteria for that level are met. Click here to begin the process.

Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy and Equine-Facilitated Learning

What is the difference between equine-facilitated psychotherapy and equine-facilitated learning?

Equine facilitated learning experiences are carefully created equine-assisted activities that promote human development in an experiential format. Equine facilitated learning may be conducted by an educator, therapist, an equine specialist or a PATH Intl. instructor. Experiential learning refers to a style of learning that occurs when a person is interacting with the environment, including the people, animals and situations involved. It is “learning by doing” and may take place over a short period of time, such as a workshop, or during regularly scheduled sessions.

Equine facilitated psychotherapy provides clinical assessment and treatment of mental health needs through equine assisted activities. EFP denotes an established therapeutic relationship with clearly established treatment goals and objectives developed by the client and his or her therapist. The therapist must be an appropriately credentialed mental health professional to legally practice psychotherapy.

How does EFP/EFL fit with PATH Intl.?

EFP and EFL are two specific approaches (equine-facilitated psychotherapy and equine-facilitated learning) for accomplishing the mission of PATH Intl.: to change and enrich lives by promoting excellence in equine-assisted activities and therapies. The PATH Intl. organization provides a set of core safety standards that apply to all equine assisted activities regardless of your techniques or approach. These standards enforce quality risk management considerations so that the clientele, horses, and staff within each program are at a lower risk of injury or harm. All practitioners within the field of equine-assisted activities should have knowledge of and adhere to PATH Intl./EFMHA's field-tested safety standards as an attempt to protect and advance our industry.

What is the PATH Intl./EFMHA Integration

On November 4, 2010, the presidents of the PATH Intl. Board of Trustees and the EFMHA Board of Directors signed a proclamation fully integrating EFMHA into the association. For questions about the PATH Intl./EFMHA integration, please read the Frequently Asked Questions document.

What is an equine specialist?

An “equine specialist” (ES) is defined as an experienced horse handler who is aware of important issues within the fields of mental health and education services, e.g. confidentiality, duty to warn, transference, counter-transference, and projection. It is the equine specialist's job to advocate for the equine and translate the equine's behavior and feedback to the rest of the team. Click here for information on the PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning certification.

How do equine-facilitated psychotherapy and equine-assisted learning help clients with psychosocial healing and growth?

EFP and EFL take mental health and learning practices “to the barn” as an experiential approach to personal growth and healing. The partnership that is developed between the clients or students and their horse provides an alternative opportunity to the traditional mental health and education services. The EFP or EFL sessions are goal oriented to meet the clientele’s needs in an individual, group, or family setting. Within the field of equine-assisted activities, EFP and EFL add the emotional and cognitive aspects of treating the whole person and help them with their needs in a multi-dimensional way.

Are there any precautions or contraindications to EFP?

Yes, EFP precautions and contraindications are available in your PATH Intl. Standards for Certification and Accreditation Manual. Another way to enforce a quality risk management system is to adhere to the specific EFP/EFL contraindications and precautions in addition to PATH Intl.’s list of contraindications and precautions. A “contraindication” is defined as a condition or factor that increases the risks involved in using a particular drug, carrying out a medical procedure, or engaging in a particular activity. A “precaution” is defined as increased awareness or steps that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of emotional or physical harm.

What is meant by horse partnership?

The equine is a critically important, sentient partner in the four-part team consisting of the equine, a mental health professional or educator, an equine specialist and a client. It is important that the horse is considered a full partner within these sessions, protected from harm and not placed or staged in an environment that could elicit a fear or stress response in hopes of benefitting the client. This philosophy is very important for the center to implement as a whole to ensure that clients are not witnessing horses experiencing undue harm or stress, as well as to ensure quality care, emotional, and physical well being of the program horses.

Donations

How can I support PATH Intl.?

There are several different ways to support PATH Intl. Visit our donations page to learn how.

Is PATH Intl. registered with eBay Giving Works?

Yes! PATH Intl. has signed with MissionFish to raise funds for PATH Intl. with eBay Giving Works. This means if you are selling on eBay, you can give 10 to 100 percent of the proceeds to PATH Intl. The money is deposited directly into PATH Intl.'s bank account. Visit PATH Intl.'s page on eBay to learn more.