Equine-Facilitated Learning (EFL) Foundation Certification

Inspiring Personal and Professional Development

*Please note, there is a $50 application fee that is due at the time of submission. If accepted into the program, the $50 application fee will be credited towards your tuition. If you are not accepted, the fee will be refunded.

The HERD Institute® Equine-Facilitated Learning Foundation Certification combines live webinars, mentoring, written assignment, and in person practice. The program is designed to be accessible and affordable. Upon acceptance, you can enroll in a practicum, and attend the corresponding live webinar. Simply choose the dates that you are available, and sign up. We look forward to welcoming you to the HERD!

Who Can Apply

The HERD Institute® EFL Foundation Certification is designed to offer training to certified life coaches, licensed educators, organizational leaders, trainers, and human resource professionals who are interested in incorporating horses into their work. The program is also open to equine-specialists and professionals interested in developing an equine-facilitated program. Graduate students may also apply. Admission to the training program will be at the discretion of the HERD faculty.

You can apply for the program by scrolling down and filling out the application form where it says “Apply HERE.”

To apply, simply complete our online application form, pay the application fee, and sign our Commitment of Belonging. Your application will then be reviewed by our Admissions Team who may want to interview you to as part of the process.

Our EFL Foundation training consists of The HERD ESSENTIALS, 2 mentoring sessions, a live webinar, written assignment, and a 4-day in person practicum.

See if you are eligible for myCAA funding! Click HERE to get started.

Apply today to begin your journey to be a practitioner.

Apply HERE

*Please note, there is a $50 application fee that is due at the time of submission. If accepted into the program, the $50 application fee will be credited towards your tuition. If you are not accepted, the fee will be refunded.

2024 FOUNDATION TRAINING DATES

LIVE WEBINARPRACTICUM
Wednesday, January 31st, 2024
6 pm – 7:30 pm (EST)
March 21 – 24, 2024 (Pleasant Garden, NC)
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
6 pm – 7:30 pm (EST)
May 16 – 19, 2024 (Pleasant Garden, NC)
Wednesday, April 24th, 2024
6 pm – 7:30 pm (EST)
June 13 – 16, 2024 (Leesburg, VA)
Wednesday, June 5th, 2024
6 pm – 7:30 pm (EST)
July 25 – 28, 2024 (Leesburg, VA)
Wednesday, June 26th, 2024
6 pm – 7:30 pm (EST)
August 8 – 11, 2024 (Chesterland, OH)
Wednesday, August 14th, 2024
6 pm – 7:30 pm (EST)
October 3 – 6, 2024 (Pleasant Garden, NC)
Wednesday, October 16th, 2024
6 pm – 7:30 pm (EST)
December 2 – 5, 2024 (Orlando, FL)*
*Please note this is a mid-week training

Deadline to apply for a Practicum is 3 weeks prior to the corresponding Live Webinar. 

EFL FOUNDATION TUITION*

  • PAYMENT PLAN
  • 3 payments of $700
  • FULL TUITION UP FRONT
  • $1995
  • **ELIGIABLE DISCOUNTED RATE
  • Full Tuition Upfront: $1696
    OR
    3 Payments of: $595

*Tuition is in US Dollars and includes all learning materials for the online module, live webinar, written assignment, practicum, and 2 mentoring sessions. It does NOT include travel, accommodation, and lunch each day of the 4-day intensive.

**The HERD Institute® offers discounts for the following:

– Veterans and active military personnel

– myCAA: Military spouses of active service members

– PATH International: CTRI, ESMHL, Driving, or Vaulting certification holders

– Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)

If you belong to any of these communities, you are eligible for the discounted rates. 

What Will You Learn?

The HERD Institute® EFL Foundation Certification equips practitioners with the breadth and depth of knowledge, skills, and ethical guidelines required to incorporate horses into their specific scope of practice. The program is structured to provide the philosophical, theoretical, and experiential foundations for participants to integrate into their own personal philosophy. The aim is to support and inspire a new generation of practitioners to find their own unique style of bringing horses into their participants’ lives to facilitate profound learning and growth. The certification will cover:
  1. The BASICS: Students will learn the 3 Key Principles of The HERD Approach™.
  2. The ETHICS: Students will learn The HERD approach to working ethically and relationally with horses and humans.
  3. The SESSIONS: Students will gain insight into what happens in an EFL session.
  4. The LOGISTICS: Students will learn how to navigate the logistics of offering EFL services in their communities.

Graduate Membership

As a graduate of The HERD Institute®, we are proud to promote your achievements and success. We believe in continuing the support and guidance offered during the training, post certification. A Graduate Membership Fee of $150, to be paid annually on the anniversary of your graduation, brings the benefit of being listed on our website as a graduate of the institute, allowing clients to find you more easily, and acts as a referral point. Continued supervision will also be available at a discounted rate of $65/hour*. Graduates will also be invited to present at conferences, co-author articles, co-facilitate workshops, and/or assist in training certifications as a way of expanding your experience. The HERD Institute® is committed to maintaining contact with our graduates to deepen the connections within the HERD Community. To maintain membership, graduates must also complete 10 hours of Continued Education annually.

  • Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) Foundation


    Apply HERE
    Happy horse