Volunteer Manual Special Equestrians 2800 Street Road PO Box 1001 Warrington, PA 18976 Phone 215-918-1001 Fax 215-918-9080 www.specialequestrians.org Special Equestrians is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to improve the physical, mental and emotional well being of individuals with disabilities through the equine experience. The official registration and financial information of Special Equestrians Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
2 Table of Contents Welcome!... Page 3 Contact Information.. Page 3 Who We Are..Page 3 How You Can Help.. Page 6 Volunteering Guidelines... Page 7 Safety.Page 8 We Value Your Input Page 10 Your Initial Volunteer Day(s)...Page 11 Lesson Conduct and Safety... Page 13 Horse Sense... Page 14 Reading His Ears...Page 16 Parts of the Horse...Page 17 Glossary of Horse and Lesson Terms...Page 18 Therapy Tack...Page 20 Guidelines for Interacting with SE s Participants. Page 21 Glossary of Physical and Cognitive Disabilities...Page 21 SE Volunteer Badge Color Code System.Page 24 Special Equestrians Volunteer Roles Side-aide Overview...Page 26 Leader Overview...Page 29 Barn Volunteer Overview...Page 32 Mentor Volunteer Overview...Page 34
3 Welcome! Thank you for choosing to volunteer at Special Equestrians (SE)! As a nonprofit organization, SE relies on as many as 100 volunteers each week. Our volunteers support and dedication allow us to reach a diverse population of program participants. You are in good company! Special Equestrians volunteers love and admire horses, enjoy working with people with special needs, and have a strong desire to help others. The support and dedication of volunteers enable us to reach a diverse population of program participants. Your compassion and gift of time add an important dimension to their lives. It is very exciting to watch students develop their riding skills and become physically stronger over time, while achieving improved self-esteem and confidence. We hope your experience at Special Equestrians will bring you satisfaction, personal growth, and fulfillment. You are integral to our success as a team, and your contributions will help our volunteer program be an enriching experience for everyone. Most volunteer opportunities at SE do not require special skills. Special Equestrians provides the necessary training and guidance to make your volunteer experience safe and enjoyable. Safety is paramount, and this manual is designed to acquaint you with our facility and serve as a guide to the various aspects of our program and the safe practices we follow at SE. Contact Information Office: (215) 918-1001 Fax: (215) 918-9080 Ext. 101: Cancellations Ext. 103: Program Coordinator Emails: volunteers@specialequestrians.org Website: http://www.specialequestrians.org Facebook: Special Equestrians Ext. 305: Weather Cancellations Ext. 306: Volunteer Coordinator Mailing address: 2800 Street Road, P.O. Box 1001, Warrington, PA 18976 Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 8:00-7:00, Saturday 8:00-3:00; Sunday closed About Special Equestrians Our Mission Special Equestrians, a nonprofit therapeutic riding program located in Warrington, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1982. Our mission is improve the physical, mental and emotional well being of individuals with disabilities through the equine experience. We have a longstanding commitment to helping riders with physical disabilities improve strength, balance, posture and flexibility. Over the past decade, Special Equestrians has also worked steadily to enhance programming to serve our increasing numbers of riders with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral challenges.
4 Special Equestrians is a Registered PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International Center; our facility, staff, and programming meet all relevant PATH Intl. Certification standards. With 15 horses, 17 mostly part-time staff members, and 100 volunteers, we serve more than 120 children and adults a week from Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. We worked successfully with riders who meet criteria for more than 60 different disabling diagnoses, including Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Delay, Sensory Integration Disorder, Brain Injuries, and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Representing diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, 80 percent of our riders were 18 or younger. We are committed to serving anyone who can benefit from our services, regardless of their ability to pay. Special Equestrians general lesson fee covers slightly less than 50 percent of the actual cost to the organization of providing the service. If families cannot afford to pay this amount, they submit scholarship applications. We provide scholarships for roughly 25 percent of our riders. Our Vision Special Equestrians strives to combine innovative equine-assisted activities and therapies with proven therapeutic riding principles. Our research- and experience-driven philosophy and practice seeks to draw on traditional horsemanship and to capitalize on the relationship between horses and humans to create life-changing pathways through the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. Our Instructors Almost all Special Equestrians Instructors are PATH certified therapeutic riding instructors and are certified in First Aid and CPR. Instructors or Therapists are in charge of all lessons. All directions come from the instructor or therapist, including the assignment of participant to horse, volunteers to participant, method of mounting, and the structure of the lesson. Unless notified otherwise, all volunteers must defer to the instructor s decisions. This is extremely important to ensure everyone s safety. At various times there may be a Student Instructor (or Instructor-In-Training) teaching a class, but always under direct supervision of a Special Equestrians Instructor. Our Horses All program horses are evaluated before being accepted into the program and are trained to accept new equipment and props they may encounter at SE. They receive regular schooling and conditioning, and are evaluated on a regular basis to ensure that they remain appropriate for the program. Always remember horses are horses, with the nature and innate responses of a horse. Humans must learn to understand herd mentality. Horses are easy to handle if they are trained consistently and if you understand why they behave as they do. If you re not consistent with the horses they may become confused or unwilling. Special Equestrians strives to keep the manner in which the horses are handled consistent.
5 As you become more acquainted and comfortable with the herd, additional training will be made available to you to further increase your confidence and ability to work more closely with the horses. Our Program Participants SE serves individuals over the age of 2 years for hippotherapy and 4 years of age for therapeutic riding. An evaluation and screening process conducted by staff determines eligibility into the program. The evaluation process provides an opportunity to determine if the program activities would be safe and appropriate for the individual and what resources would be needed, such as horse, riding equipment, volunteer and staffing needs. Once accepted into the program, individual goals are established for the participant, and progress is documented each week. Most participate in lessons each week for the length of the session, with the majority continuing from one session to the next. Mounted lesson activities may include developing basic riding skills, exercises, playing games on horseback and riding the trails. Unmounted programs might focus on social skills, leadership, communication, responsibility and cooperation. Our Programs Therapeutic Riding Program: Students build confidence and independence as they develop mastery of different riding skills at their own pace. Lessons are structured to teach basic horse care, including grooming and tacking, as well as equitation skills. Mounted activities may include structured stretching, practice of new skills, games, independent riding, and exercises tailored to each student s specific needs. Youth Connections Program: For at-risk youth, this program focuses special attention on using the horse-rider connection to promote emotional growth and learning and help teens develop positive communication and relationship skills. Youth who would not be open to individual counseling or group discussion might be more likely to participate fully and genuinely in therapeutic riding sessions. Hippotherapy: Staff and volunteer Occupational and Physical Therapists provide weekly individual lessons for children and adults facing more severe physical impairments and functional limitations. The focus of the riding session is on mounted activities that build gross and fine motor capability. The hippotherapy experience uses the unique movement of the horse to help riders develop fine and gross motor skills. In addition, the therapistvolunteer team uses verbal direction plus hands-on assistance to build riders concentration and communication skills. REINS (Riders Excelling in New Skills): REINS focuses on the needs of children diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. Students are taught basic horse care and riding skills and participate in equine-assisted learning (EFL) mounted and unmounted activities. Depending on the nature and severity of participants challenges, skills and behaviors that we focus on will vary. Common ones include (1) sustaining attention on an activity, (2) recognizing and modulating emotional reactivity, and (3) breaking a large task into steps. Teachers and supervisors of these students at school have reported increased attention span and self-esteem as well as improved focus on academic performance among participants.
6 Silver Saddles: Small group lessons are specially focused on improving overall strength, endurance, and flexibility for people over the age of 55 with age-related disabilities. Summer Horse Camp: Consists of four week-long sessions, each of which runs Monday through Friday and provides 5-hour daily equine experiences. Camp is open to children under 18 with disabilities, regardless of whether they have participated in SE programs during the school year. Through the summer camp experience, young riders make significant strides in horsemanship while learning new life skills and social interaction abilities. Our Extended Equine Activities Advanced Camp develops horsemanship through unmounted games and activities with horses. The activities engage all aspects of the riders physical, cognitive, and social skills and abilities. GaitWays to School Success: This is an equine-assisted learning program offered as a series of experiential workshops for at-risk children whose emotional or behavioral disabilities impede academic performance. GaitWays sessions consist of unmounted equine-assisted growth and learning activities that lead up to riding sessions. In each session, the experience of equine-human interaction is combined with counseling-based processing skills to increase students awareness and control of their emotions, cognitions, and behaviors. Impact Our experience at Special Equestrians bears out the findings of long-term, global research on the impact of therapeutic riding: students experience physical, emotional and mental rewards from horseback riding guided by trained therapeutic riding instructors. For individuals with impaired mobility, horseback riding gently and rhythmically moves their body in a manner similar to a walking gait. Oftentimes, this movement triggers neuromuscular responses that prompt students to walk and speak for the first time in their lives. For riders with cognitive or emotional disabilities, the unique relationship formed with a horse can help in improving interpersonal relationships, while the presence of the instructors and volunteers encourages social interaction and trust. How You Can Help Special Equestrians relies on volunteers in countless ways. Since we have a limited staff, volunteers help us with daily chores and lessons as well as fundraising and special events. Depending on your skills and interests, you may perform one or several of these volunteer jobs. Program Volunteers: Assist with preparing horses for lessons and acting as Side-aides and Leaders (Leaders require horse experience and/or leader training). Barn and Horse Care Volunteers: Assist with feeding, cleaning stalls, turning out. Office Volunteers: Assist with database maintenance, mailings, general office duties. Fundraising/Special Events Volunteers: Assist with planning events, securing sponsorships, promoting out SE s golf tournament, fall benefit, horse shows, and other events. Mentor Volunteers (eligible after 6 months of service): Help train new volunteers Maintenance Volunteers: Work on fencing, landscaping, handy hands projects.
7 Volunteer Guidelines Regardless of the service you perform at SE, your commitment is vital. A program like SE s needs strong commitment from its volunteers to survive. If you have made a commitment to assist during lessons, our participants and instructors rely on you to follow through. No one is more disappointed than a participant who comes for a lesson, only to find that he/she can't ride because of a lack of volunteers. Please keep in mind: Come each week on your assigned day(s). If you will be assisting with lessons, plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to the first scheduled lesson, which allows time for grooming and tacking the horses before the lessons begin. PLEASE call or email if you know you are going to be absent in advance. If you are going to be absent with less than 36 hours notice please email us at volunteers@specialequestrians.org or leave a message at 215.918.1001 ext 301. If you must be absent, give as much notice as possible to allow the volunteer coordinator(s) time to find a substitute. Please reserve canceling your scheduled day and time for emergencies. Lessons are held rain or shine- you can call the weather hotline (Ext. 305) in the event of inclement weather for weather-related cancellations. Experience Volunteers at Special Equestrians come in all ages (14 years and older) and a variety of experience levels. Many volunteers have no horse experience, while others may have years of experience. We strive for a TEAM approach to volunteering. Everyone here is eager to learn and to share his or her knowledge in order to make it a great experience for every volunteer and participant involved. We encourage you to speak up if you are uncomfortable with any situation. This is a learn-by-doing position. Do not feel intimidated if you don t know something just ask we love questions! We ask all volunteers, even those with horse experience, to do things the Special Equestrians way to maintain consistency for our horses and participants. To accommodate safety, enjoyment, and advancement of our volunteers, we have developed a name badge color-coding system (see below). Most new volunteers will initially have a green sticker added to their name badge. We will make every effort to train volunteers up the color scale as they gain experience. As volunteers gain experience and develop their skills, they may be given a different color designation at the discretion of SE staff. All volunteers will be assigned a Mentor Volunteer who will help you during your initial volunteer day(s) at SE. Physical Fitness Volunteers assisting in our therapeutic riding lessons or hippotherapy sessions need to be able to walk with and/or help support a rider for up to 45 minutes, and in many cases will be asked to run along slowly as the horse trots for a few minutes at a time. If you have physical
8 limitations that prevent you from meeting these requirements, please meet with the Volunteer Coordinator to find you a less strenuous job, such as grooming and tacking up horses for the next lesson, or ask to rotate with another volunteer. Please alert staff to any pertinent shortor long-term medical conditions that may effect your participation in any volunteer roles, i.e., dust/animal allergies, weightlifting/running limitations. Attire Wear outdoor clothes suitable to the season, including comfortable waterproof footwear. Open-toed shoes are not permitted. Because of temperature variations, layering of clothing is a reasonably sure way of being comfortable. High socks can offer some protection against ticks and overgrowth on the trails. Avoid wearing loose, baggy clothes and jewelry, which could get caught in the tack. Long hair should be pulled back. Avoid wearing any perfumes this may irritate the horses, riders, or other volunteers. Confidentiality Special Equestrians maintains a strict policy of confidentiality. All volunteers are asked to respect our participants privacy in any setting away from lessons. This includes avoiding discussion of participants by name or in any way that might disclose their identity or their disability. Special Equestrians preserves the right of confidentiality for all individuals in its program. If you are doing research, an instructor will introduce you to a client s caregiver so that you can interview them. Your school or organization may require an additional photo or confidentiality release, which we will help you complete. Any stories, anecdotes, or examples that are shared in the course of your project must use aliases to protect the confidentiality of our clients. Photographs may not be taken of any Special Equestrians client without the permission of Special Equestrians. This includes photographs taken during special events or programs, like horse shows and summer camps. Safety Safety must always be taken into consideration when working with horses and students with disabilities. Volunteers are taught emergency procedures and accident prevention. We will teach you to understand a horse s body language, how to handle horses in different situations (such as shying or kicking), and proper safety procedures. Please inform staff immediately of any concerns regarding the behavior of program horses such as biting, kicking, etc. Lesson Conduct and Safety Safety is always the highest priority of our staff and volunteers. We are working with a sensitive population of individuals around large animals with a strong flight instinct. We take every precaution to maximize the safety and benefit of our lessons, and require the same commitment from our volunteers. We count on volunteers to be the best protector of their own personal safety. Volunteers should always be aware of where they are and what they are doing. Volunteers should pay particular attention to safety instructions and proper equipment use. Volunteers should speak up if they have a
9 safety concern and report any injuries to a staff member as soon as possible. The instructor or therapist is in control of every aspect of the lesson. Volunteers must obey all of the instructor s commands in a timely manner. While we want your work in lessons to be fun and rewarding, we need to keep social conversation out of the lesson unless it is for the client s benefit with the permission from the instructor or therapist. To achieve the safest and most successful lesson possible for each client, the team of instructor, volunteers, and horse must work as a unit with each member performing their role to the best of their ability. Some Safety Tips for Volunteers: Wear sturdy boots or shoes when working with a horse. Approach a horse at his shoulder so as not to surprise him or her. Speak to the horse when approaching. Never run, make sudden movements, shout or scream around horses. Always cross tie a horse in the stall. Never tie a horse to a movable object (i.e., a stall door, chair, etc.). Never wrap the lead rope or reins around your hand, wrist or body. Never walk under a tied horse. Never walk under or over a lead shank that is securing a horse s head. Never kneel down on the ground when grooming the legs of a horse. Never tie a horse by the reins or the bit. Always check the tack for safety and fit before tacking the horse. Always ask the instructor to recheck the girth for tightness before a rider mounts. Only instructors and qualified volunteers mount riders. Never leave a saddle on a horse without a girth. Always tie a tacked horse by putting a halter over the bridle. Never leave the reins hanging on the ground for the horse to step on. Riders always wear property fitted ASTM, SEI regulation helmets on or around horses. Always ask when in doubt about anything. No question is unimportant or mundane. Injuries Horses are large and potentially flighty animals. While we choose only the gentlest ones for our program and keep them well trained, they all have their own personalities. Only work with the horses you feel comfortable controlling and according to your badge color. There will always be a staff member or Mentor Volunteer to help you. If you are ever injured in the barn, no matter how minor the injury may seem and whether or not you were working with a horse at the time, you must report to the Volunteer Coordinator or Program Coordinator and fill out an incident report. If you witnessed an incident involving someone else, you may be asked to be a witness on an incident report. Alcohol & Drug Policy There is a no-tolerance policy with regards to alcohol and other controlled substances. Implementing this policy provides a drug and alcohol free work place to ensure a safe,
10 healthy, and productive environment for all volunteers and employees. Staff reserves the right to require a volunteer to leave the premises if he or she appears to be impaired. Harassment Policy Harassment is illegal and inappropriate and will not be tolerated. Any volunteer who feels harassed should speak to the Volunteer Coordinator or the Executive Director to reach a resolution. Keeping Informed Our Volunteer Coordinator sends out monthly volunteer updates via email with the latest schedule and upcoming events. Please make sure the Volunteer Coordinator has your current email address. Our web site and Facebook page provide updates on current events and announcements. We Value Your Input Your comments about participants, instructors, and/or horses are very valuable to us. If you have any observations, concerns, suggestions, or comments, please feel free to contact your instructor, the Volunteer Coordinator, or anyone on our leadership staff. All conversations will be held in confidence. We are grateful for your willingness to share insights and information regarding our participants and programs. As volunteers, you are representatives of our organization. All volunteers are expected to set a good example for the students. Inappropriate language, disruptive behavior or behavior which threatens the safety of others is not acceptable, nor will it be tolerated. After a first attempt to correct the behavior, offenders will be asked to leave the premises by a staff and withdrawal from the program will be immediate. If you are subject to any type of inappropriate behavior by a student, please do not approach the individual. Notify staff immediately. Some Additional Basics All volunteers must provide completed criminal background checks and child abuse clearances before starting to actively volunteer. We ask that all volunteers make a weekly commitment to the time period(s) they choose and that they give sufficient notice of cancellation when they are unable to attend. Be sure that we have your current phone number and email address. Make sure that you come to the barn only during working hours since a staff member must be on the premises whenever a volunteer is present. If the black SE truck is the only vehicle in the parking lot, please do no enter the building; the alarm is set. Do not feed the horses anything without staff permission. No running or loud voices in the barn. No smoking ANYWHERE on the premises. If you see parents, visitors, or other volunteers breaking the rules or putting themselves or others at risk, inform a staff member immediately. The pastures are off-limits to students, parents, and visitors unless accompanied by a staff member or an experienced volunteer with staff permission.
11 Please leave pets at home. Do not enter the arenas without the permission of an instructor or a therapist. Turn your cell phone off when in lessons and on low or vibrate when in the barn. Adherence to our confidentiality policy is mandatory. Volunteers are expected to refrain from discussing any information gleaned during lessons regarding our participants. We will always be flexible when helping you schedule your time with us, and have no minimum or maximum hour requirements. We encourage our volunteers to incorporate Special Equestrians into their careers, hobbies, and passions. Your Initial Volunteer Day(s) An Overview of a Day in the Life of a Volunteer Since Special Equestrians is a hubbub of activity when lessons are in session, we will assign a Mentor Volunteer to work with you on your initial volunteer day(s). Upon arriving at the barn, please check in with your Volunteer Mentor. Until you become familiar with our horses and practices, please take your direction from your Mentor and staff members to help us ensure everyone s safety and productivity. When you arrive to start your shift, visit the Volunteer Lounge in the far aisle, where you can pickup your nametag and sign in. At the end of your shift, please sign out, noting the number of hours you worked, and hang your nametag on the rack. Get acquainted with the daily lesson schedule located on the wall in the aisle near the entrance, which lists lesson times and their associated horse, tack, and volunteer requirements. If you have any questions, concerns, or are uncomfortable or unsure about a task, please don t hesitate to ask your Mentor, a senior volunteer, or a staff member for help. Barn and Horse Care Tasks Your early days volunteering will be learning barn and horse care routines. Before lessons can begin, we need to get our horses ready. During your initial days of volunteering, your Mentor will guide you through our grooming and tacking procedures, including introducing you to the various forms of tack we use at Special Equestrians, where it is kept, and the labeling system that identifies each horse s equipment, as well as showing you procedures for barn work. Barn Care There are lots of jobs required to keep our horses happy and our barn sparkling! Following are some of the barn chores that must be done every day. Your Mentor will show you how to: Lead a horse to the cross-ties before cleaning the horse s stall. Muck out stalls the Special Equestrians way, where to dump manure, and how to bed a stall. Remove, clean, and replenish water buckets. Sweep the aisles and cross-tie areas. Groom and tack a horse for lessons.
12 When all these jobs are completed, we have a long list of other tasks posted on our white board. Making sure horses are ready for lessons and in the ring on time always comes before barnwork, so always keep an eye on the lesson sheets and lesson times! Grooming and Tacking Your first task is to check the lesson sheet to determine what tack you ll need for your horse. Be sure to check the time of the horse s lesson; the horse should be in the arena 10 minutes before the lesson is scheduled to begin. Gather your horse s tack and grooming box from the tack room. Your Mentor will show you how to safely lead a horse from the stall to the cross-ties. Do not groom or tack a horse in the stall without staff permission. Now that you are ready to groom your horse, here are some things to keep in mind: Grooming starts with a curry comb and continues in sequence with brushes and a hoof pick. Picking your horse s hooves is very important. A horse with a stone in his or her hoof, a loose shoe, etc., could become injured in a lesson. If you feel unsure or uncomfortable performing this task, please ask for help. If you find any lumps, cuts, blood, loose shoes, or your horse shows any signs of pain or illness while you are grooming him or her, let your Mentor or a staff member know immediately. After grooming, tack up your horse. We will cover the most-often used tack in this clinic, including pads, saddles, girths, stirrups, therapy leads, and reins. Here are a few important things to remember when tacking your horse: When putting your horse s girth on, tighten the girth in gentle increments, moving from side to side until the girth is just snug enough to keep the saddle in place. Do not yank on the girth. The instructor will finish tightening the girth appropriately prior to the start of the lesson. Some lessons require the horse to wear a bridle. Whether or not you have experience with bridles, your Mentor will train you on how to put a bridle on properly. Please do not bridle a horse on your own until you have received the permission of your Mentor or a staff member. NEVER attach cross-ties to a horse s bit or bridle it is extremely dangerous! Check with your Mentor about who will lead the horse to the arena. Post-Lesson Horse Care and Untacking Once a lesson has concluded, always check the lesson sheet to make sure a horse is done with lessons before untacking him or her. Your Mentor will guide you through these various scenarios during your initial volunteer day(s). If your horse has another lesson within an hour, make any tack changes and take him or her back to the stall with a loose girth and stirrups over the saddle.
13 If your horse s next lesson is more than an hour away, untack him or her, leave the tack on a cross-tie bar, and make any tack changes. If your horse is done or does not have another lesson for more an hour, untack the horse, curry and brush the saddle and girth areas, pick hooves, and return him or her to the stall. If your horse is done for the day, return the tack to its proper place in the tack room. Note: When it is time to take off a bridle, your Mentor will show you the correct way to remove the bridle while still maintaining control. Please do not do this on your own without the permission of your Mentor or staff. Here are some important tips to remember when removing a bridle: Always make sure the throatlatch, nose band(s), and/or curb chain are all undone. Never pull the bit out of a horse s mouth. Instead, let the horse drop the bit. Volunteering in a Lesson The two primary volunteer roles in lessons are the Side-aide and the Leader. During your initial day(s) of volunteering, you will shadow your Mentor, and, when you are comfortable, take on the role of Side-aide. As a Side-aide, you are responsible for helping ensure the safety of the rider throughout the lesson. (Please see the Side-aide Overview below for more details). When you shadow your Mentor as a Side-aide, you will learn to: Apply the two basic holds that help keep the rider secure in the saddle. Provide assistance in helping the rider mount his horse, as required. Interact with the rider in an appropriate way that supports the instructor s lesson plan. Maintain an upbeat, positive manner throughout the lesson. Remain calm, help safely secure the rider, and listen to your instructor in an emergency. Once volunteers have served at least a full 10-week session as a Side-aide and have demonstrated considerable comfort working with the horses, they can apply for training as a Leader. The Leader s primary focus is on the horse, following the instructor s directions at all times. The Leader is responsible for leading a horse into the arena, maintaining control of the horse throughout the lesson, and returning the horse to the barn. Important things to remember Always ask when in doubt about anything. No question is unimportant or mundane. Do not be worried or nervous about telling someone you are uncomfortable doing something. You are a huge help and asset to our program, and we are here to teach you and help you grow as a horseperson. As amazing and well-behaved as our horses are, they are prey animals with the fight-orflight instinct. Always be aware of what they are saying to you; actions speak louder than words!
14 Horse Sense! 1 When working with horses, communication is key. Horses communicate through body language, vocalization, smell, taste, and touch. Understanding THEIR language is the key to predicting behaviors, managing risks, and building a positive relationship. HEARING: The horse s sense of hearing is very acute. The horse may also combine their sense of hearing and sight to become more familiar with new or alerting sounds. Hearing and not seeing is often the cause of the fright/flight response. When working with horses, note the position of the horse s ears. Forward ears communicate attentiveness and interest. Ears flicking back and forth indicate attentiveness or interest. Drooping ears indicate relaxation, in-attentiveness (easily startled), exhaustion or illness. Flattened ears indicate anger, threat or fear. If your horse is acting nervous, talk to him in a quiet, calm and reassuring voice. Watch your horse s ears for signs of his/her mood. SIGHT: Horses eyes are geared to finding danger. They don t have very accurate vision close-up, but they can detect tiny movement at a distance. The horse s eyes are set on either side of the head. As a result, there is good peripheral (lateral) vision but poorer frontal vision. The lens of the horse s eye doesn t change shape as a human s does. Instead, a horse focuses on objects by changing its head position and raising and lowering its head. Horses are thought to see quite well in the dark, due to the large size of their eyes. There is still controversy as to whether or not horses see in color. The horse s visual memory is very accurate. The horse may notice if something is different in the arena or out on a trail. Allow the horse an opportunity to look at new objects. Introduce new props that the horse may be unfamiliar with. Although the horse has good peripheral vision, consider its two blind spots: directly in front and directly behind. The best way to approach a horse is at his shoulder. It may startle him if you approach from behind or directly in front. The horse may be unable to see around the mouth area, which is a safety consideration when hand feeding. TOUCH: The horses sense of touch is very sensitive. They can detect very light touch or pressure. Each horse has sensitive areas (i.e., flank and belly areas) and it is important to be familiar with them. Touch is used as a communication tool between horses and between horses and people. Horses may also use touch to examine strange objects. They look at, sniff, and feel an object with their muzzles. The tongue, lips, and bars of the mouth are especially sensitive places, and we need to use caution when a horse has a bit in his mouth. Horses are trained by applying and removing pressure and may be sensitive to soft or rough touch with a person s hands or legs. Handlers should treat the horses gently but firmly. Riders may need assistance to reduce the amount of pressure they use with their legs. Ask the instructor/therapist for the best handling technique. SMELL: The horse s sense of smell is thought to be very acute and it allows him or her to recognize other horses and people. Smell also enables the horse to evaluate situations. Allow horses the opportunity to become familiar with new objects and their environment through 1 Adapted from Windrush Farms.
15 smell. It is recommended that treats are not carried in your pocket since horses may go after them. TASTE: Taste is closely linked with the sense of smell and helps the horse to distinguish palatable foods and other objects. A horse may lick or nibble while becoming familiar with objects and people. Be careful, as this could lead to possible biting. SIXTH SENSE: A horse does have a sixth sense when evaluating the disposition of those around him. Horses can be hypersensitive in detecting the moods of their handlers and riders. A good therapy horse is chosen for their sensitive response to the rider. At times there may exist a personality conflict between handlers and horses. It is important to let the instructor/therapist know if you re having a difficult time relating to or getting along with a particular horse. FLIGHT AS NATURAL INSTINCT: Most horses chosen to work in a therapeutic riding setting have less of an instinct to flee. However, if frightened, horses would rather turn and run away from danger than face and fight it. At a sudden movement or noise, the horse might try to flee. Speak to the horse calmly. A frightened horse being held tightly might try to escape by pulling back. Relax your hold or untie him quickly and usually he will relax. If flight is not possible, the horse could either turn to kick out or face the problem and rear, especially in a tight area like a stall. If a horse appears to be frightened or fearful (note the position of the horse s ears), alert program staff. HERD ANIMAL: Horses like to stay together in a herd or group with an established pecking order and one or two horses as the dominant individuals. Some horses may not like being alone. This is a consideration when horses are leaving the arena or a horse loses sight of the others while on a trail ride. Be aware that if the horse in front of a line is trotting or cantering, the horse that is following may also attempt to trot or canter. If one horse spooks at something, the surrounding horses may also be affected. For safety, it is recommended that you keep at least one horse s length between horses when riding or leading within a group. This maintains respect of the horse s space and pecking order.
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18 Glossary of Horse and Lesson Terms AIDS signals used by a rider to communicate instructions to the horse. Aids may be natural (hands, legs, voice, seat), or artificial (crop, spurs). BAY color term for deep brown to blackish colored horse with black mane and tail. BILLET STRAPS straps under the flap of a saddle to which the girth is attached. BIT used to control the horse and generally made of metal; bits attach to the bridle and are placed in the mouth. BRIDLE the complete outfit of headstall, reins, and bit used to guide the horse when riding. CANTER a three-beat gait of the horse; faster than a trot, but a bit slower than a gallop. CANTLE the back of the saddle behind the seat. CHESTNUT color term used for horses with brownish red coat color. Mane and tail are usually the same color. CONFORMATION structure and general make up of the horse. FARRIER profession of trimming and shoeing horses. GAITS various movements of the horse at different speeds: e.g. walk, trot, canter. GALLOP a three-beat gait; this is the horse s fastest gait. GELDING a male horse that has been castrated and incapable of breeding. GIRTH long strap with buckles on each end; attaches to billet straps and holds saddle in place. GRAY color term used for horses with coat color from white to dark gray. GROUND POLES wooden pole placed in arena that is used to school horse and/or practice rider s two-point position. GROOMING caring for horse s coat includes currying, brushing, and picking feet. HALTER leather or nylon bitless headstall used to control the horse when leading in or out to the paddock. Used over the bridle to lead horses in class. HALF SEAT OR TWO POINT POSITION rider places hands on the horse s neck and jumping strap and stands up in stirrups. HAND a standard unit of measure equal to our inches; used in determining the horse s height from the ground to the point of the withers. HOOF OR HOOVES horses feet. JUMPING STRAP a leather strap placed around the horse s neck to support riders in half seat. LEAD LINE a cotton or nylon rope with snap on end that attaches to the halter and is used to lead the horse. LONG LINE use of long reins which run from the bit, through the sides of the saddle or surcingle, to steer the horse from behind. LONG SIDE the long side of the arena. LONGEING exercising the horse by placing it on a long line and having the horse go around in a circle. MARE female horse. MOUNTING RAMP area used to mount the rider on to the horse. NEAR SIDE refers to the left side of the horse. OFF SIDE refers to the right side of the horse. POSTING a rider moving up and down in rhythm with the horse at the trot.
RAIL the outside area of the arena along the fence line or wall. REINS long leather straps attached to the bit and held by the rider to steer and control the horse. SADDLE usually made of leather and placed on horse s back for rider to sit on. SADDLE PAD cloth pad used under the saddle to protect the horse s back; can be made of cotton, fleece, gel or foam. STIRRUPS made of iron; they hang from the saddle and rider places feet in them. TACK term used referring to riding equipment. WALK ON - command to have the horse move forward into a walk. WITHERS bony projection on the horse s back between the shoulders WHOA command to stop the horse from any gait. 19
20 Therapy Tack The Saddle
21 Guidelines for Interacting with SE s Participants Our participants come to us with a wide range of physical, mental, emotional, developmental, and social challenges, including some of the following diagnoses: Autism Spectrum Disorders Cerebral Palsy Developmental Delay ADD / ADHD Hypotonia (low muscle tone) Traumatic Brain Injury / Stroke Down Syndrome Social Anxiety Socio-economic Risk Factors Age-related Disabilities When you work directly with our participants, keep these guidelines in mind: We want to maximize independence in a safe environment. Help participants only as much as they need to stay safe, and give them room to explore and figure things out on their own. People with disabilities are not defined by their disabilities. Their character, family, friends, interests, and talents define them, just like everyone else. If a participant doesn t speak, it doesn t mean they can t hear or understand what you re saying. Speak in a clear, steady voice without using baby talk, speaking too loudly, or excluding the participant from your conversation. If you interact positively with the participants and they begin to trust you, you become a much more valuable member of the therapeutic team. Some people with Autism have trouble making eye contact, but they also need to be focused on you to receive directions. Observe their whole body (face, hands, torso, legs) not just their eye contact, when trying to gain their attention. People with processing disorders may need extra time to understand and complete a task. Don t complete a task for a participant just because they re taking a long time. If it looks like they re trying, support the effort until they get the job done. Some people with sensory integration disorders find physical touch either very annoying or excessively interesting. If participants shy away from touching while riding, give them support in the gentlest way possible. If participants are socially inappropriate with hugging, kissing, leaning, holding, or pinching, redirect their focus and let the instructor know. At all times, respect the differences that make each participant unique. Praise accomplishments, encourage interests, and maximize the client s sense of freedom and control. Most importantly, have fun! Glossary of Physical and Cognitive Disabilities The following are brief, non-medical descriptions of some disabilities and conditions of participants one might encounter in equine-assisted activities. This is not intended as comprehensive explanation of a specific disability. Rather it is a general overview with an explanation of how therapeutic riding can be beneficial. Arthritis: Inflammatory disease of the joints. Types: Osteo, rheumatoid and juvenile rheumatoid. Characteristics: Pain; lack of mobility; loss of strength. Benefits of therapeutic riding: Gentle rhythmic movements to promote joint mobility and to relieve pain; increase strength.
22 Autism & Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD): A broad spectrum of disorders ranging from mild to severe, which affects thought, perceptions and attention. Characteristics: Impairments in social interaction and communication; restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities; impairments in the use of nonverbal behaviors such as eye to eye gaze and facial expressions; lack of social or emotional reciprocity; delays in, or lack of the development of spoken language; impairments in ability to initiate or sustain conversations with others; abnormal responses to senses such as sight, hearing, touch, balance, smell, taste, reaction to pain; deficits in gross and fine motor skills. Benefits: Provides sensory input and promotes sensory integration. Promotes communication skills (expressive and receptive). Develops strength, coordination, muscle tone and gross and fine motor skills. Promotes socialization. Cerebral Palsy: Brain damage occurring before, at or shortly after birth. It is a non-progressive motor disorder. Types and characteristics: Spastic: increased muscle tone, muscle imbalances and equilibrium. Increased startle reflex and other pathological reflexes. Athetoid: Extensor muscle tension, involuntary movements, difficulty maintaining upright posture. Ataxic: weakened muscles, poor balance, difficulty with quick, fine movements. Benefits: Normalization of muscle tone, muscle strengthening, development of posture, balance and motor coordination, opportunity for promoting expressive skills, socialization and confidence. Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) Stroke: Brain hemorrhage or brain emboli, which causes varying degrees of functional impairment. Characteristics: Flaccid or spastic paralysis of arm and leg on same side of the body. May impair thought, speech, sight, balance, coordination and strength. Benefits: Promotes symmetry, stimulates balance, posture, motor planning, speech, socialization and confidence. Developmental Disabilities (DD): A diverse group of physical, cognitive, psychological, sensory and speech impairments that begin anytime during development up to 18 years of age. Characteristics: Varied, but can include processing delays, and delays in physical, motor and social development. Benefits: Increase confidence and self-esteem, stimulates processing, speech and body awareness, provides opportunity for sport and recreation, promotes socialization. Down Syndrome: A genetic disorder in which a person is born with an extra chromosome (chromosome 21). Characteristics: Mild to severe learning disabilities, low muscle tone, speech impairments. Benefits: Promotes expressive and receptive language skills. Increases gross and fine motor skills, balance, coordination, posture and muscle tone. Promotes social skills. Increases confidence and self esteem. Emotional Disabilities: Social, emotional or behavioral functioning which is not age appropriate and affects a participant s academics, social relationships and self-care. Characteristics: Difficulty coping with everyday life situations and interpersonal relations, inappropriate affect or behavior responses, depression, anxiety, physical symptoms, difficulty learning, withdrawal, and aggressiveness. Benefits: Increase confidence and self-esteem, provide opportunities for accomplishments, promotes positive socialization. Hearing Impairment: Congenital or acquired hearing loss varying from mild to profound. Characteristics: Difficulties in communication or communication through sign language, lip reading or finger spelling. Benefits: Increases confidence, self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. Provides recreational activity with opportunity for socialization. Stimulates balance, posture and coordination. Learning Disabilities: Neurological disorders that interfere with a person s ability to store, process or produce information. Characteristics: Difficulties with reading, writing, speech, computing math. May affect development and social skills. Benefits: Promotes processing, language skills and attending skills,
23 increases confidence and self-esteem, provides opportunity for success, increases balance, coordination and posture, provides opportunity for socialization. Intellectual Disability (ID): A disorder in which a person s overall intellectual functioning is below average with an IQ of 70 or less. Impaired ability to cope with common life demands and daily living skills. Characteristics: Impairments in learning, communication, social interaction, self-care. Benefits: Increases balance, coordination, strength and posture, improves gross and fine motor skills, promotes socialization, increases confidence, reinforce life and vocational skills. Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Progressive neurological disease with degeneration of spinal column tracts, resulting in scar formation. Characteristics: Most commonly occurs in the 20 to 40 year old range. It is progressive with periods of exacerbation and remissions. Symptoms include weakness, visual impairment, fatigue, loss of coordination and emotional sensitivity. Benefits: Maintains and strengthens weak muscles, maintains balance, increases confidence and self-esteem. Muscular Dystrophy (MD): Deficiency in muscle nutrition with degeneration of skeletal muscle. Hereditary disease that mainly affects males. Characteristics: Progressive muscular weakness, fatigues easily, sensitive to temperature extremes. Benefits: Provides opportunity for recreational, physical, and social activity. May help slow progressive loss of strength, stimulates postural and trunk alignment, allows for movement free of assistive devices. Scoliosis: Lateral curve of the spine with a C or S shape with rotary component. Characteristics: Shoulder, trunk and waistline asymmetry. May have back pain and postural fatigue. Benefits: Stimulates postural symmetry, strengthens trunk muscles. Spina Bifida: Congenital failure of vertebral arch closure which results in spinal cord damage. Characteristics: Varying degrees of paralysis of the lower limbs coupled with sensory loss. May also be associated with hydrocephalus, lordosis, scoliosis and hip dislocations. Benefits: Stimulates posture and balance, increases strength, balance and coordination, promotes confidence and self-esteem. Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Trauma to the spinal cord resulting in a loss of neurological function. Characteristic: Paralysis of muscles below the level of injury can be flaccid or spastic. Fatigue, sensory loss and pressure sores. Benefits: Stimulates posture and balance, strengthens trunk muscles, provides opportunity for recreational and social activity. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Accidental injury to the head resulting in impairment of cognitive, emotional and/or physical functioning. Characteristics: May include deficits in gross and fine motor skills, balance, coordination and strength. May have deficits in language, communication, processing, memory and perceptual skills. Benefits: Stimulates balance, posture, coordination, and gross and fine motor skills. Stimulates speech and perceptual skills. Increases confidence. Visual Impairment -Moderate to Total Loss of Sight. Characteristics: May include insecure posture, lack of visual memory, anterior center of gravity and fearfulness. Benefits: Stimulates spatial awareness, proprioception, posture, balance and coordination. Provides opportunity for socialization, structured risk-taking and freedom of movement.