History of Equine Therapy

The use of horses for therapy has been recognized as a viable supplement to traditional therapy for several years. Beginning in Europe in the 1950's, the efforts of Liz Hartel of Denmark are widely recognized as the birth of therapeutic riding as we recognize it today.

Ms. Hartel rehabilitated herself from wheelchair to the back of a horse and gained the notice of medical and dressage professionals by winning the silver medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics in Grand Prix Dressage. Soon, centers employing horses for therapy opened and flourished throughout Europe, and not long afterwards became popular in North America.

Starting in Canada, the CANadian Therapeutic Riding Association or CANTRA opened in Toronto (originally they went by the acronym CARD, followed by the Cheff Center for the Handicapped in Augusta, MI. It was soon apparent that an "umbrella" organization that could serve as a nerve center for information and accreditation was needed, and in 1969, the origins of NARHA, now called PATH International, were born in Middleburg, VA.

For more information about the history of therapeutic riding and PATH International, please refer to: http://www.pathintl.org/about-path-intl/about-path-intl

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