Equine therapy counselling, training, children's books, parenting resources & personal growth We have been working in the field for over 25 years!
Healing Hooves is an Equine and Animal Assisted Therapy program, based in Alberta, Canada. We provide trauma informed and attachment based counselling services within a natural setting with the option of incorporating horses, donkeys, dogs, cats, ducks and chickens into sessions. We have a team of four (two legged!) counsellors all of whom are professionally accredited in the mental health field with additional training in equine and animal facilitated work and trauma informed approached including EMDR. Our animal partners are highly respected members of our team who do this work because they want to and are allowed time off and retirement when they ask for this too! Our services are reimburseable under most health plans. We also provide parent consulting, professional training, mentoring/ supervision, personal growth workshops, therapeutic stories and resources for professionals and caregivers. Trainings are available in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Scotland and online and can lead to internationally recognised certification. For Professionals, when you work with Healing Hooves you join a community of professionals dedicated to a journey of ongoing growth in partnership with animals and nature. We meet you where you are now, honouring the unique experiences and skills – with people and with animals – you already possess, and we share a ‘map’ for applying and growing your experiences and skills within the Equine and Animal Assisted Services and Wellness field. Our approach is insight based and adaptable and is firmly grounded in both the discernments of science, research and professionalism AND in the wisdom of nature and our animals. This often means slowing down, looking deeper and allowing more space – all of which we have learned to do best in the company of our animals! Sue McIntosh MA CCC, founder of Healing Hooves and lead counsellor, is a licensed coach with Equestrian Canada, a Certified Canadian Counsellor and is certified through Pro-EFW as a practitioner, mentor and trainer in Equine Facilitated Wellness. Sue also has additional training and credentials in Animal Assisted Therapy, EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Emotionally Focused Therapy and Therapeutic riding. Sue has also worked closely with Gordon Neufeld for close to 20 years and is certified by the Neufeld Institute as a practitioner and facilitator.
03/31/2026
Another great training weekend in Scotland, this time in Conon Bridge with my advanced student group. A big thank you to Lynne for hosting and to my dedicated group of advanced students for making it such a fun weekend!.
And thank you Bruce, Bruar and Katie for being so photogenic!
03/24/2026
What a great weekend back home in Scotland! I’ve just finished two days of teaching Equine Neuroscience, Equine Assisted Services and Attachment at Dark Deer Croft with FG Equestrian Training
Thank you to all of our wonderful participants and especially the amazing horses we could not do any of this without!
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03/23/2026
Last chance for the early bird discount on the training your horse wants you to attend!
Discover what your horse wishes you knew, and how to put that into practice. You’ll learn what human and equine neuroscience and the wisdom of the horse have to teach us about connecting more deeply and authentically with equines, people, and ourselves. And you’ll put this into practice experientially within a small group of like minded people – and horses.
This course is open to all. It is informed by the science and research while remaining grounded in horse sense and practical application.
During the online portion of this course you will explore the human and equine nervous system to help you access the wisdom in your own body while listening to that of the horse. You will learn how human and equine brains are both similar and different - in how we experience and perceive the world through the senses, how we learn, how we process information, think and feel. You will explore what this means for equine needs, care and training to allow you to create equine environments which honour the equine as a sentient being and support mutually beneficial human-horse relationships.
During the onsite part of this course you will be supported to put your learning into practice with experiential exercises with the horses, reflection and group discussions.
Throughout all aspects of the course you will be invited to apply all of the above to your context with horses, be it trail rider, riding coach or within Equine Facilitated Wellness.
Schedule
Flexible Online: April 25-Jun 2
Onsite options: June 3 in Nova Scotia/ June 13 in Alberta
Cost
Online and Onsite: Early bird rate: $495 plus GST, regular rate: $550 plus GST.
Online only option: $295 plus GST early bird/ $350 regular rate
Early bird deadline: March 25
Includes
• Ten hours of pre-recorded video material to view when convenient to you. Life time access.
• Comprehensive online interactive course packed full of information supporting the videos, application exercises, discussion and self-reflective components. Provides you with direct access to your facilitator.
• Live zoom call with your facilitator to ask questions and connect with other students in your cohort
• One day in person workshop to discuss what you have learned and to apply this within your equine context. All materials, equipment and horses required for the onsite are provided plus coffee, tea and snacks.
03/18/2026
This is such a great read!
It’s also one of the key themes we'll be exploring at the CCPA conference in Halifax on May 30 in the presentation, ‘A horse is so much more than a mirror’ and in our Equine Neuroscience in Equine Assisted Services Course which starts online April 24 with an in person day in Nova Scotia on June 3 and in Alberta on June 13
More info https://healinghooves.ca/workshops-and-resources/
A common narrative in equine assisted work says that horses mirror us. Statements such as „when we are tense/calm, the horse becomes tense/relaxed“ are all over in Eap/Eal and horsemanship articles. The overall tone is that if the horse reacts, it must be showing us something - about ourselves.
I think this idea is popular because it feels meaningful. It suggests that horses offer immediate emotional feedback and reveal something about our inner state. But this narrative assumes that the horse’s behaviour is primarily about the human.
In reality, horses are perceiving and responding to a wide field of information. Spatial pressure, body orientation, movement patterns, past learning, herd context, environmental stimuli, sound, smell, physical comfort or discomfort, curiosity, and safety all influence what the horse does in any given moment.
When we explain the horse’s behaviour only through the human emotional state, that complexity collapses into a simple psychological storyline and the horse does become a mirror….And once the horse becomes a mirror, the horse quietly disappears from the explanation. Instead of observing the sentient being in front of us, we begin interpreting behaviour as a message about ourselves.
Working with horses asks something different of us.
It asks that we slow down enough to notice what the horse is actually perceiving and responding to. The more precisely we observe the horse, the less we need the mirror story.
If this perspective resonates with you and you would like to explore it further, you can read more in my latest book „Seeing Horses“ (by Ilka Parent).
03/17/2026
Oliver says he’d like some wellie boots please! I’m happy to report that he did successfully navigate the river that appeared in our pasture this afternoon! Time to dig out the thrush buster and feed on high ground!
03/04/2026
03/02/2026
What is it about horses that draws us in? Calms our nervous system? Fills our soul?
How can we harness this incredible connection into relationships, interactions and careers with horses that honour our equine partners as intelligent sentient beings?
Join us and learn what human and equine neuroscience, attachment theory and - most importantly - the wisdom of the horse have to teach us about connecting more deeply and authentically with equines, people, and ourselves. And put this into practice experientially within a small group of like-minded people, and horses.
By exploring the similarities and differences between the human and equine brain, nervous system and emotional world you will gain valuable skills and insights for emotional well-being, healthier relationships and more effective interactions – with people and horses.
An introduction to attachment theory and the new exciting field of Equine Assisted Services expands this into real life practical applications and opportunities for horse owners, coaches, parents, educators, helping professionals, and anyone interested in healthier relationships.
Take your first steps towards certification and practice development, or simply immerse yourself in a new way of being with horses and people that fills your soul.
Our training is open to all. It is informed by the science and research while remaining grounded in horse sense and practical application.
Comprehensive - Flexible - Horse Centred - and developed and led by pioneers in the field.
Register now – the horses and people in your life will thank you!
Upcoming training options include online, Scotland, Nova Scotia and Alberta.
Explore professional training and resources at Healing Hooves in Canada, the UK, and online. Learn about equine and animal assisted therapy certification, registration details, schedules, and more to enhance your healing journey.
02/20/2026
Huge congratulations to Healing Hooves student, Julie Lalonde, for being the latest certified practitioner with the Professional Association for Equine Facilitated Wellness!
Julie partners with two wonderful equines, Bo and Flicka, in the Ottawa area and as an RSW, MSW specialises in working with individuals who are experiencing grief and loss, anxiety, depression, interpersonal difficulties, life transitions, stress and burnout recovery.
It has been such an honour to work with Julie over the past few years and I am excited for all that she will continue to contribute to this field as she grows her practice!
I'm celebrating being back home with a free draw - for 50% off our online intro training!
Simply share this post and add a comment in below to let me know you've done so, and I'll draw the lucky winner's name on Valentines day!
Multiple entries allowed!
The winner will receive a 50% discount on our online Explorations in Equine and Animal Assisted therapy services training. This course starts February 16th and is fully online within an interactive online platform with zoom support meetings and guided experiential components.
So if you've been considering this training, now's your chance!
*Explore how to incorporate animals into your work safely and ethically
*Practice bringing yourself and your clients to a more regulated state, through and for an animal supported approach
*Explore how to create and work within the triad of the client -animals – counsellor relationship, with the animal recognised and partnered with as a sentient being
*Get hands with your own animals, or with our herd through videos, to personally witness and experience the power of this work
*Gain an understanding of different approaches to working, training and certifying in the field and determine which is the best for you
*Share your questions, reflections and learnings within a supportive small group and directly with Sue
*Develop a plan for what comes next – your mission, vision, scope of practice and next steps, and
Complete your first step towards national certification
Last chance to register for our intro training!!!
After a month of volunteer work in Cambodia I’m on my way home and ready to start our 2026 training courses with you!
Explorations in Equine and Animal Assisted Therapy Services is fully online and open to all
This is your first step towards certification with Pro EFW plus approved for continuing Ed with several professional bodies.
The course is flexible, interactive and horse ( and donkey!) centred!
Starts Feb 16
Register here: https://healinghooves.ca/healing-hooves-2022-training-program-registration-form/
And please ask me any questions you have!
I look forward to hopefully getting to start this journey with you and support you as you develop your own practice and work in this exciting field!
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Healing Hooves Animal Assisted Therapy:
Healing Hooves is an Equine and Animal Assisted Therapy program, and Professional Training centre, based on a tranquil farm in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada.
We offer counselling, parenting support, equine therapy, children's stories and professional training services and resources to families, parents, children, teens and professionals. Our counsellors and trainers are trained in counselling, social work, equine therapy, animal assisted therapy (AAT), Equine Facilitated Wellness (EFW), attachment, developmental psychology and trauma therapy, including EMDR. We are associated with a wide range of professional bodies including EFW-Canada, the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), the Neufeld Institute, CanTRA and PATH.
Our Professional Training Workshops explore a wide range of approaches to working in the Equine and Animal Assisted Therapy fields and meet all of the training requirements of Equine Facilitated Wellness Canada.
Our Parenting Support sessions and resources are grounded in the approach taught by Dr. Gordon Neufeld of the Neufeld Institute.
Our Counselling Services specialise in working with people with struggles in the areas of anxiety, depression, trauma, parent child conflict, ADHD, attachment struggles and disorders, self esteem struggles, stress, behavioural problems and more.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
We offer nationally recognised training in equine facilitated wellness and animal assisted therapy leading to national certification with Equine Facilitated Wellness-Canada. Check out our Events Page for current training dates and details.
THERAPEUTIC CHILDREN’S STORIES AND OTHER RESOURCES
We have published a number of therapeutic stories for children aged five to twelve. Grounded in attachment theory and developmental science, each story covers a different therapeutic theme including emotional expression, resilience, recovery from loss, trauma, forgiveness, and relationship conflict. They are also simply fun, engaging and amusing stories holding universal applicability to all children and their parents. Check out our store for the books available for purchase and our posts for free downloads of selected titles.
OUR COUNSELLING APPROACH
The counselling approach followed at Healing Hooves is firmly grounded in attachment theory, developmental psychology and neuroscience; an insight approach, rather than a behavioural approach. Specifically, it is grounded in the approach developed and taught by Dr. Gordon Neufeld with whom all Healing Hooves counsellors and trainers have extensive training. As such the focus is upon the relationship between a client and the key positive adults in his/her life, upon the client’s longer term development, and upon the needs and emotions underlying their behavior.
This is approached through facilitating a process and creating an environment within which the client develops a positive relationship with the horses and other animals at Healing Hooves. This is then used as a bridge to develop a positive relationship with the counsellor, and with other key healthy caretaking adults in the client’s life. The interactions and interventions facilitated with and through the therapy animals, and all other therapeutic approaches and interventions followed by Healing Hooves Counsellors, are grounded in her understanding of both child development and attachment, and the interplay between these two aspects.
This includes consideration of attachment depth, security and health; the health and maturity level of the developmental processes of emergence, adaptation and integration; the level of emotional defenses and the impact of this upon both attachment and the developmental processes; and the interplay between all of the above and a child’s ability to feel and express emotions (including frustration and alarm) in a healthy and vulnerable manner.
Funding is often available for our services through Children’s Services (CS), Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) and through private health insurance.
Sue McIntosh, MA, CCC the founder and lead counsellor at Healing Hooves is triple certified with EFW Canada as a trainer, mentor and practitioner and is certified with the Neufeld Institute as a practitioner, facilitator and parent consultant.
