# Shetland Pony therapy horse



## TrickyPonies (Aug 23, 2015)

I was wondering what a Shetland pony would need to know in order to be certified as a therapy horse, also, where to get her certified? (In the NY area) I have tried a google search but come up with nothing helpful...Thank you in advance!


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Your horse does not need to be certified to be a therapy horse. I worked, and still volunteer for, a TR riding facility in NY. There are no certificates to my knowledge.
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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

This is what Google gave me Certified Therapy Horse Association apart from some people selling their own Certified Therapy Horses, they issue their own qualifications


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

SlideStop said:


> Your horse does not need to be certified to be a therapy horse. I worked, and still volunteer for, a TR riding facility in NY. There are no certificates to my knowledge.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


This. I used to board at a barn that had a PATH certified program, and the horse's they used didn't need a special certification. That's not to say they weren't picky about the horse's they used (they were!) But they didn't have to go through any special process to use a horse they thought was suitable. 

I'm not sure exactly what tests they put their potential therapy horses through, but the horses they used were well mannered on the ground and under saddle, about as bombproof as a horse can get, and very tolerant of rider mistakes.
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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

I wonder if the OP is thinking a pony is small enough to take places like hospitals and nursing homes, so thinking about this like a certified therapy dog?

Otherwise, I agree. I am PATH certified as an instructor, but there is no required certification for horses-just a a very careful intake and trial process.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## WolfsongStorm (Feb 14, 2014)

If the OP does mean hospitals and such, this is from an ad looking for therapy animals for a hospice, though "reputable animal therapy agency" seems very vague to me. 

"Does your pet have extra love to give? You can bring joy to a hospice patient! Whether you have a dog, cat, mini horse, or llama, there is a patient who cannot wait to meet your pet! All animals must be up to date on their vaccinations and must be certified through a reputable animal therapy agency."


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## TrickyPonies (Aug 23, 2015)

I was thinking of something more like this, a small pony, 41'


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## Mesonoxian (Aug 28, 2014)

I don't know of any specific training program or certification (but there may be something available depending on where you are located).

I was involved in Pet therapy for a number of years, and helped to train and handle miniature horses for therapy visits. We most often had the visits outside, but the man who owned the minis we used _did_ have a couple that were housebroken and could be taken indoors. That being said, I'm not exactly sure how he trained them to be housebroken, and I do know that they tried with some of their other minis and were not successful with all the horses they tried.


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