PSA Policies

UK Professional Standards for Equine Facilitated Interactions

The Athena® Herd Foundation established the Accredited Practitioner Register™  to define and promote professional standards that support the delivery of Equine Facilitated Interactions (known as, for example, Equine Assisted and/or Facilitated Learning, Therapy, Counselling, Psychotherapy, or Hippotherapy – defined here through independent regulation and the registration of individual practitioners.

The Register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority in the UK under their accredited registers programme. Accredited Practitioners (PSA) are permitted to display the Accredited Registers Quality Mark—a clear sign that the Register and its registrants meet the PSA’s Standards for Accredited Registers.

Accredited Registers give employers, patients, service users, and the public confidence that practitioners have signed up to robust professional and ethical codes of practice.

Our Mission and Commitment to Excellence

The core objective of the Accredited Practitioner Register™ is to protect the public and promote confidence in the therapeutic and educational benefits of Equine Facilitated Interactions.

We achieve this through four key commitments:

1. Protecting the Public – Setting and upholding robust professional and ethical standards to protect clients from harm.
2. Building Confidence – Promoting and maintaining trust in the field of Equine Facilitated Interactions.
3. Defining Standards – Providing a clear and comprehensive framework for safe, effective, and ethical practice.
4. Ensuring Compliance – Requiring ongoing adherence to professional and ethical standards by all registered practitioners.

For the Public: Your Assurance of Quality

Choosing a PSA-accredited practitioner means you can be confident that they have:

• Verified qualifications and experience
• Committed to a strict professional and ethical code
• Prioritised equine health and welfare in their practice
• Met the benchmark of excellence required to display the PSA Quality Mark

This gives you peace of mind that your practitioner is part of a regulated professional community dedicated to safety, ethics, and quality.

For Practitioners: Join a Community of Excellence

The Accredited Practitioner Register™ is open to all UK-based practitioners in the Equine Assisted and Facilitated sector, regardless of:

• Training provider
• Qualification body
• Specific area of EFI practice

To join the register, you must demonstrate that you:

• Adhere to our professional standards and code of ethics
• Place equine welfare at the heart of your practice
• Commit to ongoing professional development
• Maintain full compliance with all conditions of registration

Apply or Learn More

To find a practitioner, learn more about the register, or apply for registration, please contact our team:

Email: register@athenaherd.org