HIPPOCAMPUS | INSTITUTE DIRECTION & PHILOSOPHY

Dr. phil. Ulrike Thiel

Institute for Equitherapy and Equine Sport Psychology in Cranendonck, The Netherlands.

HippoCampus is situated in the Netherlands, less than two hours away from Brussels and Cologne, and one hour from Maastricht and Aachen. We specialize in small-scale riding instruction for people with or without mental or physical disabilities, as well as psychotherapy with horses. Furthermore, HippoCampus offers expertise on the initiation and development of therapeutic riding and horsemanship in health and educational organizations.

Professional Qualifications & Standards

Led by Dr. Ulrike Thiel (born 1953), our institute combines decades of scientific and practical experience:

• Clinical Psychologist & Psychotherapist
• Equine Sport Psychologist
• Riding Instructor & Trainer
• Instructor in Remedial Vaulting and Riding
• Xenophon Trainer for Classical Riding Culture
• Dressage Rider & Judge

We comply with the guidelines of SHP-E(NL) (Dutch Association for Therapeutic Riding) and are members of the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International (HRDI). Equitherapy training is conducted in accordance with FATP standards (equitherpie.org).

The Approach: Voluntary Cooperation

Ulrike Thiel approaches human and horse from multiple perspectives: the classical art of riding, the psychomotor aspect, sports psychology, and applied behavioral studies. Her goal is a joyful cooperation where the rider, through technique, sense of tact, and attitude, persuades the horse to cooperate out of free will. The objective is a horse that thinks along, is fascinated by the cooperation, and contributes its own input to the shared fun of riding, rather than merely being mechanically controlled.

With a scientific background in psychology and ethology, alongside deep insights into the Spanish Riding School (trained under Sergeant Albrecht), she excels at guiding the learning processes of both rider and horse and resolving deep-seated misunderstandings.

Science, Practice & Publications

Born in Austria, she studied psychology, ethology, and cultural anthropology, earning a doctorate in psychology. Following a severe accident that required her to pause riding, she gained extensive personal experience through her own rehabilitation before returning to the saddle years later.

Since 1995, she has run HippoCampus in the Netherlands. She is a founding member and chairwoman of SHP-E(NL), publishes regularly in magazines and at international congresses, provides supervision for equestrian professionals, and offers specialized supplementary training such as “HippoCoach” for riding instructors.

Books: Author of „Beter paardrijden kun je leren” (Fontaine Uitgevers, 2003) and „Die Psyche des Pferdes” (Kosmos Verlag, Germany).