Equine International is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Research Institute
Dedicated to research and education in the fields of equine behavior, welfare, and equine-human interactions. Join us!
About Us
Welcome!
Equine International is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit research institute dedicated to conducting scientific research and developing education in equine behavior, well-being and welfare, and equine-human interactions in all areas of domestic and free-living equines. We are a group of scientists, behaviorists, and researchers that pride ourselves on conducting quality research and developing educational materials for a wide audience. Part of our mission is to work with various populations, cultures, professionals, and industries and we're proud to collaborate with a number of different institutions, universities, and organizations to observe and learn how horses choose to live their lives, how we fit into their world, and how we can use this information to improve the well-being of horses in our care.
We engage in research studies all over the world with feral, free-living, and domestic horses and often invite others to join us on amazing adventures to collect data and learn about wild equines. We also work with equine practitioners and trainers in a wide range of settings to develop and facilitate equine-assisted services and create educational courses for anyone involved with horses for accessible online courses as well as in-person workshops.
The goal, however, is to improve the lives of horses and humans so we’re always collaborating with individuals and organizations to help them build and improve their work in the field.
Please consider making a donation. Proceeds go towards funding research in all fields of equine well-being, equine-human interactions, and equine-assisted activities and therapies. With your help we can continue to do the research that can help improve the lives of horses, humans, and other equids all over the world.
If you are a student and are interested in doing a research internship, reach out!
We look forward to working with you.
Equine International as Official PATH Education Partner
Earning CEU Credits with Equine International
Equine International is now an official Education Partner with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH)! This means that some of our educational offerings meet the high standards PATH requires of courses through which their members can earn continuing education credits (CEUs). As we grow our programs, you'll see these options growing. For now, we offer two courses on our online learning platform for which you, as a PATH professional, can earn CEUS in different required areas:
Equine Welfare and Wellbeing Course Series: Level 0 - Equine Awareness - FREE
If you are a PATH member looking for CEU/CR, this course has been approved for the following:
- 1 CR-All
2025 Online | Demystifying Equine-Assisted Services Through Research and Science
If you are a PATH member looking for CEU/CR, this course has been approved for the following:
- 5.5 CE
- OR 5.5 CR-ALL
- OR any combination of the above credits not to exceed the maximum number of 5.5 credits in total
Both courses are available through our online learning platform, Thinkific, via our online course page.
Featured Work
Recent Publications
Dr. Emily Kieson
Baxley, B. (2025). Exploring factors influencing horse behavior and welfare in Equine-Assisted Services.
Baxley, B. H., Stellato, A., & Anderson, N. C. (2025). The Tipping Point: Exploring the influence of rider presence and posture on gait parameters in horses working in mounted equine-assisted services. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 105699.
Bhave, A., Kieson, E., Hafner, A., & Gloor, P. A. (2025). Identifying Novel Emotions and Wellbeing of Horses from Videos Through Unsupervised Learning. Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 25(3), 859.
Kieson, E. (2025). Interspecies Relational Theory: A Framework for Compassionate Interspecies Interactions. Veterinary Sciences, 12(6), 586.
Rankins, E. M., Reega, S. J., Rudd, C., & Peters, B. C. (2025). Horse behavior and training in adaptive/therapeutic riding: A survey of instructors’ perceptions and knowledge in the United States. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 282, 106490.
See more recent publications on the Publications page.
Organizational Memberships
The Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International AISBL
The Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International AISBL
The Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International AISBL
International Equine Professionals
The Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International AISBL
The Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International AISBL
Animal Welfare Research Network
The Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International AISBL
Animal Welfare Research Network
Getting Involved
Donate to Equine International
Your donation will help us to continue our mission of supporting improving lives for horses and humans all over the world. Every dollar counts and will make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Volunteer with Equine International
Join our team of researchers and make a difference for equine welfare. Whether you can give a few hours a week or a few hours a month, your time and skills are appreciated.
Attend Our Events
We host a variety of events throughout the year, including Learning Wild courses, community outreach events, and educational seminars. Check out our education page to see what's coming up.
Follow Us on Social Media
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news and happenings at Equine International by following us on social media. We're active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Our posts include our events, but also summaries of recent research in equine behavior and equine-human interactions
Partner with Equine International
We're always looking for new partners to collaborate with on projects and events. If your organization shares our values and mission, let's work together to make a positive impact.
Spread the Word
Help us raise awareness of our mission and programs by sharing our website, social media pages, and events with your friends, family, and colleagues. Thank you!
More About Us
Our staff & volunteers
Our staff & volunteers
Our staff & volunteers
Our team consists of highly trained professionals from a variety of backgrounds, all of them with decades of experience in animal behavior, welfare, human-animal interactions, and animal-assisted interventions.
Our history
Our staff & volunteers
Our staff & volunteers
We wanted to create a single organization dedicated to equines, one that focused almost exclusively on the equine perspective, how they choose to live their lives, and how we fit into their world.
Our mission
Our staff & volunteers
Our mission
Equine International is focused on research, education, and application of principles in the fields of equine behavior, welfare, and equine-human interactions.