The Human Equine Interaction Register (HEIR) was launched at Saddlers’ Hall in London on Friday 11 March in preparation for going live last week.

Paralympian Natasha Baker OBE, patron of the register said: “It’s a massive, honour to be the patron of HEIR.

“I think that coming up through Riding for the Disabled and benefitting not just physically but through friendships, mixing with people with similar interests and meeting people with different disabilities and challenges, has given me so much and without it I wouldn’t have six Olympic gold medals to my name.”

The register will operate under the umbrella of the Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International (HETI), a not-for-profit organisation that facilitates collaborations between organisations and individuals offering equine-assisted activities and therapies.

In 2021, HETI established the Irish Register of Equine Assisted Activity Practitioners as a two-year pilot project listing the names and contact details of individuals and organisations who provide equine assisted services such as therapy, education and activities in Ireland.

Those who have already paid to be part of the Irish register will be exempt from paying to join the UK register but will still have to apply to meet the slightly different evidence required.

The number of human equine interaction programmes available has increased significantly over the past decade and the scope, size and professional backgrounds of these services vary greatly, with little co-ordination as to standards of practice for service users, practitioners, or equines.

The register opened to the UK and Ireland on Thursday 31 March as a voluntary register to bring together everyone involved in the field of human equine interaction, ensuring high quality service provision and create greater awareness of this field of work.

The register will provide a place where clients, service commissioners and funders can get information and reassurance that the organisation offering human equine interaction services is credible and works to minimum standards. This will not only help protect the services users and welfare of therapy equines, but also reassure anyone using these invaluable services that they are working ethically and with the horse’s best interests at heart.