Become a Step Up Horse Therapy Provider in Florida
At a Glance
Horse therapy, also called therapeutic horsemanship or equine therapy, uses work with horses as a therapeutic service for children with unique abilities. Families across Florida hold Unique Abilities (FES-UA) scholarship accounts they can spend on this service, but they can only pay providers Step Up has approved in EMA, its online system. Approval is what puts a center in front of those families: once Step Up approves a center, families can find it in the provider directory inside EMA and pay with scholarship funds.
This page covers what approval involves for a horse therapy center: the one scholarship that pays for horse therapy, the center membership Step Up requires, how payment reaches you, and the mistakes that slow applications down. Step Up reviews every application and makes every approval decision. This guide shows you the shape of the process before you start.
What Families Can Pay You For
FES-UA covers therapeutic horsemanship and equine therapy as horse therapy. A family can pay a center through Direct Pay in EMA, or pay the center themselves and request reimbursement from their scholarship account.
The requirement in this category sits with the center, not with each staff member. The center must be a member of PATH International, and families pay for therapy delivered through that approved center listing in EMA.
Horse Therapy Is Not Riding Lessons
Step Up draws a clear line in this category: riding lessons are not considered horse therapy. Standard riding instruction does not count in this category, no matter how the service is described.
If a program offers standard riding instruction, that work belongs in a different category. This page covers therapeutic horsemanship and equine therapy delivered by a PATH International member center.
What It Takes
Step Up recognizes one credential route for horse therapy:
- The center must be a member of PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship).
- Individual employees are not required to be PATH members.
Centers apply with a School or Business account. At a headline level, that account asks for tax ID information (an EIN), the legal name as registered with the IRS, and bank details so Step Up can pay the center, plus a copy of the center's PATH membership or accreditation documentation.
Mistakes That Slow Horse Therapy Applications Down
- A center that is not a PATH member. Center membership in PATH International is the credential for this category. Without it, the application cannot move forward in this category.
- Applying as standard riding lessons. Riding lessons are not considered horse therapy, and standard riding instruction belongs in a different category.
Questions Providers Ask
Which scholarship pays for horse therapy?
Unique Abilities (FES-UA) only. FES-UA covers therapeutic horsemanship and equine therapy in this category.
Does every instructor need to be a PATH member?
No. The center must be a member of PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship). Individual employees are not required to be PATH members.
Are riding lessons covered as horse therapy?
No. Riding lessons are not considered horse therapy, and standard riding instruction does not count in this category.
How do families pay a center?
Two ways. Step Up can pay the center directly through EMA (Direct Pay), or the family pays the center and requests reimbursement from their FES-UA account.
What does the application ask for, at a headline level?
A School or Business account asks for tax ID information (an EIN), the legal name as registered with the IRS, and bank details for payment, plus a copy of the center's PATH membership or accreditation documentation.
See Your Horse Therapy Pathway
The free assessment asks five straightforward questions and shows you a personalized preview of your provider pathway: your credential route, the scholarship programs that fit, and your first steps. The assessment is free. Start with a free personalized assessment. Full personalized plan for one provider pathway: $147 one-time. Additional pathways are $97 each.
Running a therapeutic riding center? The Practice Plan covers 3 pathways for $397 one-time, and additional pathways are $97 each.
Step Up Provider Guide is operated by Pair of Deuces LLC and is not affiliated with Step Up For Students. Step Up reviews every provider application and makes all approval decisions.
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What Families Read About This Service
Parents research this service on the parent side of this site before they look for a provider: