A COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT BY SPH-E (NL) AAIZOO AND ANNET GEERLING. Research project The Netherlands july 2011, Annet Geerling

Introduction Annet Geerling:  - Bachelor Applied Psychology  - Teacher in Equine Expert Team at Bachelor of Stoas Equine Study’s Wageningen  - Student Coach at Stoas Hogeschool  - Owner Hyperion Coaching & Innovation in Education  - Riding and driving instructor

Introduction Why cooperation?  Questionnaire of SHP-E (NL) for the European qualification framework of the Leonardo project and the questionnaire of Aaizoo were more of less similar  To make sure that the population would not have to answer two similar questionnaires

What we did Research of literature Eight in-depth interviews with professionals who offer equine assisted interventions An online poll, for which different means have been used to gather as many respondents as possible

What we got Much information through the Eight in-depth interviews (also by observation) Much information through the online poll which contained open questions as well as multiple choice 179 respondents joined the poll, of which 129 answered all questions

Results About 300 professionals who offer equine assisted interventions in NL

Results Equine assisted interventions in NL kan be defined in: Therapists: equitherapy, hippotherapy, training on skills etc. Coaches: personal growth, employability etc. Trainers: training managementskills, communicationskills (for company’s) etc.

Results 83,5% company 78,7% single person (ZZP) 6,3% organisations (non-profit) 1,6% offers education for equine assisted interventions

Results 68% of the providers has been launched after January 1, st quarter 2011: 12 new providers 87% of new providers after offers coaching and / or training, 9% is equitherapist

Results Education and training: 33% is only qualified to “human area" (coach, psychologist, trainer, HRM, etc.) 25% is qualified to “human area" and “horse related education”, independently 26% has certification in “human area" and followed also training for horse assisted interventions 6% have diplomas in “human area" and “horse related education” independently, supplemented by training for equine assisted interventions 3% has only “horse related education” 1% has no relevant vocational training and / or diplomas

Results Opleidingen 23 times : ORUN (Opleiding Ruiter Unie Nederland), this is education for riding instructor or driving instructor 15 times : Education in Natural Horsemanship, like Parelli, Monty Robertscentre and Hempfling 12 times : Education equi-therapist from SHP-E NL 12 times : Education Systemic Equine Coaching by bureau Wind 9 times : NHB Deurne (Nederlandse Hippische Beroepsopleidingen) Equine study at secondary vocational level 4 times : Education EAT (Equine Assisted Therapy) in Gent, Belgium

Results Riding and/or driving: 64% does riding and/or driving 39% has a qualification as instructor (riding, driving or vaulting) 6% has a Dutch certificate for safety

Results Welfare of the horse: All respondents regard their horses as their trademark Therefore they have the intention of ensuring their horses‘ well-being There are no specific legal regulations on how this goal should be achieved Everyone works on the horse's well-being based on their own vision and convictions

Conclusions A concise answer to the research questions cannot be given The field of providers of equine assisted interventions is currently in full swing As a result of the rapid increase in the number of providers, a process of market positioning is triggered, in which providers are making efforts to make themselves stand out

Conclusions The work field becomes increasingly unclear to care givers, care recipients, government and the professionals themselves The lack of uniform terminology, protocols, and quality criteria, stand in the way of a good development of this field Defining standards in different areas, for providers to cling to and which will eventually separate the wheat from the chaff is necessary

Questions? Copies of the summary of the research are available