EQUUS Foundation

MISSION & PROGRAMS

Mission:
To provide equine-assisted activities to people of all abilities with the goal of enhancing physical, emotional and spiritual well being.

Our organization conducts Equine Assisted Services in accordance with the EQUUS Foundation Guidelines on Qualifications of Organizations Conducting Equine Assisted Services (EAS).
Our organization provides community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses.
Our organization is directly responsible for the care and shelter of equines involved in our programs.
100% of our total programs and services are horse-related.
Our organization does not use satellite, overflow, foster, and/or outreach facilities

Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
Our organization provides the following Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
    Therapeutic Mounted Services
    Therapeutic Driving Services
    Therapeutic Unmounted Services
    Equine-Assisted Learning involving Academic Learning

3: Total number of Equine Assisted Service Providers at High & Mighty Therapeutic Riding and Driving Center

     1. Laura Corsun

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

High & Mighty Therapeutic Riding and Driving Center

RELATIONSHIP: Employee

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Therapeutic Mounted Services

Therapeutic Driving Services

Therapeutic Unmounted Services

Equine-Assisted Learning involving Academic Learning

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Mater in Education
PATH Instruction Certification, Riding and Driving

2. Rachel Conaway

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

High & Mighty Therapeutic Riding and Driving Center

RELATIONSHIP: Employee

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Therapeutic Mounted Services

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

BS in Equine Science, PATH International Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Overview of our programs involved with providing EAS to individuals with special needs:
     High & Mighty has 4 PATH certified instructors and teaching approximately 75-100 participants with special needs per week. Our programs include unmounted activities (barn program, ground work, work at liberty), riding, carriage driving with our carriage adapted for wheelchair use, our traveling miniature horse program (for nursing homes, hospitals, libraries and schools). In addition to individual lessons, below is a list of the special programming we provide.


     Elderly and Seniors:
     Nursing Home Visitation Program-5 local nursing homes bring 10 residents to our facility to interact with the horses in the barn. They love touching and grooming the horses, and the horses become amazingly gently and soft in the eye when around them.

     Socioeconomically disadvantaged and at-risk:
     We currently have a partnership with Perfect Ten Hudson, a program for at-risk teenage girls, and The Mental Health Association of Columbia Greene Counties. In the latter, we work with youth that are at high-risk for substance abuse. They come for weekly program and groom, tack up and ride the horses. Staff of Perfect Ten thinks it is extremely beneficial for the girls focus and self esteem.

     Veterans:
     We currently have four veterans affected by post traumatic syndrome disorder participating in program. This year we have added Boots on the Ground, an drop in unmounted program that takes place the first Tuesday of every month.

     Life Skills:
     Three local public high schools receive services for their life skills classrooms. The students are moderately to severely developmentally delayed. The come weekly during the school year for an unmounted program, learning skills to help the prepare for employment after high school.

Community Outreach and/or Public Education:

Overview of our programs involved with providing community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses:
The traveling miniature program (listed above), field trips for schools and weekly school programs. Participation in community fairs and events. We also have community days on our farm for members of the public to promote education about the many benefits of equine relationships.

Research/Medical Use of Equines:
Our organization has never made, and would not ever consider making, equines available for research studies or medical training that involves invasive procedures and/or that which may cause pain or suffering to the equine.

Religious Affiliation:
Our organization does not promote religious education, religious purposes, or a specific religious faith or use donations for religious education or religious purposes; require participants to be of a certain faith; require participation in religious, instruction, activities or services; or require participation in prayer, worship, religious instruction or other religious activities as a condition of receiving social or secular services offered.

Auction Donation:
Our organization has never allowed, or would not consider allowing, an equine to be sold, transferred, released, or otherwise placed into possession of any person or organization that would cause or allow the equine to be sold at auction for slaughter.

POLICIES: ACQUISITION

Our organization acquires horses/equines from the following source(s):
    Donation
    Lease
    Purchase/Adoption from Owner
    Return

Our organization does not acquire horses/equines from the following source(s):
    Auction
    Kill pen/Feedlot
    Surrender
    Seizure
    Abandonment

Our organization will accept the following:
    Geldings
    Mares

Not Checked:
    Pregnant Mares
    Foals
    Stallions
    Only Stallions to be castrated

Additional information about our acquisition policies and practices:
We will accept any breed but the horse must go through a trial period for safety and appropriateness for program. The horse must like this job.

POLICIES: INTAKE, ASSESSMENT & TRAININING

Prior to a horse being accepted and/or arriving at the facility, the organization requires the following with respect to the health status of the horse:
    A current Coggins
    Vaccination records that have been administered within the last 12 months
    If health records are not available or are out-of-date, the owner is responsible for having vaccinations administered.
    If health records are not available or are out-of-date, our veterinarian will administer appropriate vaccinations

Not Checked:
A health certificate signed by a veterinarian and dated no more than seven days prior to arrival attesting to the health status of the equine is provided to our organization either prior to or upon arrival of the equine

Prior to a horse being accepted and/or arriving at the facility, the organization has the following policies in place:
    The owner of a potential equine is interviewed over the phone or in person prior to seeing the equine
    The equine is evaluated at its place of residence
    The owner completes an application/contract which constitutes the agreement between the owner and our organization
    The owner is financially responsible for the shipping of the equine to and from the organization
    Equines are on trial for 60 or more days
    The trial period may be reduced based on the equine's progress
    During the trial period, the organization accepts total financial responsibility for the care of the equine, including board, feed, shoeing and any necessary veterinary care
    During the trial period, the organization accepts financial responsibility for the care of the equine, including board, feed, shoeing and any necessary veterinary care, up to a fixed amount agreed upon by the organization and the owner
    The trial period may be terminated by either the organization or the owner for any reason

Not Checked:
    Equines are not taken on trial
    Equines are on trial for up to 30 days
    Equines are on trial up to 60 days
    During the trial period, the owner/donor is financially responsible for the care of the equine, including board, feed, shoeing and any necessary veterinary care

Following arrival of the equine at the facility, the following is performed:
    Physical examination by a veterinarian upon arrival and/or prior to quarantine departure
    Physical examination by trained barn staff
    Physical examination by a farrier
    Fecal test

Not Checked:
    Photographs are taken of each equine upon arrival at the facility and kept with the equine's health records
    A Henneke Body Conditioning Score or other body conditioning score is assigned
    Physical examination by a dentist
    Coggins test
    Blood work other than Coggins
    Vaccinations
    De-worming
    The equine is scanned to check for a microchip
    The equine is microchipped if the scan indicates that there is no microchip

Upon intake, the organization has the following quarantine policy in place:
The equine is confined to a designated and separate area for isolation and quarantine at the facility for a prescribed period of time

Not Checked:
The equine is confined to a designated and separate area for isolation and quarantine off-site for a prescribed period of time
The equine is not quarantined

The typical length of quarantine is:   10 to 20 days

Horses are assessed for following skills and behaviors:
    Retrieval from a pasture/paddock
    Leading with a halter and lead rope
    Temperament, disposition and attitude, such as rated from very calm to very high spirited
    Saddling
    Bridling
    Lunging
    Loading onto and unloading off a trailer
    Mounting and dismounting
    Riding at the walk
    Riding at the trot
    Riding at the canter
    Riding by a beginner and/or unbalanced rider
    Driving (Pulling a carriage)
    Tolerance to unusual objects and loud noises
    Known vices, i.e., cribbing, biting, kicking, weaving, stall walking, etc
    Grooming
    Bathing
    Clipping
    Tolerance to multiple handlers at the same time

Not Checked:
Jumping

Our organization has the following policies and procedures in place pertaining to the ongoing assessment of horses in its care:
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine chiropractor
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine acupuncturist
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine massage therapist
    Equines at our facility may be treated by an equine nutritionist
    Physical examination by a veterinarian at least annually

Not Checked:
    The Henneke Body Condition score or other body conditioning score is updated at least annually
    Photographs are taken of each equine monthly and kept with the equine's health records
    Photographs are taken of each equine annually and kept with the equine's health records

Our organization has the following policies and procedures in place pertaining to the weight-carrying or workload capabilities of horses/equines that are ridden in our care:
Our organization evaluates at least annually and maintains a written record of the weight-carrying and workload limitations for each equine that is ridden

Not Checked:
Our organization does not evaluate the weight-carrying and workload limitations for each equine that is ridden
No equines are ridden; not applicable

The following variables are considered in determining the weight-carrying and workload limitations for each equine that is ridden:
    Equine age, weight, breed, body condition, fitness, balance, health and soundness
    Size, shape, condition and angle of the hooves
    Participant weight, height, body proportions, balance, fitness and riding skills as well as behavioral issues and safety concerns
    Weight and proper fit of the saddle and other equipment
    Terrain and footing in the working environment
    Duration and frequency of working sessions, as the frequency with which an equine is subjected to maximum weight carrying and/or workload
    Nature and pace of work, repetitive or varied, radius of turns, degree of incline and regularity of footing when equine is subject to maximum weight-carrying capacity
    Temperature and/or weather conditions
    Seasonal impact on the equines' workload and weight-carrying capabilities and limitations

Not Checked:
    Equine conformation to include the top line, length of back, strength and width of loin, bone density (measured by the circumference of the cannon bone just below the knee)
    Our organization does not evaluate the weight-carrying and workload limitations for each equine that is ridden
    No equines are ridden; not applicable

Horses provided formal training (groundwork or riding):   Daily

Additional information about our intake, assessment & training policies and practices:
The horse is given time needed to adapt to the new environment and then will be worked with on the ground and under saddle (or in the cart).

     We do not use the Henneke Body Conditioning score because an underweight, or overweight horse would not be taken on trial as a part of our program.

POLICIES: BREEDING

The organization has the following policies related to breeding and stallions:
The facility or facilities where our organization conducts its programs, including foster facilities, does NOT breed equines.

Not Checked:
The facility or facilities where our organization conducts its programs, including foster facilities, breeds equines
The facility or facilities where our organization conducts its programs, including foster facilities, are permitted to house stallions

POLICIES: EUTHANASIA

The organization has the following policies related to euthanasia:
    Our organization will never have an equine euthanized for space
    Our organization may have a healthy equine euthanized if it is a threat to itself, other equines, or people and euthanasia is recommended by a veterinarian
    Our organization may have an equine euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian after all reasonable treatment options have been explored
    Euthanasia is done on site when possible to decrease trauma from transport
    Disposal of the carcass is handled within 24 hours

Not Checked:
Our organization will never have a healthy equine euthanized under any circumstances
Euthanasia is done at the veterinarian's facility

The following are authorized to administer the procedure for your organization in accordance with state laws:
Veterinarian

Not Checked:
    A certified euthanasia technician
    Senior staff with appropriate training
    Employee of animal control shelter or humane society with appropriate training
    Veterinary student under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian
    Not applicable. Our organization prohibits euthanasia under any circumstances

Additional information about our euthanasia policies and practices:
Fatal-Plus Solution; the main ingredient is pentobarbital sodium.

POLICIES: RE-HOMING

Re-homing Agreement not applicable.
Our organization has the following re-homing (adoption/purchase) policies and procedures in place:
The organization does not re-home equines under any circumstances; our organization retains custody of our equines and ensures care of the equines for their lifetimes.

Our organization has the following policies and procedures related to horses that need to be retired, are no longer useful, or are no longer manageable:
The organization does not re-home equines under any circumstances; our organization retains custody of our equines and ensures care of the equines for their lifetimes.

Additional information about our rehoming policies and practices:
We have never had to re-home a horse from program. The owner always takes them back or they retire here.