You are welcome to e-mail us at sue@healinghooves.ca for more information and also to follow our Facebook page where all training updates are posted as soon as they are available.

How to Register Online through our website:

There are three steps to register:

1. Complete our online registration form:  Online Registration Form
2. Complete our online waiver: Training Waiver
3. Send your payment by EFT to: sue@healinghooves.ca
   For UK registrants we will send you a paypal invoice which you can pay using your preferred method.

Please note that in order to hold your space at a training, you need to complete all three of the above steps.  Completing the online registration form and/ or waiver without sending payment will not qualify you for an early bird rate or hold your space at a training.

Here are just a few examples of how our recent students have described their training experience with Healing Hooves.  If you’d like to speak with a former student to hear from them directly about what our trainings are like, please ask!

“Fantastic training that really boosted my confidence. Amazing horses, perfect for their role and so loved and well looked after. The hands on experience and balance with theory was perfect and gave great opportunity for growth.” – Ella, July 2022

“Very supportive facilitators who helped us explore our strategies and approaches in an individual way.” – Jill, July 2022

“Sue is so clear and accessible when explaining things. I love how she gives real examples.” – Julie, May 2022

“I loved the theory and integration of theory through case studies experiential exercises and debrief. I was grateful for the opportunities to ask questions.  The environment felt very safe and supportive.” JC, May 2022

“The combination of theory and practical was very well balanced. The session planning and practice sessions were meaningful. I am leaving inspired for the work.” –  Anon, Aug 2022

“I really benefitted from the different learning styles – reading, videos, discussion, hands on and interactive.” Jen, 2022

“Very practical application of the high level thinking behind EFW. Excellent takeaways in session planning and horsemanship. Very good pace. Excellent takeaways in session planning and horsemanship. It’s a joy to work and learn with Sue.”  Jason, Oct 2022

“This was a lovely demonstration of respect for the horses and how it is an essential part of EFW.” – Lisa, July 2021

“Excellent models of ethics, safety and well being for all.” –  Tonia July 2022

“Sue has the unique ability to manage the group and the pace so well.” – Teri, Aug 2022

“Very relevant with time for questions and exploration. Hand on. Freedom to try new things, comfort with having a trainer who is receptive to questions, mistakes, ideas, etc.”  – Anon, Oct 2022

“Really really appreciate the authenticity of Sue’s demeanour and she is so knowledgeable.” – Anon, June 2021

“So much love here. A great model of humane care of all animals.” – Carol, June 2021

When I walked through the doors at Healing Hooves, something magical happened …

In 2013 I began my EFW training Journey with Healing Hooves. I really didn’t know what to expect, only that I had a 10 hour drive through the mountains to get to a place I loved (Southern Alberta). I already had a background in psychology, facilitation and trauma informed practice and when I walked through the doors at Healing Hooves, something magical happened. I knew I was in the right place and the teaching and learning fit perfectly  for what I had as a vision for my work. The Neufeld Attachment work has enriched not only my EFW practice but also my work as an Anger Management/Family Violence Facilitator at the Northern John Howard Society here in Prince George, BC. I’ve been going back every year to continue my EFW education and to assist with facilitating workshops. Sue’s place has felt like home right from the beginning, this is of course supported by her homemade baking… I have appreciated the opportunity to be part of the Healing Hooves family and would highly recommend any of the workshops and seminars that they offer. It’s not just the power of horses you feel at Healing Hooves but the power of friendship, of family and of nature.
Lisa Loewen
LL Equine, Prince George, BC

I am thankful to be working with such a kind, compassionate and knowledgeable therapist …

My name is Angela Miller and I am Certified Canadian Counsellor as well as a Registered Provisional Psychologist. Around two years ago I began the process of certifying as an Animal Assisted Therapist with my canine co-therapist Rossi. As part of this process I was required to find a mentor/supervisor to help in this process. Sue McIntosh from Healing Hooves was recommended to me as a potential supervisor and one of the forerunners in Animal Assisted Therapy, specifically Equine Assisted Therapy.

Sue agreed to be my supervisor and we have been communicating through phone once a month for about a year around the ethics of Animal Assisted Therapy, specific intervention strategies when working with animals in therapy, particularly when it comes to working with my canine partner Rossi. Sue has been instrumental in providing me resources, validating and providing feedback around my private practice and in general been supportive in the journey of pairing my canine partner Rossi with my counselling practice. Through supervision with Sue, her passion in working with animals, clients and other professionals comes shining through. She is always willing to share her knowledge and recommend resources to help me become a well-rounded Animal Assisted Therapist and I am thankful to be working with such a kind, compassionate and knowledgeable therapist such as Sue McIntosh.

Angela Miller 
Certified Canadian Counsellor
Registered Provisional Psychologist.

This Introductory training has no pre-requisites and is your first step in the Pro-EFW national certification program. Now delivered online. 

See 2023 TRAINING SCHEDULE, FEES, AND REGISTRATION DETAILS above for current dates, costs and early bird deadlines

In this small group experiential workshop you will explore the growing fields of Equine Facilitated Wellness (EFW) and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT).  This workshop has been offered by Healing Hooves for more than fifteen years and it is your first step in learning more about EFW and AAT and/ or about incorporating animals into your work. While this workshop introduces the attachment work of Dr. Gordon Neufeld and its application to EFW/ AAT and is designed to meet national certification requirements with Pro-EFW, its focus is broad, and the aim is to introduce you to a wide range of approaches and theories within the EFW/ AAT fields.

This is an interactive course designed to meet all of the Pro-EFW learning objectives for this training. The course comprises:

Through an eight week interactive online program followed by two days onsite in small groups, you will participate in training which is firmly grounded in and explores the developmental and attachment based paradigm of Dr. Gordon Neufeld integrated into the Healing Hooves and Pro-EFW approach.  You will also learn aspects of centered riding, T-Touch, and Connected groundwork from advanced instructors in these fields. 

You will be participating in an interactive course designed to meet all of the Pro-EFW learning objectives for this training. The includes:

Through an eight week interactive online program followed by two and a half days onsite in small groups, you will participate in training which allows you to further explore the developmental and attachment based paradigm of Dr. Gordon Neufeld integrated introduced at Foundations training.  You will also continue to learn aspects of centered riding, T-Touch, and Connected groundwork from advanced instructors in these fields. 

You will be participating in an interactive course designed to meet all of the Pro-EFW learning objectives for this training. The includes:

This is your Final Core training Step towards completing the Pro EFW National Certification Program!

This small group training helps you start and/ or enhance your practice in the EFW/ AAT fields through consolidating your learning to date, identifying and addressing any gaps in that learning, and finalising your EFW scope of practice and certification requirements. Most importantly of all we give you lots of guided and supported practice working with the horses, clients and each other.  While the primary context in terms of certification requirements is the Pro EFW model, there will be flexibility to discuss other models that you may be working towards.

Offered through a six week interactive online program followed by three days onsite in small groups, this training is firmly grounded in and applies your understanding (from Foundation and Focus training) of the developmental and attachment based paradigm of Dr. Gordon Neufeld to your own approach and practice in EFW, within the Pro EFW approach and parameters.  Aspects of centered riding, T-Touch, and Connected groundwork continue to be  incorporated and applied. 

One of the certification requirements if you choose to follow the Pro-EFW certification program is to receive ten hours of mentoring. We can support you in meeting this requirement in several ways:

1. All of our online training programs have mentoring components built into them at no extra cost. If you complete all aspects of the online program you could be credited with up to two mentoring hours over the course of your training journey with us.
2. Both Sue McIntosh and Carolyn Miller, counsellors at Healing Hooves, are certified mentors with Pro EFW. Sue and Carolyn are both happy to provide individual mentoring, at discounted rates to Healing Hooves students, in person or by phone/ zoom.
3. We can refer you to other Pro EFW certified mentors who may also be able to provide you with individual mentoring.
4. Once you have completed Exploration Training you are eligible to join our group mentoring program 

Training Materials

As our trainings have moved online this has allowed us to develop a large collection of resources including written material, videos, example forms and more. All of our students have access to these materials throughout their training journey.

Materials are shared through our membership site so you will have access to these once you have signed up for a training!

Therapeutic Stories

We have published several therapeutic children’s stories featuring the Healing Hooves animals and sharing their stories. Grounded in attachment theory, each story covers a different theme including emotional expression, resilience, recovery from loss, forgiveness, and relationship conflict. They are also simply fun, engaging and amusing stories holding universal applicability to all children and their parents. Access to, and guidance on how to use, these stories in an EFW practice is built into our more advanced trainings. 

These stories are also available to purchase for $20 each or $40 for a collection of four stories. Contact Sue at sue@healinghooves.ca for more information.

Free Resources

Our blog includes many free resources that we encourage you to access!

You are in safe hands at Healing Hooves – we have been training other professionals at Healing Hooves for over 20 years and our training team includes leaders in the fields of EFW and advanced instructors in horsemanship. We often also include more advanced EFW students in our team for earlier trainings.  This provides our more experienced students with a great review and facilitation experience and allows our newer students the opportunity to ask them about their training journey.

Your lead trainer will be Sue McIntosh – founder of Healing hooves and tri certified trainer with Pro EFW.  You can find out more about our full team – two and four legged – on our meet our professionals page.

We have been offering professional training at Healing Hooves for over fifteen years. While our training program is designed to meet the Pro-EFW core requirements, as per Canadian and International best standards for certification, Healing Hooves is independent of and separate from all professional associations developing and implementing certification programs.

Healing Hooves training workshops are recognized and pre approved by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). They have also met continuing education and certification requirements for many other professional bodies for many years. A number of models for certification in the Equine and Animal Assisted Therapy fields are explored at Healing Hooves training courses, including the Pro-EFW Model.

Sue McIntosh – founder counsellor and trainer at Healing Hooves – is tri certified with Pro EFW as a practitioner, mentor and trainer in all three certification streams (mental health, learning and equine professional). Our more advanced trainings are specifically designed to meet the core training requirements of Pro EFW as set out in the following diagram from Pro-EFW:

We are frequently asked whether participants will be ‘certified’ after completing Healing Hooves Training. From the outset – and we have been offering training for over 15 years – we have resisted pressure to do this. We concur with and follow Canadian and international best standards on certification – International Standard ISO/IEC 17024 – that certification should come from independent and nationally recognised professional associations – and not from the organisations providing the training. This greatly enhances the credibility of the certification earned and better protects the interests of the people and horses we work with.

You can read more about this subject in our article, The Certification Conundrum. 

There are a number of professional bodies in North America that offer and/ or are developing such certification processes which the Healing Hooves training programs are recognised by and qualify towards. Key among these is Professional Association for Equine Facilitated Wellness. These are collaborative non profit initiatives involving a wide range of experienced professionals from all aspects of the field. At the Exploration Workshop we review the current status of the various certification options, including the Pro EFW model, and help participants determine the path which best fits their scope of practice and goals in the areas of EFW and AAT.