The Czech Equine Facilitated Therapy Association (CEFTA) was founded in 1991 as a voluntary, non-government and not-for-profit organisation with the vision to promote the best and safe practice of Equine Facilitated Therapies (EFT) and to integrate individuals with disabilities or special needs.

Vision and Mission

  • To bring together people interested in EFT.
  • To promote the best expertise, effect, and safety in EFT in the Czech Republic.
  • To organize and conduct conferences, workshops, internships and specialized courses.
  • To be an information source.
  • To provide expert consultations.
  • To publish methodologies and industry standards for each EFT disciplines.
  • To promote and ensure equine welfare standards.
  • To assess the eligibility of therapy horses.

Membership

  • CEFTA associates physical, occupational and speech therapists, physicians, psychologists, nurses, social workers, special educators and riding instructors.
  • Membership is open to everyone working with horses in the health and social care fields, education and para-equestrian.
  • EFT clients and their family members are most welcome as well.
  • CEFTA registers 61 EFT centres and 70 individual members.

News

Centre accreditation  program

The center accreditation program has been implemented since 2013. Center membership is divided into 4 categories:

  • Accredited EFT training center
  • Accredited EFT center
  • Registered center
  • Associated center

Therapy horse certification program

  • The licensed program for horses participating in EFT has been implemented since 2011.
  • The purpose of this specialized testing system is to verify horse characteristics and it's acquired skills that meet the needs of a therapy horse.
  • The therapy horse certification program puts particular emphasis on the examination of the horse’s movement pattern and its character and reactions.
  • Each horse successfully passing the exam will get the license and special label on its stabling (see the picture)

Education and conferences

  • To promote the best expertise, effectiveness, and safety in EFT, CEFTA organizes several specialized courses for professionals in Hippotherapy, Equine Facilitated Learning and Psychotherapy and for Therapy horse trainers.
  • CEFTA organizes a National conference every two years.
  • CEFTA organizes or co-operates to conduct workshops and para-equestrian competitions.