Therapeutic Riding Services

Through PATH International I have certifications as a Therapeutic Riding Instructor, registered
level, and an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMH/L). I am also registered as a
Mentor for instructors working towards certification and am a certified special education teacher,
secondary level, in Kansas. With these certifications I can provide the following Equine Assisted
Therapies (EAT) and related services. (All definitions below are directly quoted from or paraphrased
from the PATH International Standards for Certification and Accreditation, 2011)

Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL): an educational approach wherein the primary intent of the curricular
content is to facilitate personal growth and development of life skills through equine interactions.

Equine Facilitated Mental Health (EFMH): an approach to improving a client's mental health that
involves the uses of equines in interactive therapy and activities.

Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP): interactive psychotherapy that includes activities involving
equines. EFP is supervised and facilitated by a licensed/credentialed mental health professional working
with an appropriately credentialed equine professional. The activities in which the client engages during
EFP are designed to assist reaching the psychotherapy goals set by the mental health professional and
the client.

Mentoring: Path International requires all prospective certified instructors to have 25 hours of teaching
EAT supervised by a PATH International certified instructor. This can be done directly with an instructor
at a center or indirectly via videos, e-mail and phone conferences. If you do not have access to a center
or would prefer to have someone other than one of the center's certified instructors mentor you, I can
provide that service either directly, if you are with in travelling distance, or indirectly.

Therapeutic Horsemanship: equine activities organized and taught by instructors specifically trained to
work with people disabilities or diverse needs. The intent is for students to progress in equestrian
skills while improving their cognitive, emotional, physical, social, and/or behavioral skills.

Therapeutic Riding (TR): therapeutic horsemanship involving mounted activities which might be
traditional or adaptive and are taught by a PATH International Certified Instructor.

White Oak Ranch, where I teach, is not ADA accessible facility. I can easily provide EAT for
ambulatory clients desiring to improve cognitive, emotional, social, and/or behavioral skills and some
physical skills. If you are not sure if you can physically manage the terrain of White Oak, you are
welcome to visit. Currently, my therapeutic lesson structure is similar to that of my non-therapeutic
services: beginners participate in private lessons; groups are created out of interest and similar skills
once students have achieved competency with specific basic skills. Groups can be created to meet
similar needs if the clients and their outside service providers feel that would provide optimal service.

Lesson price structure is the same as for general riding lessons (For more information see the Prices Page).
However, EFP requires and some EFMH and EFL lessons may require additional attendant professionals. These additional
service providers must be paid and their cost is added to the base price of the lesson. Necessary consultations with other
service providers are charged as listed on the fee sheet.

Mentor Services

I completed the PATH (at the time, NARHA) mentor training in March, 2010. I completed the
Registered Instructor course in June, 2012 (the course was just beginning to be offered when I received
my certification in 2000). I achieved my ESMH/L credential in March of 2012. Each activity required
that I test over the PATH International Standards. I keep current with these standards, maintain my
continuing education requirements, and strive to attend a PATH International training at least every
two years. This attention to professional development combined with over two decades of teaching
students with disabilities in multiple age ranges in multiple environments, prepares me well to guide
experienced riders towards becoming PATH certified instructors in areas in which I have expertise.
Prospective instructors seeking driving, vaulting, or hippotherapy certification should find a mentor
certified in those areas.

Therapeutic service providers who are interested in becoming EAT instructors MUST be
competent horse people. You cannot teach what you do not know yourself. If you do not ride or
do not know how to work with horses, you need to connect with a riding instructor and learn. PATH
International has specific guidelines on how horses are to be treated. They are partners in the
therapeutic process, not tools to be used at the whim and desire of humans. It would be best for you to
find an instructor who shares this perspective on working with horses. I would be happy to work with
you on your horse education journey or guide you towards other instructors who would likely met your
needs.