Equine Skills, Level 2

MANDATORY PREREQUISITE COURSE FOR HIPPOTHERAPY TREATMENT PRINCIPLES LEVEL 2 WORKSHOP

NOVEMBER 6-7 2008

Instructors: 

Liz Baker, PT, HPCS 

Ruth Dismuke-Blakely, MS/CCC-SLP, HPCS

Instructors:

Liz is a PT whose involvement in hippotherapy began in 1986. In 1987 she studied hippotherapy at the Rommel Klinik in Wildbad, Germany, and is a founding member and past president of the AHA. Liz has taught at many American and international conferences over the past fifteen years; she has been extensively involved with NARHA as a board member, executive vice president, and Health and Education committee chair from 1987--2000. In 2000, Liz was the recipient of NARHA's most prestigious award, The James Brady Professional Achievement Award. Liz has been with Greenlock since its inception in 1989; she also continues to practice at Wrentham Developmental Center. She lives in Wrentham, MA, with her husband Stan, her dog Sophie and cat Maggie, and is still looking for a hobby.   

Ruth is a speech/language pathologist and professional horsewoman involved in hippotherapy since 1978.  She owns Skyline Therapy Services, an outpatient clinic specializing in the transdisciplinary applications of hippotherapy.  Ruth has published research, presented at numerous conferences and workshops and was a featured speaker at the Ninth International Therapeutic Riding Congress in Denver, 1997.  She served on the Board of Directors of the American Hippotherapy Association and is a consultant to the NARHA Health and Education Committee.  She is regarded as a leader in the field of hippotherapy as a treatment tool. 

Course Description:

·         Level 2 Equine Skills: This 2-day curriculum was developed by the American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. The Level ll Equine Skills Course is designed to improve horsemanship knowledge and relate that knowledge to hippotherapy. It is designed to offer standardization in the approach to training and to have a common language when we talk about the horse in hippotherapy. This course applies the training techniques for the HPOT Horse and how they relate to conducting a successful HPOT treatment. This course is open to PT/PTA’s, OT/COTA’s & SLP’s, HPOT Teams, trainers, horse handlers, barn mangers, and instructors and administrators. This course is a mandatory course to become a NARHA Registered Instructor.

** THIS COURSE IS AN AHA MANDATORY PREREQUISITE FOR TAKING LEVEL 2 TREATMENT PRINCIPLES.  EQUINE SKILLS LEVEL 2 CANNOT BE WAIVERED. **

a.  Participants: Attendance is limited to 4:1 per group with 2 AHA Inc. Faculty per 16 participants. This course is taught by an AHA Inc Coordinating Faculty and an AHA Inc Associate Faculty, AHA Inc Adjunct Faculty or AHA Inc Apprentice Faculty.

b.   Prerequisites: Evidence of completion of Level 1 Equine Skills Course and Level 1 Treatment Principles Course.

Level 2 Equine Skills:

This 2-day, hands-on workshop targets therapists with moderate horse experience in non-mounted equine skills.  Participants must have taken the prerequisite course or, have attained waived status from Level 1 Equine Skills, before taking this course.  Mounted practicums are available during this course.  This course will give the Therapist and the HPOT Team the training principles needed and how they are applied in a hippotherapy session to improve your horse and the efficacy of hippotherapy as a treatment strategy. The curriculum may be used only under conditions set by AHA Inc.

Course Objectives Include:

Ø           Recognize the importance of a common horsemanship knowledge base for the therapist, horse professional and all members of the HPOT team.

Ø           Identify preferred conformation and understand the relationship between conformation, movement quality and soundness for the hippotherapy horse

Ø            Demonstrate the ability to assess a horse for soundness, regularity and evenness of gait, straightness and flexibility.

Ø           Demonstrate the ability to assess horse behaviors including those resulting from stress and/or discomfort. 

Ø            Identify and convey to the horse handler the necessary skills required to produce quality movement when leading, lunging or long lining the HPOT horse.

Ø            Understand training techniques for a HPOT horse including groundwork, desensitization, and conditioning.

Ø            Understand the principles of good nutrition, veterinary and worming protocols for horses in a HPOT program.

Ø            Understand the importance of and be able to identify handling and riding skills that are necessary to maintain and/or improve the HPOT horse.

Ø            Create and understand the importance of having a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly schedule for the hippotherapy horse.

Ø            Understand the need to educate and train staff and/or volunteers who will be working with the HPOT horse, either in HPOT sessions or involved with the daily care and training routines, the handling techniques and training protocols to maintain a safe, effective, and successful HPOT program.

Ø Identify lameness and illness in the hippotherapy horse and explain appropriate prevention through veterinary, farrier and nutritional care, and training protocols.

Course Specifics:

The workshop begins on Thursday, November 6, 2008 and runs through Friday, November 7, 2008.  Certificates of attendance will be given to participants who attend the ENTIRE workshop.  ENROLLMENT IS LIMITED TO 15 PARTICIPANTS.

Tuition:

$350.00 per person fee includes instruction, an extensive notebook of course materials and daily lunch and must be received by October 1, 2008.      Fees will be refunded (less $100.00 processing and cancellation fee) for cancellations made prior to October 1, 2008.   No refund will be allowed for cancellations made after October 1, 2008.

Accommodations:  (Seekonk, MA)

Johnson & Wales Inn, 213 Taunton Avenue, 508-336-8700  (Closest proximity to GTRC)

Ramada Inn, 940 Fall River Avenue, 508-336-7300

Hampton Inn, 1105 Fall River Avenue, 508-336-9000

Bed & Breakfast Lodging:  (Rehoboth, MA)

Gilberts B&B, 30 Spring Street, 508-252-6416

5 Bridge Farm, 154 Pine Street, 508-252-3190

Perryville Inn, 157 Perryville Road, 508-252-9239