Awarding • Learning • Community
hello@athenaherd.org
Welcome to ATHENA®
Athena is where learning, ethics and practice come together through externally accredited and credentialed training programmes for practitioners worldwide ensuring the highest of global standards in Equine Assisted Services.
Founded by practitioners for practitioners and recognised as a global leader in standards-driven, ethical, trauma-informed EAS training and education.
Athena is the training and education brand of the Association for Animals, Horticultural and Equine Practitioners CIC, AAHEP®: a pioneer in the professionalisation of Equine Assisted Services - established to do what has not been done before in the EAS space, extended to all animal and horticultural practitioners in 2025: in holding the first and currently only UK National Register under an independent governmental body accountable to parliament (the Professional Standards Authority) to create clear, ethical and accountable professional standards for this work.
AAHEP® has led the way in:
- defining professional scope and competence and also holds the Equine Assisted and Facilitated Occupational Therapy titles in agreement with HCPC
- centering ethics and animal welfare safeguarding animals
- embedding trauma-informed, client led practice protecting the public;
- separating education from professional governance building long-term professional accountability.
Join us in our mission: Athena and AAHEP are united by a shared mission: to educate, guide and govern Animal, Horticultural and Equine Assisted Services with integrity placing public protection, ethical animal involvement and professional accountability at the heart of practice.
Awarding
Working with external regulatory and accrediting organisations to ensure professional standards in practice and education.
Learning
Delivering externally accredited qualifications and training that develop professional skills in Equine Assisted Services.
Community
Providing insightful and beneficial Equine Assisted Services for local individuals, communities and organisations.
PSA Register
AAHEP holds the first and currently only animal, horticultural and equine practitioner UK National Register: the Accredited Practitioner Register to define a set of professional standards to support the delivery of Animal Assisted Services, Horticultural Therapy and Equine Assisted Services (known as, for example, Equine Facilitated Interactions, Equine Facilitated and/or Equine Assisted Learning, Psychotherapy, Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Hippotherapy) by improving the regulation and registration of Practitioners through the AAHEP Accredited Practitioner Register™ regulated in the UK by the Professional Standards Authority (or international equivalent).
- To explore the register or find a practitioner, please click here.
- To find out how we handle public concerns or complaints, please click here.
- Or just contact us for more information.
300+
Success Stories
5
Qualifications
400+
Happy Students
200+
Years Combined Experience
Equine Assisted Training Programmes
The Athena® team has designed the unique stand-alone externally accredited experiential Level 2 Foundation Certificate in Equine Assisted Services (whether you are looking for “EAS”, “EAL”, “EFL” or “EFP”). The Foundation Certificate is the first part of and a pre-requisite of the Level 4 and Level 5 Equine Assisted Services Diploma qualifications and assumes no prior knowledge or experience of the work. Most importantly, this can be taken as a seven-week interactive and experiential distance learning option. Participants can also continue, after successful completion of the Foundation Certificate, with the externally accredited experiential Level 4 and Level 5 Equine Assisted Services Diploma, either on a fully or partially remote basis.
Athena® also offers an externally accredited Level 7 PG Cert in Equine Assisted Services.
Athena® is the training and education brand of the Association for Animals, Horticultural and Equine Practitioners CIC (AAHEP) a not-for-profit community interest company located in West Kent, UK. We offer the best possible learning and development experience in a unique location alongside special people and animals. Jennifer and Brent established Athena® in 2014 and have developed a unique interactive experiential learning and development centre to bring track systems to the Equine Interaction and Equine Assisted Services space, becoming Athena® in 2021 and AAHEP in 2025. Our programmes have been designed so that we can tailor our training to suit your needs so that you can attain externally accredited, credentialed and recognised qualifications. Many of our training programmes are validated and recognised globally for CPDs and CEUS.
£1899
Level 2 Certificate
Our externally accredited and credentialed Foundation Certificate in Equine Assisted Services as a standalone Certificate.
£2489
Level 4 Diploma
Both the externally accredited and credentialed Athena® Level 4 and 5 Equine Assisted Services Diploma build on the theory and knowledge you gained on the Foundation Certificate in Equine Assisted Services, as well as core practical experiential skills.
£1989
Level 5 Diploma
9 to 10 months are needed in total to complete all parts of the Athena® Level 4 Equine Assisted Services Diploma, and an additional 3 to 6 months to complete the Athena® Level 5 Equine Assisted Services Diploma.
£1989
Level 7 Certificate
A course based on supervised independent research and analysis, which is supported by a taught module focusing on the skills required to undertake your own research project.
Your Future Starts Here
A heart felt thank you for partnering with us to support those most in need. “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”. Winston Churchill
