Instructor Education Resource List

Disclaimer: These resources have not all been personally reviewed, read, or otherwise confirmed by the compiler. Some resources may not fully meet industry best practices or apply directly to equine-assisted services. Please review and use at your own discretion.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Specific to Equine Assisted Services

• Hoof Falls & Footfalls – hooffallsandfootfalls.com. Free and paid online education and resources, YouTube channel, and podcast channel specifically for EAS professionals. Instructor education, training and certification. CEUs available.
• Intuitive Instructor Club – hooffallsandfootfalls.com/intuitiveinstructor. Extensive online educational content for EAS professionals; two levels of paid individual membership and center memberships available. CEUs available.
• Teaching Aids for EAS – teachingaidsforeas.com. Games, activity boards, printables, and other teaching aids for use in EAS.
• HETRA University – hetra.org/education/hetra-university. High-quality education for the EAS industry. Some free and some paid content. CEUs available.
• PATH Intl. Free Member Education – pathintl.my.site.com/path/s/store, under Continuing Education > Member Free Education. New content added throughout the year; free PATH Intl. member benefit.
• PATH Intl. Online Store – pathintl.my.site.com/path/s/store. Videos and webinars on EAS topics.
• Lessons in TR – lessonsintr.com. Lesson plans, games, patterns, and teaching tips. Also offers a book through Freedom Rider compiling lesson plans and activities.
• High Hopes Therapeutic Riding – highhopestr.org/training-education. In-person workshops and online webinars with PATH Intl.-approved CEUs. Small fee for some webinars.
• Strides to Success – stridestosuccess.org/education. Paid online courses and virtual workshops; primarily EAL-focused but broadly applicable.
• Stable Moments – stablemoments.com. Trauma-informed mentorship model for children who’ve experienced instability. EAL-focused. Blog, podcast, courses.
• Freedom Rider – freedomrider.com. Supplier of adaptive equipment, lesson activities, and EAS resources.
• Horses and Humans Research Foundation – horsesandhumans.org/webinars. EAS industry research.

General Riding Curriculum and Lesson Resources

• Horse Sense Learning Levels – horsesenselearninglevels.com. Level-based curriculum with lesson plans, ribbons, and teaching tools for mounted and unmounted lessons. Free and paid. Includes The Big Book of Barn Lessons and The Big Book of Games on Horseback.
• Horse Riding Lesson Plans and Summer Camp Curriculum – horseridinglessonplans.com. Large library of lesson plans and camp ideas; many free resources plus one-time-fee memberships.
• Allpony – allpony.com (by the U.S. Pony Club). Courses from basic to advanced horsemanship, printable activities, games and quizzes, comprehensive riding curriculum. Paid individual and instructor memberships; customizable.
• Circus Unicorn – learningtoolsforequestrians.com. Bundles of printable lesson plans, knowledge worksheets, camp ideas, and planners. Reasonably priced.
• Horse Smarts – An Equine Reference & Youth Activity Guide (1,342 pages) – ayhc.com/product-page/horse-smarts. 70 equine topics across six categories with hands-on youth activities. Purchased manual.
• Equine Mastery Education System – emes.academy. Step-by-step education system with textbooks, lesson plans, and assessments; online learning available.
• The Riding Instructor – theridinginstructor.net. Lesson plan ideas, teaching tips, business tips, student insights, blog. Free.

Disabilities & Mental Health

• The OT Toolbox – theottoolbox.com. Resources and activities supporting healthy child development. Free resources and paid memberships.
• Psych Hub – psychhub.com. Clinical skill development for behavioral health. Free and paid memberships.
• Integrated Learning Strategies – ilslearningcorner.com. Free tools and activity packs adaptable for TR/AR, created by therapists.
• The Inspired Treehouse – theinspiredtreehouse.com. Developmental activities for kids. Free activities, printables, articles.
• AdaptEd – shop.adapted4specialed.com. Free and for-purchase special-education curriculum, adaptable for TR/AR.
• Autism Navigator – autismnavigator.com. Autism-specific educational resource.
• Disability Scoop – disabilityscoop.com. Developmental disability news. Free.

General Horsemanship and Instructor Training

• Chris Irwin– mindyourhorse.com Website, YouTube channel, free and paid online education through the website.
• Julie Goodnight – juliegoodnight.com. Website, YouTube channel, podcasts. Free basic membership; paid Library and Interactive memberships add full training library, customized lessons, and personalized feedback.
• Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) – cha.horse. Paid webinars, free YouTube channel; horsemanship, management, instruction, safety topics. Member discounts.
• Horse Class – horseclass.com. Online learning for all disciplines and levels. Free video library; courses with lifetime access.
• Equestrian Professional – equestrianprofessional.com. Resources for instructors and equestrian professionals. Paid membership.
• Equitopia – equitopiacenter.com. Evidence-based education on horse welfare and rider well-being. Some free, some paid.
• Amelia Newcomb Dressage – amelianewcombdressage.com. Educational videos, courses, podcasts; dressage-focused, broadly applicable. Some free, some paid.
• Artistic Dressage – artisticdressage.com. Videos, books, courses, podcasts; holistic approach to the horse-rider relationship.
• Warwick Schiller Attuned Horsemanship – warwickschiller.com. Connection-focused training videos, podcast. Monthly subscription.
• Carson James – carsonjames.com. Horsemanship rooted in feel, timing and clear communication. Free resources, blog, podcasts.
• Tristan Tucker TRT Method – trtmethod.com. Complete training system from ground to saddle. Paid course and memberships.
• Noelle Floyd – noellefloyd.com. 800+ training videos, Masterclasses, rider mindset lessons. Fees vary.
• Equestrian+ – equestrianplus.com. Large training video library from Dressage Today, Practical Horseman, and more. Free and paid.

Equine Welfare and Management

• FEI Campus – campus.fei.org. Course library on riding, horsemanship, and equine health/welfare. Free account required.
• USEF – usef.org/learning-center. Videos and tutorials on management and riding. Free and paid.
• American Association of Equine Practitioners – aaep.org/horse-owners. Free content on horse health and management.
• Stable Management – stablemanagement.com. Library of equine health and management articles.

General Education Platforms

• Coursera – coursera.org. University-sponsored courses, including equine management and disability topics. Free and paid.
• Udemy – udemy.com. Free and paid courses on equine, disability, and EAS topics.
• Alison – alison.com. Free courses on disabilities/special needs, equine management, and teaching approaches.
• The Open University – open.edu/openlearn. Video clips and full courses, including disability-related content.

BOOKS & AUDIO BOOKS

Riding Instructor & General Teaching/Coaching Education

• The Art of Teaching Riding by Julie Goodnight
• Coach with Courage by Mary L. Longden (e-book only)
• The Comprehensive Guide to Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies
• Horse/Human Brain by Janet L. Jones, PhD
• The Language of Coaching: The Art and Science of Teaching Movement by Nick Winkelman
• PATH Intl. Instructor Education Guide
• PATH Intl. Study Guide
• Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown
• Uncommon Sense Teaching by Barbara Oakley PhD, Beth Rogowsky EdD, Terrence J. Sejnowski PhD
• US Pony Club Manuals by Susan Harris (anything by her is great)

Disabilities & Behavioral Management

• Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
• Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder Gabor Mate MD
• The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté MD
• The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt
• The Behavior Code Companion: Strategies, Tools, and Interventions for Supporting Students with Anxiety-Related or Oppositional Behaviors by Jessica Minahan
• 1-2-3 Magic: The New 3-Step Discipline for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting by Thomas W. Phelan
• The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
• Crafting Connections: Contemporary Applied Behavior Analysis for Enriching the Social Lives of Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Mitchell Taubman, Ron Leaf, John McEachin
• Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau
• The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child by Alan E. Kazdin, Ph.D.
• Neurodiversity-Affirming Handbook: A Handbook for Parents, Teachers and Community Allies by Megan Mott (at AdaptED, digital PDF)
• Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman
• No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.
• The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel M.D.
• Solving Executive Function Challenges: Simple Ways to Get Kids with Autism Unstuck and on Target by Dr. Lauren Kenworthy, Ph.D.
• Taking Charge of ADHD by Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D.
• Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin
• The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin
• Different…Not Less by Temple Grandin
• Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets for Helping Kids on the Spectrum by Temple Grandin
• Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin
• Any books by Temple Grandin
• A Work in Progress: Behavior Management Strategies and a Curriculum for Intensive Behavioral Treatment of Autism by Ron Leaf, John McEachin, Jaison D. Harsh

Rider Training

• Centered Riding by Sally Swift
• The Handbook of Riding Essentials by Francois Lemaire de Ruffieu
• Ride Right by Daniel Stewart
• Rider Biomechanics by Mary Wanless
• When Two Spines Align by Beth Baumert
• CHA Composite Manual by Certified Horsemanship Association

Equine Training and Horsemanship

• A Horse’s Life: The Neuroscience of Equine Welfare by Stephen Peters & Mark Rashid
• Horse Brain Science: The Neuroscience of Ethical Horsemanship by Dr. Stephen Peters
• Evidence-Based Horsemanship by Dr. Stephen Peters & Mark Rashid
• Equitation Science by Paul McGreevy, Janne Winther Christensen, et al.
• Equine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians and Equine Scientists by Paul McGreevy
• Equine Listenology Guide (and Listenology for Kids) by Elaine Heney
• Know Better to Do Better by Denny Emerson
• Books by Mark Rashid
• Horses Never Lie
• A Journey to Softness
• Whole Heart, Whole Horse: Building Trust Between Horse and Rider

Arena Exercises & Layouts

• 50 Best Arena Exercises and Patterns: Essential Schooling for English and Western Riders by Ann Katrin Querbach
• 101 Arena Exercises for Horse and Rider by Cherry Hill (or any book by Cherry Hill)
• Equine Fitness: A Conditioning Program of Exercises and Routines for Your Horse by Jec Aristotle Ballou (or any book by Jec Aristotle Ballou)
• Progressive School Exercises for Dressage and Jumping by Islay Auty
• Stay in the Saddle – 67 Exercises for Horse and Rider by Callie King ($67, includes QR codes to videos; horseclass.com/stay-in-the-saddle)

Equine Movement

• Conformation, Movement and Soundness by Susan Harris
• Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement: Revised Edition by Susan Harris
• any books by Susan Harris
• Equine Lameness for the Layman: Tools for Prompt Recognition, Accurate Assessment, and Proactive Management by G. Robert Grisel

PODCASTS

FACEBOOK PAGES AND GROUPS

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Disclaimer: The information provided by Hoof Falls & Footfalls is for educational purposes only and is intended to support instructors in expanding their knowledge and skills. It is not a substitute for professional training, certification, or individual judgment. By choosing to implement any of the ideas, techniques, or practices shared here, you do so at your own risk and accept full responsibility for the outcomes. Hoof Falls & Footfalls and its creator, Saebra, assume no liability for any injuries, damages, or losses resulting from the use of the information provided. Always ensure the safety and well-being of your students, horses, and yourself by following appropriate safety guidelines and industry best practices.