WORKSHOP CRITERIA

Multi-day events are encouraged and should include time for the instructor(s) to perform a herd walk-through to evaluate appropriateness of workshop horses. Topics for proposed instruction are detailed below and should focus on at least one of the following categories:

1.  EAS Horse Selection

• Identification and suitability assessment of horses including age, soundness, conformation, general health, training, herd and/or program fit to include percentage of usability per horse related to the equine service being provided.

2.  Horse Care/Management/Welfare

• Consultation in the development of best practices related to day-to-day care including grooming, bathing, medication administration, veterinary care, teeth and hoof maintenance, nutrition and appropriate documentation and mitigation practices.
• Consultation in development of welfare standards and associated documentation related to frequency and duration of horses used in EAS sessions and appropriate practices to maintain the physical and mental condition of horses. 

3.  Horse Behavior Assessment and Management

• Proper identification and interpretation of horse behavior (both positive/negative), resultant impact to service, and mitigation techniques.
• Development of assessment and best practices for maintenance and enhancement of horse facilities.

4.  Horse Handling/Training/Conditioning

• Assessment and transitioning of horses to new career in EAS.
• Best practices for safe horse handling in stall, turn out, arena, etc. to include tacking lunging, side-walking, desensitization to service tools such as ramps, balls, props, obstacles, etc.
• Care, conditioning, and appropriate training of horses necessary to support service area needs to ensure quality movement at various gaits to ensure well-being of horses and progression of client services. This should include collection, maneuverability, suppleness, flexibility, transitions, etc. while leading, longlining, and lunging.
• Training of horse handlers to maximize the performance of horses according to the needs of the services being provided.
• Identifying, reporting, and addressing safety issues.
• Conditioning and training logs.

The number of workshop participants should be based on what the host site can appropriately accommodate for the type of workshop proposed. For example, please reference CHA Standards for Equestrian Programs for the ratio of instructors to riders and arena size.

All collaborative training opportunities must meet the American Horse Council Welfare Code of Practice.

Instructor Qualifications

Centers may utilize current staff or identify an outside instructor to teach the proposed workshop. It will be the centers responsibility to confirm the instructor’s ability to teach the proposed horsemanship skills to workshop participants. AQHF requires all instructors demonstrate qualified horsemanship skills representative of the specific performance expectations for the EAS service being provided (i.e., therapy (PT, OT, SLP), adaptive/therapeutic riding, mental health therapy and/or equine assisted learning).

To create comprehensive workshops that provide qualified training opportunities, AQHF encourages centers and/or instructors to collaborate with the EAS associations listed above.

The following documentation must accompany the grant proposal:

1. Completed AQHF Workshop Budget Sheet.
2. Workshop syllabus, schedule, and outline of the material to be covered.
3. Instructor(s) biography/qualifications (i.e., Curriculum Vitae, resume, etc.), including relevant EAS industry certification(s) and/or membership, if any.
4. Video of the proposed instructor(s), clinician(s), or trainer(s) in action, and should include two or more of the following skill sets, i.e.:
   1. Leading a horse used in EAS session.
   2. Maneuvering horse through graded gate transitions.
   3. Long lining (i.e., within PT, OT or SLP therapy session).
   4. Monitoring/addressing horse behavior issues.
   5. Etc.

Example: Skilled Horse Handling of the Hippotherapy Horse

The horse handler in an occupational, physical, or speech-language therapy session where hippotherapy is used as a treatment tool is responsible for the quality of the equine movement being provided to the patient. When the therapy horse is being led, it is recommended that they be bit led – and that the leading be done in a manner that is performance based. The best comparison to other equine disciplines is that in a hippotherapy horse should perform in hand like a well-trained showmanship at halter horse. The handler must understand the principles of using body posture and subtle cues to maneuver the horse through graded gait transitions and school figures while always maintaining a performance-based connection with the horse. Performance long lining has the same general requirements. The handler must be able to respond to the treating therapist’s directives while ensuring that the horse remains responsive and engaged. Additionally, the horse handler must monitor the horse’s behavior and be able to appropriately deal with behavior to promote a safe experience for the patient, the treating therapist, and any safety support personnel.