For facilities & care teams
Hosting a CMTHA-qualified team means hosting a professionally evaluated, safe and profoundly impactful program for people of all ages. Search our free database, verify credentials, and book a visit near you.
Evaluated & verified teams across Canada
Big comfort in a tiny package.
The Canadian Miniature Therapy Horse Association brings the extraordinary benefits of miniature therapy horses — standing just 24 to 34 inches tall — to residents, patients, students and staff. Gentle by nature, professionally evaluated as a team, and ready to make someone's day.
Team-based evaluation
Re-evaluated every 2 years
Free public database
Welcomed by
Hospitals
Long-term care
Schools & universities
Care homes
Hospice
For horses & handlers
Set the standard for professionalism. Our exclusive qualification process is built on rigorous Standards of Operations and Behaviors — and places your team in front of local facilities actively seeking your services.
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Inches tall — small enough to visit indoors
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Re-evaluation cycle for every team
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Free verification database for facilities
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Provinces & territories we aim to serve
Strict standards, absolute safety
We don't say "certified."
We don't say "certified."
We qualify the team.
No person or organization can guarantee an animal's behavior. That's why CMTHA never uses the misleading word "certified." Instead, we assess and qualify the horse and handler together — as a single, inseparable team.
- Team evaluations. Tested across diverse environments for the skills, gentle temperament and aptitude to safely visit public and institutional settings.
- Non-transferable. A qualification belongs strictly to one horse-and-handler pairing — it can't be transferred to another person or animal.
- Re-evaluated every two years. Maintaining the highest safety and sanitary standards over time, not just on day one.
- Easy verification. A verified database plus expiration-dated photo ID badges, so facility managers can do due diligence in seconds.
The power of the human–animal bond
More than a happy distraction
Interacting with a miniature therapy horse triggers real, positive biochemical changes — raising mood-elevating hormones while lowering the body's primary stress signal.
▲ UpOxytocinThe bonding & trust hormone
▲ UpDopamineMotivation & reward
▲ UpSerotoninMood & wellbeing
▼ DownCortisolThe body's stress hormone
Why it matters
Real benefits for body and mind
From easing anxiety to supporting physical therapy and helping children connect, a short visit can have a lasting impact.
Mental health
- Reduces stress and anxiety; slows rapid breathing
- Combats loneliness and isolation
- Aids memory recall — including Alzheimer's care
- Breaks down barriers in therapy settings
Physical health
- Lowers blood pressure and supports cardiovascular health
- Reduces perception of physical pain
- May lower reliance on certain medications
- Helps people relax during physical exercise
Autistic children
- Fosters a deep, comforting connection with animals
- Encourages communication and language use
- Increases social interaction vs. standard therapy
- Provides a calm, non-judgmental presence
Bring a little joy through your doors
Ready to meet a miniature therapy horse?
Whether you manage a care home, hospital, school or workplace — or you're a handler ready to qualify — we'd love to hear from you.