Following years of preparation and development work in cooperation between Danube University Krems (Universität für Weiterbildung Krems) and the Österreichisches Kuratorium für Therapeutisches Reiten (OKTR®), we have succeeded in designing the first postgraduate academic program in our field. The “Equine Assisted Services & Therapy” degree program combines a solid scientific foundation with practical competence and interprofessional collaboration. It encompasses internationally recognized, innovative fields of activity across the four pillars of equine-assisted interventions (equine-assisted occupational therapy, hippotherapy, remedial educational and therapeutic support with horses, and integrative riding).
The goal is to achieve excellence in teaching, research, and the delivery of interventions with horses for people of all ages. The program focuses on individuals with orthopedic, neurological, and psychological disorders or impairments, as well as the question of how equine-assisted interventions can be implemented in an evidence-based, safe, effective, and tailored manner.