Team evaluations
Teams are tested across diverse environments to ensure they possess the necessary skills, gentle temperament and aptitude to safely visit public and institutional settings.
About CMTHA
Setting the standard for miniature therapy horse teams.
CMTHA is dedicated to bringing the extraordinary benefits of miniature therapy horses to residents, patients, students and staff. These adorable animals possess a natural love for people, and are trained alongside their handlers to provide safe, meaningful interactions.
Safety, first and always
When interacting with young, elderly or fragile individuals, safety is the absolute priority — and it guides every standard we set.
The team is the unit
We qualify the horse and handler together. A great horse with the wrong handler — or vice versa — isn't a qualified team.
Trusted by facilities
Healthcare and educational facilities vet visiting animals closely. A CMTHA qualification is the written proof they require.
Meet the horses
Gentle by nature, prepared by training
Standing just 24 to 34 inches tall, miniature therapy horses are calm, curious and remarkably people-loving. But temperament is only the start — each horse trains alongside its handler to stay relaxed in the real settings they'll visit.
- Calm in busy places — unfazed by wheelchairs, elevators, slippery floors and sudden sounds.
- Gentle with everyone — comfortable being touched and led by many different hands.
- Ready for indoors — house-trained and fitted with grippy hoof boots for clean, sure-footed visits.
Strict standards for absolute safety
Why we never say "certified"
We believe no person or organization can guarantee an animal's behavior. So we avoid that misleading term entirely. Instead, we assess and qualify the horse and handler as a single, inseparable team.
Non-transferable
Qualifications belong strictly to the specific horse-and-handler pairing and cannot be transferred to a different person or animal individually.
Regular re-evaluation
To maintain the highest safety and sanitary standards, every team must be re-evaluated every two years — not just qualified once and forgotten.
Easy verification
We maintain a verified database so facility managers can perform due diligence, locate qualified teams nearby and check their history. Teams also carry expiration-dated photo ID badges on arrival.
The human–animal bond
A measurable shift in body chemistry
Interacting with a miniature therapy horse goes beyond a happy distraction — it triggers positive biochemical changes, increasing mood-elevating hormones like oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin, while actively reducing stress-inducing cortisol.
- Calms the nervous system — slowing rapid breathing and lowering anxiety.
- Supports the heart — lowering blood pressure and improving cardiovascular health.
- Lifts the spirit — easing loneliness and providing vital mental stimulation.
Due diligence made simple
Verify any team in seconds
Our online database is a free service. Facility managers and activity directors can confirm a team's status, focus areas and qualification history before a visit — and every team carries an expiration-dated photo ID badge on arrival for added security.