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About CanTRA Member Centres Get Involved Contacts Certification Hippotherapy Supporters Employment 2011 Conference Merchandise Instructor Resources ParaEquestrian CanTRA Kids EFW Past News F.A.Q |
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About CanTRA Member Centres Get Involved Contacts Certification Hippotherapy Supporters Employment 2011 Conference Merchandise Instructor Resources ParaEquestrian CanTRA Kids EFW Past News F.A.Q |
 (EFW - Canada) The CanTRA Board of Directors is in the process of completing some strategic planning for all areas of the organization. As part of this process, the Equine Facilitated Wellness training format is under review. If you are an EFW certification candidate, please be assured that any steps you have taken to date toward this process will be honoured. Should there be any changes to the requirements or processes related to EFW certification, certification candidates will be contacted directly with this information. The CanTRA Board of Directors would like to thank the Equine Facilitated Wellness – Canada Committee for their dedication and work in developing these processes to date and for assisting to establish high standards for this field in Canada. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the CanTRA office. Core Committee: Chair(s): TBA Eileen Bona Kate Burns Kathleen Pryde Margaret Schneider | |||||
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History and Background Equine Facilitated Wellness – Canada (EFW-Canada) was established as a committee of the CanTRA Board in October, 2005. The need for this committee came about as a result of the growing number of individuals and groups working with horses to provide a range of counselling, personal growth and educational services to individuals with mental health, personal growth, educational and/or emotional needs and goals. CanTRA has a long history of experience with horses in therapeutic settings and it seems a logical and natural fit that EFW fall under the CanTRA umbrella. There are no national standards in Canada to regulate such services. The EFW-Canada committee has developed standards to respond to the need for a Canadian EFW certification process along with recommended independent training. In March 2009, the CanTRA Board of Directors approved the EFW certification and training program detailed below. Participants from the 2007 and 2008 Explorations in Equine Facilitated Mental Health (now called Equine Facilitated Wellness) will receive credit for the workshop taken while the program was under development. | |||||
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What is Equine Facilitated Wellness? Equine Facilitated Wellness (EFW) incorporates a range of counselling, education and personal development approaches, strategies and techniques which bring humans and equines together in healing and learning environments. In EFW, clients will typically work towards therapeutic healing, self awareness and personal growth. This will be facilitated by Certified Equine Facilitated Wellness Practitioners in carefully planned interactions with specially selected horses. Terms which are currently used in this area of practice include, amongst others: Equine Facilitated Counselling, Equine Experiential Learning, Equine Assisted/Facilitated Psychotherapy, Equine Assisted Professional Development, Equine Guided Education and Equine Assisted Personal Development. The term Equine Facilitated Wellness (shortened to EFW) is intended to encompass all of the above terms. The Mental Health/Educational Practitioner (MH/EDP) is a term encompassing all of the human services professions included within the EFW program. The Equine Practitioner (EP) refers to the horse professional member of the team. Underlying Principles of EFW - Canada The CanTRA EFW program will prepare practitioners to specialize in Equine Facilitated Wellness as a profession that expands their existing equine and mental health/education skills. The certification and training process to become an Equine Facilitated Wellness Practitioner is a journey of deep experience rather than a series of goal focused achievements. In addition to taking core CanTRA approved courses, candidates create their own learning program with mentoring support from experienced EFW Practitioners. The training program supports participants in gaining the skills to begin working in the field while they are continuing their learning. By the time the EFW practitioner completes the certification process, they will have experience working in the field. They will have a wide range of training and will have explored a number of approaches. CanTRA Certified EFW Practitioners should be able to become leaders and mentors in the profession of Equine Facilitated Wellness in Canada. The Role of the Horse The horse is a sentient being, partner and co-counsellor in the EFW relationship and process, who both experiences his/her own emotions and perceives the inner emotional state of others. Horses working in EFW must be treated respectfully and ethically. Awareness needs to be given to the impact emotional work has on horses. Horses have a need and a right to respond spontaneously and safely when expressing their feelings and opinions, and their physical, mental and emotional needs must be met. The Role of the Equine Facilitated Wellness Team An Equine Practitioner will work in partnership with a Mental Health/Education Practitioner who shares the same ethics, morals and understanding of Equine Facilitated Wellness. The horse is an equal partner in the therapy team. The team creates the opportunity for people and horses to come together in ways that are mutually beneficial. The EFW partnership, of Equine Practitioner and Mental Health/Education Practitioner, is sensitive to and aware of the physical, emotional and spiritual safety of people and horses in their care, as well as maintaining their own state of grounded awareness. There is a need for specialized training and certification in Equine Facilitated Wellness for both Mental Health/Education and Equine Practitioners, beyond what they bring from their professional backgrounds. Everyone has an individual approach to how they work in their profession. Their professional code of ethics, philosophies, background, education, experience and interests will determine how they deliver their work. In choosing a professional partner in Equine Facilitated Wellness these aspects need to be considered, to create a team that is working towards the same goals in harmony, trust and groundedness. These same considerations will be given when selecting and working with the horses. The Equine Practitioner must understand the approach the Mental Health/Education Practitioner takes in their work and the MH/EDP must observe and understand how the EP works with horses. The Equine Practitioner will bring selected horses with them to join the EFW Team and each horse will have their own personality, strengths, weaknesses and gifts to offer to the process. A team that works seamlessly together with a coordinated approach will be able to offer their clients a wonderful opportunity to experience the healing and wisdom that horses have to offer. Whenever possible it is suggested that a potential EFW Team take trainings and workshops together to develop this relationship and learn how to develop their working partnership. Part of the Internship and training will be spending time together; Equine Practitioner, Mental Health/Education Practitioner and their herd, to understand and experience the dynamics of their unique therapy team. There is an option for a Dually Trained Practitioner, having the background to certify as both an Equine Practitioner and Mental Health/Education Practitioner, to work alone in suitable situations such as working with individuals or small groups in safe controlled situations. Certification Completion of the CanTRA EFW certification program will result in a candidate achieving the designation of Certified Equine Facilitated Wellness Practitioner. There will also be the designations of Certified Equine Facilitated Wellness Mentor for those who have met the certification requirements and also have additional skills and an EFW philosophy compatible for mentoring others. Certified Equine Facilitated Wellness Trainer will be granted to those who have met the above requirements, also possess the necessary additional skills to become a trainer/educator and have been approved to act as a CanTRA EFW trainer. | |||||
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Certification Process for the Equine Practitioner The Role of the Equine Practitioner in Equine Facilitated Wellness Training and certification in an appropriate equine field is essential for a horse professional to work in the area of EFW, but it is not by itself sufficient. The horse person needs to enter this process with strong skills and training in working with horses (including ground work and horse psychology) and also needs basic skills in communication. The majority of EFW is done on the ground so riding skills are not the main focus of the EP’s experience. The Equine Practitioner needs an extensive background with horses, herd behavior, horse psychology, non-verbal communication and ground work. Then those skills have to be integrated in to the field of Equine Facilitated Wellness. Horse people with traditional experience in the field such as Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Western Riding, showing, driving, and various levels of teaching certifications all come with a wealth of knowledge which will be recognized and beneficial as a base in the field of EFW. However, some of that traditional knowledge will have to make way for a whole new set of skills that is required to be an Equine Practitioner in EFW. These may include:
Experience from a broad spectrum of equine professions will be recognized and included in the EFW-Canada Certification process. The type of work a person will be able to do in the EFW field will be determined by the scope of practice in their own field, as determined, assessed and regulated by their pre-existing certifying professional organization. The EFW-Canada training process will focus upon the EFW specialty area for both mental health/education practitioner and equine practitioner. The partnership that the Equine Practitioner develops with their Mental Health/Education Practitioner and their horses will determine the population of people they will work with and what their approach will be, depending on the education, training, experience and interests of “The Team” including the horses. To Enter the Certification Process The process of certification will vary in length depending on each person’s skills, experience and knowledge. Prior learning will be considered. The certification process is administered by the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA). To enter the Certification Process you must:
After CanTRA receives proof of the Explorations attendance and CanTRA/EFW Membership, CanTRA will send the official Equine Facilitated Wellness Certification Application Package to the candidate by email. The candidate has five years from the time of application to complete the requirements of certification. Please Click here to refer to the Administration document for further information regarding the certification process. |
EFW Certification Components for the Equine Practitioner When entering the certification program, candidates will be asked to prepare a statement describing how and why they want to be involved in the EFW Canada program. The candidate is required to work towards obtaining the required hours of practical experience and education in the Equine Field and related fields below for the EFW Certification process. The following is a list of experience possibilities that the candidate may have in the Equine Field. Please note the minimum number of hours that are required in each section. Section A Experience in your field: 6000 hours of experience is required in the equine field including 5500 hours gaining certification and experience in your field, and 500 hours of ground work and equine behaviour study. Certification attained: This section will include hours that you took to train and obtain your certification and hours that you have worked in the field.
500 hours minimum (included in 6000 hour total)
CanTRA Approved Trainings (105 hours) Explorations in EFW Workshop (30 hours): To officially begin the EFW certification process candidates must first attend the Explorations workshops. This four day workshop by a CanTRA approved trainer will give you an overview of the field and the tools to plan and accomplish your training for certification in Equine Facilitated Wellness. EFW Focus Training (75 hours) by a CanTRA approved trainer: A small group, intensive and interactive training opportunity for people who have already completed the Exploration Workshop. Generally offered as (two) one-week workshops. Participants will learn more about EFW practices and will have practical hands on experience with the horses and Mental Health partners. Section C (100 hours) Cross Training: The Equine Practitioner will have experience, training, workshops or qualifications in the field of Communications, Counselling, Leadership, Team Building, volunteering at a Crisis Centre etc. working towards: How to create safe space, active listening, expressing empathy, genuineness, and respect, confidentiality, asking open-ended questions and how they are useful, maintaining healthy boundaries, roles, limits & self-awareness. Section D (35 hours) Personal Development: This is an opportunity to explore the equine facilitated field as a participant, to sample other training approaches and to develop and build on skills identified in the Explorations workshop.
Section E Internship/Mentorship (450 hours) Internship requirement: 150 hours of direct client time in a pre approved EFW setting where the Equine Practitioner is partnering with a Mental Health Practitioner and conducting EFW. 300 hours of indirect client time to accomplish as follows:
The applicant will submit a plan to the EFW Certification Committee that outlines their personal internship program. The internship plan will outline:
While there must be at least one EFW Certified Mentor or EFW Certified Trainer overseeing the internship process, anyone certified by EFW - Canada as an EFW Practitioner will be qualified to act as a mentor with people in EFW training. Other experienced practitioners may act as mentors to EFW candidates with the prior approval of the EFW CanTRA Certification committee. It is recommended that consultation sessions are conducted a minimum of once monthly for an internship that is part time, or more frequently in a full time internship. These mentoring sessions must support and challenge the candidate in their learning. Case consultation, ethical practice, preparing, selecting a horse(s) to work in EFW, care of the horse in EFW, learning and developing EFW activities and interventions, structuring a session with appropriate EFW activities with your EFW Mental Health/Education Practitioner, practitioner self care and more are consultation topics. A candidate may engage more than one mentor during their internship and their responsibilities will differ depending on if they are an EFW Equine Practitioner, Mental Health/Education Practitioner or a Dually Certified EFW Practitioner. The mentor is responsible for supporting the EP candidate in their training and education in the field of EFW. It is important for the Equine Practitioner to understand and follow guidelines that safeguard the confidentiality of Mental Health/Education clients. These guidelines may be different than what is normal in the equine profession. Confidentiality guidelines are also followed within the mentoring relationship. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that any mentor they engage is willing to follow these guidelines. The payment of professional fees to the mentor will be arranged between the candidate and their mentor. Generally a mentor will charge their regular hourly rate. Another mentoring option is for a mentor to charge the hourly rate that the candidate charges or earns, generally with a minimum charge. An Equine Practitioner and Mental Health/Education Practitioner in training, working as a team, can mentor each other as part of their learning, sharing their respective knowledge areas so they can create their way of working together. Continuing Education In order to maintain your EFW Certification you will be required to:
Candidates will keep track of their hours and activities on an Internship Form provided by CanTRA as well as their Excel Application Form. This will include hours of group consultation or individual mentoring (or a combination) with a qualified EFW mentor. The official application form is set up in Excel format which will help the candidate keep track of the hours that you will need in the different categories of training, experience, education and internship. The candidate will be required to update their application once a year from the date that the application was submitted. At this time photocopies of any documentation of courses, certifications, memberships etc. must be sent by mail to the CanTRA office. The CanTRA office will update your file and send a copy to the EFW Certification Committee for review. |
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Certification Process for the Mental Health / Education Practitioner Scope of Practice: Experience from a broad spectrum of human services professions will be recognized and included in the EFW-Canada Certification process. The type of work a person will be able to do in EFW will be determined by the scope of practice in their own field, as determined, assessed and regulated by their pre-existing certifying professional organization. Their standards of practice will apply in the EFW work. The EFW-Canada training process will focus upon the EFW specialty area for both Mental Health/Education Practitioner and Equine Practitioner. Professions recognised by EFW-Canada: We will include a broad spectrum of mental health/education and equine professions in the EFW-Canada process. The inclusion process will proceed in stages. The choice of the name Equine Facilitated Wellness intentionally allows for the scope to be broader than the mental health field. We are seeking the highest professional standards of accountability in this first stage of the EFW – Canada program. The professions initially included in the EFW-Canada certification are all established human services professions that have their own professional standards and regulation. The initial list of professions meets the following criteria:
Any member of these professions who have met the following:
Non-Regulated Professions: It is our intention to have a further stage in which these professions can be explored. There is interest in creating a process that can include skilled people who work outside of the regulated professions, while maintaining a high standard of professionalism and competence. Training and Experience Click here for more about training in the Training Section The certification process is administered by the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA). To enter the Certification Process you must: After CanTRA receives proof of the Explorations attendance and CanTRA/EFW Membership, CanTRA will send the official Equine Facilitated Wellness Certification Application Package to the candidate by email. The candidate has five years from the time of application to complete the requirements of certification. Please Click here to refer to the Administration document for further information. | |||||
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The candidate is required to work towards obtaining the required hours of practical experience and education in the related fields below for the EFW Certification process. Please note the minimum number of hours that are required in each section. When entering the certification program, candidates will be asked to prepare a statement describing how and why they want to be involved in the EFW Canada program. Section A Experience in your field (6000 hours; three years full time equivalent) of experience in your mental health/education field. If a candidate enters the EFW program without the above requirements complete, they can use their 900 EFW internship hours as part of their 6000 hours of experience. They will need to complete the remaining 5100 hours of experience in their field while working as a member of their profession (not in school) before they can complete their certification. These hours can be within or outside of EFW. Section B CanTRA Approved Trainings (105 hours) Explorations in EFW Workshop (30 hours): To officially begin the EFW certification process candidates must first attend the Explorations workshops. This four day workshop by a CanTRA approved trainer will give you an overview of the field and the tools to plan and accomplish your training for certification in Equine Facilitated Wellness. EFW Focus Training (75 hours) by a CanTRA approved trainer: A small group, intensive and interactive training opportunity for people who have already completed the Exploration Workshop. Generally offered as (two) one-week workshops. Participants will learn more about EFW practices and will have practical hands on experience with the horses and Mental Health partners. Section C (100 hours) Cross Training Experience with horses is important for both Mental Health/Education Practitioner and Equine Practitioner. The MH/ED Practitioner will have training in the equine field including ground work, herd dynamics and horse psychology suited to EFW work. The focus is not on riding. There will be a minimum of 100 hours of which 50 are in formal instruction situations (ground work lessons, auditing clinics, DVD’s etc) and 50 are practice and observation with horses. Section D (75 hours) Personal Development This is an opportunity to explore the equine facilitated field as a participant, to sample other training approaches and to develop and build on skills identified in the Explorations workshop.
Section E (900 hours) Internship/mentorship: Completion of a minimum of 900 hours of experience in EFW is necessary to complete the certification requirements. Internship requirement: 300 hoursof direct client time in a pre-approved EFW setting where the Mental Health/Education Practitioner is partnering with an Equine Professional and conducting EFW. Approximately 600 hours of indirect time including these example activities: Tracking Internship The applicant will submit a plan to the EFW Mental Health/Education Committee that outlines their personal internship program. The internship plan will outline:
Mentoring While there must be at least one EFW Certified Mentor or EFW Certified Trainer overseeing the internship process, anyone certified by EFW - Canada as an EFW Practitioner will be qualified to act as a mentor with people in EFW training. Other experienced practitioners may act as mentors to EFW candidates with the prior approval of the EFW CanTRA Certification committee. It is recommended that consultation sessions are conducted a minimum of once monthly for an internship that is part time, or more frequently in a full time internship. These mentoring sessions must support and challenge the candidate in their learning. Case consultation, ethical practice, preparing, selecting a horse(s) to work in EFW, care of the horse in EFW, learning and developing EFW activities and interventions, structuring a session with appropriate EFW activities with your EFW Mental Health/Education Practitioner, practitioner self care and more are consultation topics. A candidate may engage more than one mentor during their internship. The mentor is responsible for following professional guidelines for mentoring (eg. doing case consultation after the candidate gains permission from the client, confidentiality, etc). The candidate is responsible to follow their own ethical standards while they are receiving supervision. The payment of professional fees to the mentor will be arranged between the candidate and their mentor. Generally a mentor will charge their regular hourly rate. Another mentoring option is for a mentor to charge the hourly rate that the candidate charges or earns, generally with a minimum charge. An Equine Practitioner and Mental Health/Education Practitioner in training, working as a team, can mentor each other as part of their learning, sharing their respective knowledge areas so they can create their way of working together. Continuing Education In order to maintain your EFW Certification you will be required to:
Candidates will keep track of their hours and activities on an Internship Form provided by CanTRA as well as their Excel Application Form. This will include hours of group consultation or individual mentoring (or a combination) with a qualified EFW mentor. The official application form is set up in Excel format which will help the candidate keep track of the hours needed in the different categories of training, experience, education and internship. The candidate will be required to update their application once a year from the date that the application was submitted. At this time photocopies of any documentation of courses, certifications, memberships etc. must be sent by mail to the CanTRA office. The CanTRA office will update your file and send a copy to the EFW Certification Committee for review. | |||||
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Description of CanTRA EFW Training Explorations in Equine Facilitated Mental Health This is the first step in the EFW-Canada certification program and is open to anyone who is interested in learning about EFW. This small group experiential workshop provides an introduction to the field and covers the following in a four day workshop:
Focused Training for the Mental Health/Education and Equine Practitioners The next step is a small group intensive and interactive training offered by a CanTRA approved Trainer for people who have already completed an approved Exploration workshop. These opportunities will eventually be available in various locations across Canada where participants can study with experienced EFW practitioners. This training is suited to both Equine Practitioner and Mental Health/Education Practitioner. Participants will explore the different aspects of working in the field of EFW, will be exposed to the specialty focus of the trainer, and will have practical hands on experience. There is a strong emphasis on safe practice standards. The specific content will vary according to the presenter, who will be pre approved by EFW-Canada and will be operating out of a CanTRA approved facility. The requirement is to complete 75 hours of Focused Training. This can be provided by one or more trainers. Most focus training options are offered as two, week long (five days) or two week programs. If a candidate takes more than 75 hours of Focused Training, the hours can be used as credit in either Personal Development or Internship. The CanTRA Explorations Workshop and the Focus Trainings are given by independent bodies that have been recommended by the CanTRA EFW Committee and approved through the CanTRA Board of Directors as qualified and competent trainers and facilitators in this field. They operate from facilities that have CanTRA Member Centre Status or Provisional Member Centre Status. Please see admin document for explanations of these term. Candidates are invited to explore other trainings in the field of Equine Facilitated Wellness to round out their education and experience and acquire the necessary hours for their certification. All course registrations and arrangements are to be made between the candidate and the independent Workshop Conductors. | |||||
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Cross Training Cross Training for the Equine Practitioner This is a self designed program to ensure that the EP has sufficient communication skills and understanding about mental health issues to be comfortable and supportive of the therapeutic process. Possible learning experiences include: training, workshops or qualifications in the field of Communication, Counselling, Life Coach, Leadership, Team Building etc; taking communication or counselling skills at a local college; training and volunteering at a crisis centre or family services agency; micro-counselling skills course sponsored by CanTRA; other training and practical experiences that may be available and of interest the candidate. Understanding confidentiality guidelines related to working with Mental Health/Education clients is crucial. Cross Training for the Mental Health/Education Practitioner This is a self designed program to ensure that the MH/EDP has sufficient exposure to horses that they can:
Personal Development Training In the EFW – Canada program, participants are encouraged to explore the approaches of any EFW (EFP, EFMH, EFEL etc) trainers and practitioners that they are interested in learning from. A portion of the Personal Development hours are reserved for being a participant/client. A candidate can take a workshop from any EFW practitioner of their choosing, or attend a personal development type workshop or a combination. It is intended that the candidate experience the work from the perspective of the client. The remaining credit hours can be gained from training situations taken with someone of the candidates choosing. This may include more time of training with a CanTRA approved trainer. Information about the dates, hours, trainer, content etc will be documented in the candidate’s personal log form. It is recommended that candidates take the opportunity to learn about various approaches in order to best assess the approach that will suit them and to be well apprised of the range of approaches in the field. Possibilities include but are not limited to:
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Administration of Equine Facilitated Wellness Certification through CanTRA The information regarding the requirements to become certified as an Equine Practitioner or Mental Health/Education Practitioner in Equine Facilitated Wellness is available on the CanTRA website regarding how many hours are needed in experience, education, required workshops and internship. The candidate can begin to collect the information that will document their education and experience towards their EFW certification at any time. To Enter the Certification Process: To officially enter in to the EFW Certification Process candidates must first attend The Explorations Workshop. This 4 day workshop will give you an overview of the field and the tools to plan and accomplish your training for your certification in Equine Facilitated Wellness. The process of certification in this field will vary in length depending on the skills, experience and knowledge that you bring to the table. The certification process is administered by the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA). To enter the Certification Process you must:
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Costs of Certification Process payable to CanTRA: CanTRA Annual Membership: $30 EFW Annual Membership: $15 Initial Registration Fee for EFW Certification Process: $50 Final Review of Certification Application: $80 There will be an additional charge of $50 administration if correspondence cannot be done by email. The training courses are given by independent bodies that have been approved by the EFW Committee of CanTRA. All course registrations and arrangements are to be made between the candidate and the independent Workshop Conductors When the candidate has completed the Explorations Workshop their proof of attendance will be sent in to CanTRA by the course conductor. The candidate will notify CanTRA of their intention to join the certification program by sending their CanTRA/EFW fees and Initial Registration Fee (total of $95 unless already a CanTRA member) to: 5420 Hwy #6 North, Suite 11 RR #5 Guelph, ON N1H 6J2 All workshops will be administered by the Workshop Facilitators and be booked directly with the facilitator by the candidate. The candidate is responsible for keeping their application current with records, certifications, and required hours documented and to send CanTRA photocopies of these documents to verify the hours and experience they are adding to their Certification Application. It is not necessary to send certificates of completion from Explorations or Focused Training. Your name will be sent to CanTRA on completion of those programs. When all the required hours and experience has been completed the candidate will submit the final copy of their application and corresponding documentation, to be reviewed by the EFW Certification Committee. The cost of the final review of the candidate’s application will be $80. When approved, the EFW Certificate will be presented to the candidate. CanTRA will keep a list of current Certified Professionals in EFW on their website with information on how to contact these individuals or links to their websites. Staying Current: Certified EFW Practitioners will be required to:
Insurance and CanTRA Member Centre Status: Once the Candidate is in the certification program, they will need to acquire comprehensive liability insurance before they can work with clients and the horses. Some Equine Practitioners will already have this in place. If desired, candidates who have their own facilities can go through the process of becoming a CanTRA Member Centre and apply for CanTRA Insurance. This process involves a Safety Inspection of their facility where a CanTRA representative observes a session and reviews a list of safety considerations regarding the horses, clients and facility. When the candidate is in the process of becoming certified they can apply for a provisional CanTRA Member Centre status so that they are eligible to apply for insurance while they are working on their certification. There will be a 2 year time limitation to the provisional membership, at which time the membership will be reviewed by CanTRA. | |||||
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click here for the full EFW Training Schedule | |||||
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Please click here to download the Certification Registration Form for Equine Facilitated Wellness. |