BC Therapeutic Riding Association

What BC Therapeutic Riding Association does

BC Therapeutic Riding Association (BCTRA) is a provincial nonprofit professional association founded in 1986 and headquartered in Armstrong, British Columbia. It is the only association in the province exclusively dedicated to connecting and supporting Equine Assisted Service (EAS) providers — ranging from large nonprofit therapeutic riding centers to sole-proprietor coaches — that deliver therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, equine-assisted learning (EAL), equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), equine-facilitated wellness (EFW), and para-equestrian development programs to individuals with disabilities and special needs.

BCTRA operates a tiered membership program (Level A Service Provider at $50/year, Level B Community Supporter at $20/year, Level C1 Participant in BC and C2 outside BC at $5/year) that provides members with access to grant funding, an online member directory, round table recordings, and a province-wide events calendar. The organization distributes grants to members through the BCTRA Maggie Carpenter Trust across Growth, Operational, and Developing EAS Professionals streams, plus a Herd Health & Welfare Emergency Fund launched in January 2025; over $390,000 has been awarded since 2017. Educational programming consists of bi-monthly virtual round tables and the inaugural 'Leading The Way' Annual Educational Conference held in October 2025 at Southlands Riding Club in Vancouver. The organization also runs an annual Para-Equestrian Video Competition and supports athlete participation in the BC Summer Games.

BCTRA holds approximately 9 core people (an Executive Director plus two part-time staff, with a volunteer Board of Directors and committee members) and partners strategically with CanTRA, Horse Council of British Columbia (HCBC), ISES, Equestrian Canada, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee on certification pathways and coaching clinics. In May 2026, BCTRA announced a governance transition to a governance-board model with a paid Executive Director role and, pending member vote at an SGM in July 2026, a proposed renaming to BC Association of Equine Assisted Services Professionals (BC-EASP) and expansion of the Board from seven to nine seats. The organization has no AI, software, or technology products and generates no material technology-driven revenue.

Name

BC Therapeutic Riding Association

Legal name

BC Therapeutic Riding Association

Website

https://bctherapeuticriding.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BC Therapeutic Riding Association is a 1986-founded provincial nonprofit association in British Columbia that supports Equine Assisted Service providers through tiered memberships, grants (Maggie Carpenter Trust), education, and para-equestrian programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Therapeutic Riding Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure Therapy & Therapeutic Wilderness Programs (THAAAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Equine Rehabilitation, Layup & Retirement Facilities (AFAEAGAJ)

Keywords

• Therapeutic riding services
• Equine assisted services
• Para-equestrian programs
• Nonprofit association membership
• Professional development grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Armstrong

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: BCTRA generates revenue through annual membership fees at four tiers (Level A Service Provider at $50/year, Level B Supporter at $20/year, Level C1 Participant BC at $5/year, Level C2 Participant Outside BC at $5/year). These fees provide access to the member portal, grant eligibility, round table recordings, and the province-wide directory.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

BC Therapeutic Riding Association is a provincial nonprofit association that connects and supports Equine Assisted Service (EAS) providers across British Columbia. Its core offerings are a tiered membership program (Level A Service Provider, Level B Community Supporter, Level C Participant), grant funding through the Maggie Carpenter Trust, bi-monthly educational round tables, an annual educational conference, a province-wide member directory, and inclusive competitive opportunities (Para-Equestrian Video Competition, BC Summer Games).

Product overview

BCTRA is a provincial non-profit association for Equine Assisted Service providers in British Columbia, offering a tiered membership program (Level A Service Providers, Level B Community Supporters, Level C Participants) with associated benefits. The organization operates grant programs through the Maggie Carpenter Trust including Growth, Operational, and Developing EAS Professionals grants, plus a Herd Health & Welfare Emergency Fund. Educational offerings include bi-monthly round tables and an annual provincial conference. The association organizes a Para-Equestrian Video Competition and supports athletes in BC Summer Games. Additional member services include an online membership portal and searchable member directory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BCTRA Membership Program Tiered membership program connecting Equine Assisted Service providers across British Columbia, with Level A Service Provider ($50/yr), Level B Community Supporter ($20/yr), and Level C Participant ($5/yr) tiers offering access to funding opportunities, support letters, networking, and educational resources.
• Maggie Carpenter Trust Annual Grants Program Annual grant program offering Growth, Operational, and Developing EAS Professionals grant streams to qualifying BCTRA Level A Service Provider members in BC. Has distributed over $390,000 since 2017, including $50,000 to 13 providers in 2025-26 and $50,000 to 14 providers in 2024-25.
• Herd Health & Welfare Emergency Fund Annual one-time emergency grant covering herd health and welfare costs for BCTRA members' equine partners, introduced in January 2025.
• BCTRA Educational Round Tables Bi-monthly virtual educational sessions covering topics such as grant writing, certification pathways, volunteer engagement, student progress tracking, and provincial funding changes, free to BCTRA members with recordings available for 30 days post-event.
• Leading The Way Annual Educational Conference Annual provincial educational conference bringing together EAS professionals for presentations, networking, and professional development, with conference recordings made available to members post-event.
• BCTRA Para-Equestrian Video Competition Annual inclusive video competition allowing para-equestrian riders of all levels and abilities to compete from their home arenas, with entries judged by volunteers.
• BC Summer Games Para-Equestrian Program Program supporting and selecting para-equestrian athletes to compete at the biennial BC Summer Games, providing a high-profile competitive pathway from therapy to sport.
• BCTRA Member Directory Searchable online directory and interactive map listing BCTRA member organizations and individual practitioners offering equine-assisted services throughout British Columbia, with public visibility for prospective participants and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $390,000 in grants awarded to members since 2017 through the BCTRA Maggie Carpenter Trust
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CanTRA (Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026BCTRA holds membership in CanTRA and facilitates CanTRA certification and accreditation for BC-based EAS providers. CanTRA exams and accreditation clinics are hosted at BC member centers (e.g., Cowichan BC in May 2026). BCTRA round tables regularly address CanTRA certification pathways and requirements.
• Equestrian Canada (EC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Equestrian Canada collaborated with BCTRA, HCBC, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee to host four Clive Milkins Para-Dressage coaching clinics across BC (Langley, Kamloops, Duncan, Victoria) in March 2023. BCTRA provides a pathway from therapy to sport supporting EC-certified coaches in including riders with disabilities.
• Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023CPC co-sponsored the 2023 Clive Milkins Para-Dressage coaching clinic tour across BC alongside BCTRA, Equestrian Canada, and HCBC. The partnership supports the development of para-equestrian sport pathways for therapeutic riding participants.
• Pacific Medical LawminorOthers · 1 January 2023Pacific Medical Law established the Janna Epp Bursary of $5,000 for children living with Cerebral Palsy. BCTRA shares this bursary opportunity with its members. The bursary is administered separately by Pacific Medical Law.
• Vancouver FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Vancouver Foundation partnered with the Government of BC, United Way BC, and New Relationship Trust to deliver the $34 million Recovery and Resiliency Fund. BCTRA shares this funding opportunity with its members and supports member organizations in applying.
• HCBC (Horse Council of British Columbia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCTRA holds membership in HCBC. HCBC and BCTRA co-sponsored Clive Milkins para-dressage coaching clinics across BC in March 2023 and collaborate on grant writing round tables (e.g., Craig Cherrett from HCBC delivers grant writing sessions for BCTRA members).
• ISES (International Society for Equitation Science)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCTRA holds membership in ISES, indicating alignment with evidence-based equitation science standards and research in the therapeutic riding field.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• CanTRA (Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association): National-level Canadian therapeutic riding association that issues certification and accreditation. BCTRA operates as a BC provincial affiliate within CanTRA's national framework, making it the closest umbrella peer.
• PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International): The largest international association for equine-assisted services, based in the US. BCTRA is functionally the BC provincial equivalent that channels Canadian providers into the broader PATH/CanTRA ecosystem.
• Equestrian Canada: National governing body for equestrian sport in Canada. BCTRA partners with EC on para-equestrian pathways, and EC is a logical peer for sport-side positioning while BCTRA focuses on therapy-to-sport bridging.

Direct peers

• Horse Council of British Columbia (HCBC): Provincial equine industry association that BCTRA co-sponsors events with (Clive Milkins clinics, grant writing round tables). Both serve overlapping BC equine audiences, with HCBC broader and BCTRA narrower on therapeutic services.
• Pacific Riding for Developing Abilities (PRDA): Largest therapeutic horseback riding center in BC and a BCTRA member. Operates as a service-delivery peer that BCTRA supports, representing the typical downstream beneficiary of BCTRA's grants and advocacy.
• Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association: BC-based member center and BCTRA grant recipient providing direct therapeutic riding and para-equestrian services. Closest service-delivery peer within BCTRA's membership.
• Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association: BC-based member center and CanTRA exam center host. Operates the same therapeutic riding model and is part of BCTRA's downstream network.

Emerging players

• EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association): International professional association for Equine-Assisted Learning and psychotherapy. BCTRA's expansion into unmounted EAS (EAL, EAP, EFW) places it adjacent to EAGALA's specialty.

Regional players

• Riding for the Disabled Association (UK): UK counterpart offering group network + accreditation for disabled riding. Comparable operating model and value proposition to BCTRA, but UK geographic focus.
• American Hippotherapy Association (AHA): US-based association for hippotherapy as a treatment strategy. BCTRA's hippotherapy providers are a direct functional counterpart, though AHA is US-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjJgHR5JdU4a1x0eR4X6C1w
• Facebookfacebook.com/bctherapeuticriding
• Instagraminstagram.com/bctherapeuticriding
• Xx.com/BctraNews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BC Therapeutic Riding Association