Challenges and prospects of hippotherapist training within the university context

Abstract

Equine-assisted therapy has developed through practice and is grounded in the experience of a therapeutic disciplinary field already recognized with scientific rigor for its effectiveness in people with disabilities. This study reflects on the challenges of university-level training for equine therapists in Mexico, based on the experiences of students in the Bachelor’s Degree in Human Motricity at the Autonomous University of Chihuahua. A qualitative, exploratory–descriptive approach was adopted, applying six focus groups with 7th- and 8th-semester students of the Bachelor’s program in Human Motricity at the Faculty of Physical Culture of the Autonomous University of Chihuahua (cohorts 2021–2025 and 2022–2026), enrolled in the courses Equine Therapy I and II. The discussion guide was validated through expert judgment, and the sessions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Atlas.ti based on predefined categories: training expectations, perceived impact of equine therapy on people with disabilities, professional projection, and disciplinary experiences. Thematic coding and theoretical–discursive triangulation were employed to ensure validity. Findings highlight challenges such as the lack of curricular standardization, the need for greater supervised practice, and limited interdisciplinary integration. Significant benefits in patients’ motor and psychosocial development were recognized, yet gaps remain in the professionalization and formal regulation of the discipline. It is concluded that equine-assisted therapy requires the consolidation of rigorous training frameworks that integrate theory, practice, and professional ethics.