A solid foundation of practical experience

igogo's origins can be found in work with children. At first, our aim was simply educational: We gave courses for children which included all the activities that living and working with horses involve, such as currycombing, hoof care, cleaning stables etc. As the riding aspect was not the central part of the courses, it was possible to include children with physical and mental handicaps as well.

Although we were already aware of the therapeutic effects which horses can have on handicapped people, we were still surprised to see how strong they were and how quickly they set in. An autistic boy laughed for the very first time during a therapy session. A girl suffering from a trauma brought on by the death of her parents in an accident was able to start talking about this terrible experience within a short space of time. And we saw how both mental and physical blockages were released in other children.

These observations led to the basic inspiration behind the igogo riding therapy: The true therapist is the horse. All we have to do is to provide the horse with the right conditions to be able to do its job. It is as simple as that.

In 2003 the igogo Academy inaugurated its series of one-year, day release courses leading to certification as a qualified equine assisted therapist. The curriculum aims to provide a comprehensive training in which specific case histories are used to illustrate practical points. Learning to communicate with the therapy horse represents a further essential part of the courses, so that participants are able to experience how theoretical knowledge and practical therapeutic methods form a harmonious whole. In the meantime over 100 people have successfully completed their training with us, and their feedback relating to their own hands-on experiences as therapists provide clear confirmation for the validity of our concept.