Lessons In TR

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, just some good ones I’ve come across so far.

Therapeutic Riding & Instructing Links

General Resources

• PATH Intl. – the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International that sets standards for safe therapeutic riding barns and provides education and certification
• PATH Intl.’s Community Connections – member forums, discussion, uploaded documents, resources (membership required)
• Horses Can Help – with membership receive lesson plans, documents, and resources
• GallopNYC collection of links – this is an amazing compilation of over 400 links to resources related to therapeutic riding and disabilities!
• FreedomRider.com – tack shop and TR equipment 

Webinars and Videos

• PATH Intl Webinars & Conference Recordings – presentations to purchase and view, a wealth of information (if this link doesn’t work, Google the PATH Intl. Store)
• Horses Helping People Webinar Series – really great webinar topics to purchase, view or participate in
• CHA YouTube Instructor Videos
• CHA Webinars & CHA Free Education Resources
• The Visible Rider: Anatomy in Motion by Susan Harris and Peggy Brown
• Randi Thompson Live videos on YouTube are a great model and resource for teaching balanced riding skills
• My “Videos” tagged posts – all the videos and documentaries I have shared on this blog
• EAAT Virtual CEU Series on Facebook

Articles

• STRIDES Archives – PATH Intl’s quarterly magazine with articles related to TR
• Instructor Voice Archives – PATH Intl’s former instructor newsletter
• PATH Intl.’s Directory of Resources – directory of helpful TR info & handouts
• PATH Intl.’s “Equine Tips” Page – horse care tips relevant to TR
• Equestrian Special Olympics Coaching Guide (March 2012) – one of the best resources for how to couch basic riding skills to people with disabilities!
• TheHorse.com articles on therapeutic riding
• EAP Articles by Jane Karol – great articles about EAP and EAT
• Feature Articles: Horse Training and Riding website – article collection on riding skills by Meredith Manor
• Julie Goodnight – training articles related to instructing, must join free membership
• CHA Instructor magazine – featured Articles & Columns
• “Recommended reading” posts – all the informational articles I have shared on this blog
• “News articles” posts – all the news articles I have shared on this blog

PATH Intl Conference Handouts

• 2010 International
• 2011 International
• 2012 Region 5
• 2013 International
• 2013 Region 2
• 2014 International
• 2014 Region 1
• 2014 Region 5
• 2015 International
• 2015 Region 5
• 2016 International
• 2017 International
• 2019 International

Books

(Note: Any links to books on Amazon on, I earn a small amount for qualifying purchases to support this blog.)

• PATH Intl. Instructor Education Guide – printed, downloadable
• PATH Intl. CTRI Study Guide – printed, downloadable
• Balance in Movement by Susanne Von Dietze – a very thorough book about the body mechanics of riding and developing balance, with exercises!
• Centered Riding by Sally Swift – great explanations of body mechanics and use of visual images
• 101 Arena Exercises for Horse & Rider by Cherry Hill – great explanations of basic through rather advanced riding skills, complete with what how and why for each one
• CHA Composite Horsemanship Manual – explains riding and horse care skills in good detail through 4 levels (or buy used on Amazon)
• Games on Horseback by Betty Bennett-Talbot
• Games for All Seasons: designed for use in therapeutic riding lessons by Nancy Hohmann
• Themed Lesson Plans by Melissa Troup
• Teaching Children to Ride by Melissa Troup
• Exercises for Therapeutic Riding by Jerri Lincoln
• Hope Rising by Kim Meeder – a beautiful book about abused horses healing abused kids
• FreedomRider.com – a source of TR books
• Dynamic Treatment for the Hippotherapy Client – although for hippotherapy, many of the concepts, games and activities apply to TR. This book is thick and packed with info, and was written by my friends! Note: link doesn’t work…it should be back in print by the end of 2022.
• The Therapist’s Saddle Bag: Treatment activities and themes for OTs, PTs, and SLPs, including when equine movement is incorporated – by Highest Potential Therapy, an eBook for OTs, PTs, and SLPs to use during their treatment sessions, with 55 weeks of themed activities., both on horse and off horse activities.
• Traumatic Brain Injury & Therapeutic Riding by Anita Shkedi – factual, scientific information with personal observations and outcomes of dealing with people with traumatic brain injury
• Riding Fear Free: Help for Fearful Riders and Their Teachers  by PATH Intl. Instructor Laura Daley and co-authored by Jennifer Becton – about the scientific principle of fear extinction
• Equine Fitness and 101 Western Dressage Exercises by Jec Ballou – useful patterns and exercises for horse conditioning programs and for use in classes

Supplies

• Teaching Aids for EAS – tons of great visual aids and teaching tools for Equine Assisted Services and lessons

Blogs

• Hoof Falls & Foot Falls – blog posts, videos, instructor tools, coaching, individual courses, and the Intuitive Instructor Club – your one stop for great EAAT content and continued education!
• The Equine Impact – a great blog about equine assisted therapies
• Stable Moments – about horses and foster care children, she also has a book!
• A Daily Bit of Biscuit – rescue pony in training to be a TR horse – LessonsinTR metioned here
• Extraordinary Horses –  a blog that promotes the therapeutic benefits of horses, a great resource in the explanation of TR and collection of links – LessonsinTR featured here
• What Horses Teach – a blog by Karen Brittle, self described as reflections “on horses, riding, teaching and the field of Equine Assisted Activities & Therapies”
• They took up the therapeutic reins and made it count – a journal of an RDA coach, lesson activities, and resource lists – Lessonsintr featured on the links page here
• Spirit Dances – the blog of the late Karly “Spirit Dances,” a beautiful woman in her 20’s with Rett Syndrome who rode horses, wrote music, and spoke about her experiences through facilitated communication – if you have any riders with Rhett’s this is a must read
• Speech Language Hippotherapy – blog about speech language pathology using hippotherapy – LessonsinTR featured here
• Speech In Motion – another blog about SLP using hippotherapy
• HorseOT – a blog about Occupational Therapy using hippotherapy. Good ideas.
• The Riding Instructor – a really great informative blog about instructing able bodied riding students
• The Rubber Curry Comb – blog of a riding instructor
• Equinovice – my friend’s blog
• White Oak Stables – blog posts, instructor resources

Suggestions?

If you want to add to the list or see anything that needs updating, let me know! I’d love to exchange links (if it’s related).

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Note: This is not professional advice, this is a blog. I am not liable for what you do with or how you use this information. The activities explained in this blog may not be fit for every rider, riding instructor, or riding center depending on their current condition and resources. Use your best personal judgement!