NARHA Interactive Vaulting Workshop

It was dreary Seattle weather for the NARHA Vaulting Workshop last March, but there was laughter and learning going on with the 16+ students in the comfort of the covered arena provided by Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Woodinville, WA.
"What IS interactive vaulting, anyway???" you may wonder. Interactive Vaulting is a specialty area of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. To quote Marci Bender of Little Bit TR Center, "It is a process that engages participants in horsemanship activities and movements around, on, and off the horse or barrel, as well as gymnastic positions on the back of the moving horse." Emphasis is on interactive.... students interact with each other and with the horse.
The activities benefit students with physical, emotional, social, cognitive or learning challenges by providing social interaction and balance and coordination exercises. It is a fun and challenging way for students to develop skills from their own level of ability in an energetic atmosphere.
The Center for Adaptive Riding, an affiliate of Horses for the Spirit, will be developing an Interactive Vaulting Program over the next several months. Equipment needs to be acquired (vaulting barrel(s), gym mats, small exercise trampoline, vaulting surcingle, vaulting pads, etc), and more importantly, a horse that can accomodate the activities of vaulting needs to be found. The serach is ON!!
If you, or anyone you know, is able to help with any of the above acquisitions, please contact Barbara at: adaptive.riding@yahoo.com or barbara@horsesforthespirit.org
-- submitted by Barbara Chastain, NARHA Certified Instructor and Volunteer Coordinator for Horses for the Spirit

"Inspiring Fascination, Presence, Wholeness & Fun
From the Human / Horse Relationship"

Vounteers get Trained!

The weekend of March 30-April 1 was a busy one for the staff of Horses for the Spirit and it's a'filly'ates. We produced a Volunteer training on Friday night, with each of the Program Directors giving a brief overview of what their program is about. Robbie Maus, our Board President and Interim Executive Director, presented first. She told the history of HFTS and the current business structure, with Horse Power for Youth as the core program and how Horseshoe University, as the adult program, provides financial support for the youth programs. She also talked about the youth programs and the difference it is making in kids' lives. Diane Crowne did a lovely presentation on the Horseshoe University program, citing a conversation she had had just that day with a corporate client who told her about the impact the equine program had on the team at work. Juanita Chapman was there to talk about the association the Equine Assisted Psychotherapy program has with Horses for the Spirit. She also gave examples of some of the exercises used with the horses and individuals or families in a psychotherapy session. I was wearing 2 hats that night.... one hat as the Volunteer Coordinator for HFTS, and the other as Program Director and Instructor for HFTS' affiliate, the Center for Adaptive Riding. I talked about adaptive and therapeutic riding and my philosophy of lesson planning for the individual's goals.
Saturday was the 6 hour training for those interested in volunteering with the Center for Adaptive Riding. There were 7 new volunteers - 3 men among them!! - and 5 volunteers who have been with HFTS since its early days. Billie and her husband Frank graciously let us use their home and horse facility. A handbook was provided, and there was some lecture/discussion about therapeutic riding as well as lots of hands-on experience of handling tack and horses. Billie led the group through most of the horse activities and Barbara led most of the discussion.
Sunday the volunteers again met at Billie and Frank's and it was the day for demonstrating some of the exercises used in Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) and (EAP), as well as some of the natural horsemanship techniques used. Robbie, Juanita, and Kathy interacted with the horses and volunteers and talked about the results produced by these exercises.
All in all, it was a successful weekend, and we are all looking forward to playing with our new volunteers in the programs that they choose.
--- submitted by Barbara Chastain



"Inspiring Fascination, Presence, Wholeness & Fun
From the Human / Horse Relationship"

Horses for the Spiritis now a NARHA Center!

In January of this year, Horses for the Spirit became a Member Center of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). NARHA was formed in 1969 to ensure "that therapeutic riding is both safe for and accessible to people with disabilities." The association now supports over 700 program centers which in turn serve over 30,000 individuals. Over the decades, the mission for NARHA has expanded to include many styles of equine assisted activities.. It's new mission is: "NARHA is a membership organization that fosters safe, professional, ethical and therapeutic equine activities through education, communication, standards and research for people with and without disabilities."
Within 3 years of becoming a NARHA Member Center, Horses for the Spirit will become a Premier Accredited Center. To become accredited is a stringent process. There are many standards set by NARHA that must be met -- the purpose of which is to set a high standard of safety and professionalism for equine assisted activities. Horses for the Spirit is using the standards set by NARHA to ensure that all of its participrants -- whether clients, volunteers, staff or horses -- are treated with the utmost respect and care.
--- submitted by Barbara Chastain, Volunteer Coordinator for Horses for the Spirit and NARHA Certified Instructor

"Inspiring Fascination, Presence, Wholeness & Fun
From the Human / Horse Relationship"