EQUI-SENS

What EQUI-SENS does

EQUI-SENS BFC (Association loi 1901) is a French non-profit founded in 2002 by Sabine Chapuis, a specialized educator and equestrian, dedicated to equine-assisted therapy (équithérapie / médiation équine). Its core offering is personalized therapeutic sessions in which a specially trained horse acts as a living mediator in a triangular beneficiary/horse/professional relationship, addressing sensory, motor, cognitive, psychological, emotional, and relational developmental domains. Services are delivered in-person at a purpose-built eco-constructed accessible facility on the Chenôve plateau near Dijon (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), supported by 11 specifically trained equines (Ayko, Ambroise, Bambi, Caprice, Fiona, Indyra, Fuego, Milky, Gringo, Gitane, and Pony).

The organization fields a multidisciplinary team spanning specialized educators, équithérapeutes, équiciennes and BEES1/BPJEPS-certified instructors, including director Julien Blache (since 2022) and full-time practitioners Charlène Etienne (since 2018) and Lucie Imbs (since 2024). Its therapeutic protocol — combining the proprietary triangular model with a horse-mirror behavioral method — is offered to children from age 4, adolescents, adults, seniors, families and people with disabilities, with or without a medical prescription.

EQUI-SENS generates revenue primarily through session fees on a case-by-case basis (pricing not publicly disclosed) and is supplemented by grants and institutional support from the French Ministry of Sports, Région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Ville de Chenôve, Département de Côte-d'Or, Fondation McDonald's France and Fond EPR. The go-to-market is community-led: direct outreach, word-of-mouth referrals, healthcare professional referrals, educational-institution partnerships (including a dedicated Éducation Nationale mission holder), and organic social presence on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Geographic scope is regional (single facility, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), with no digital productization, API, or AI/ML components in its stack.

Name

EQUI-SENS

Legal name

Equi-Sens BFC

Website

https://equisens.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EQUI-SENS BFC is a French non-profit association founded in 2002 that delivers equine-assisted therapy (équithérapie) using 11 specially trained horses and a multidisciplinary team to children, adolescents, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities from its accessible Chenôve plateau facility near Dijon, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equine-Assisted Therapy Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAEAGAG

Horse Boarding, Livery & Stable Operations

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Equine (Horse) Breeding & Operations

SECONDARYAFAEAGAJ

Equine Rehabilitation, Layup & Retirement Facilities

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Equine (Horse) Breeding & Operations

SECONDARYHLAMABAJ

Sports Medicine, Lameness & Performance (Equine)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Veterinary & Animal Health/Large Animal & Equine Veterinary Services

Keywords

• Equine-assisted therapy
• Equine mediation services
• Therapeutic horseback riding
• Disability support therapy
• Special needs therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Dijon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equine Therapy Session Fees: EQUI-SENS generates revenue through fees for equine therapy sessions. The organization mentions that some structures or social assistance programs may participate in financing. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires direct inquiry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EQUI-SENS delivers personalized equine-assisted therapy sessions (à pied or mounted) using 11 specially trained horses as living mediators, under the supervision of qualified équithérapeutes, équiciennes, éducateurs spécialisés, and BEES1 instructors. Sessions are tailored to children (from age 4), adolescents, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities, and take place in an eco-built, fully accessible facility on the Chenôve plateau near Dijon. The service targets developmental, motor, sensory, cognitive, psychological, emotional, and relational needs, complemented by an on-site activity room for companions and families.

Product overview

EQUI-SENS BFC is a therapeutic association offering equine therapy (équithérapie/médiation équine) as its core service. The organization provides personalized therapeutic sessions guided by qualified professionals (équithérapeutes, éducateurs spécialisés, moniteurs d'équitation) using specially trained horses as living mediators. Sessions take place in an eco-built facility on the Chenôve plateau near Dijon, France, designed to be fully accessible. The service targets children (from age 4), adolescents, adults, and seniors experiencing physical, psychological, emotional, or relational difficulties. EQUI-SENS does not offer technology products, APIs, or software platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Équithérapie / Médiation Équine

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of individuals supported annually across all age groups and disability types
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Drawn'Artis – Communication & AudiovisuelminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Drawn'Artis produced a documentary about EQUI-SENS equithérapy in 2023, providing marketing visibility and institutional recognition through professional media production.
• Éducation NationaleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the French National Education system through dedicated mission holder Mireille Maniere (Chargée de mission éducation nationale), enabling referral of students and coordination with educational institutions.
• GCBAT BFC (Groupement des Constructeurs et Bâtisseurs de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté)minorOthersDaniel Dubresson, Director General of GCBAT BFC, serves as the organization's sponsor (parrain), providing industry connections and potential business development support in the construction/building sector.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Fédération Française du Sport Adapté (FFSA): French federation for adapted sports serving people with disabilities, which includes and federates therapeutic riding and equitherapy programs in partnership with regional bodies. Adjacent ecosystem participant and potential referral source, overlapping with EQUI-SENS in adapted physical activity for disabled populations.

Broad incumbents

• IFCE (Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation): French national institute for horses and equitation under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Sports. Provides training, certifications and resources across the French equine sector including therapeutic riding and adapted equitation—established player with a broader portfolio but shared geographic and institutional territory.
• Fédération Française d'Equitation (FFE): France's national equestrian federation, with member clubs across the country delivering adapted riding and therapeutic-riding programs. Comparable as the broad incumbent organization that spans horse-related services including therapeutic components that overlap with EQUI-SENS's mission.

Direct peers

• PATH International: Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, the leading US-based professional body for equine-assisted services, with member centers providing therapeutic riding and hippotherapy worldwide. Closest international peer to EQUI-SENS in service model and mission, offering a benchmark for how an association of therapy centers can scale standards and reach.
• American Hippotherapy Association (AHA): US-based organization promoting hippotherapy and equine-assisted therapy as a clinical discipline, certifying therapists and developing practice standards. Strong overlap with EQUI-SENS's clinical, multidisciplinary therapeutic approach using horses as mediators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@equisensbfc
• Facebookfacebook.com/equisenshandichevalBFC
• Instagraminstagram.com/equisensbfc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equi-sens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about EQUI-SENS