EQUUS Foundation

MISSION & PROGRAMS

Mission:
Our Mission is to provide Professional Equine Assisted Counseling & Education for all in need regardless of ability to pay.
     The ministry of Peach Ranch is to relieve the suffering of people who have experienced trauma. We do this with horses who have also experienced trauma and have been rehabilitated. The Bottom Up therapy model used at Peace Ranch is a trust based model, similar to how we bring traumatized horses along and is effective to address the effects of acute trauma including those from abuse, neglect, and exposure to violence, and war. This parallel process is unlike office based therapy. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy therapy harnesses the motivation of the client to connect with the horse in an outdoor, sensory rich setting, aided by a team of professionals who facilitate the journey toward healing. Clients often experience a considerable increase in hope within one or two sessions. In 10 years helping people with acute trauma including severely traumatized kids and combat veterans, no client has ever been lost to suicide.

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

Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation, Retraining & Re-homing:
Overview of our programs involved with rescue, rehabilitation, retraining, re-homing and/or retirement:
     Peace Ranch horses come through killpens, community referrals including Grand Traverse Animal Control, and as transfers from rescues. These horses represent the most difficult to place, horses that have no training and are unable to be handled or touched. Horses are rehabilitated using a trust based relational approach. Once solid in handling, for their benefit, horses may be trained for riding or driving. It is important to note our model of therapy requires 100% unmounted activities.
     Horses that are young or are not traumatized may graduate from our program. Graduates go to people in our immediate community or known entities throughout the state. These people have been affiliated with Peace Ranch either professionally or through our volunteer program and have demonstrated their standards of equine care, training, and keeping are consistent with those at the ranch. Horses that graduate do so to either become part of a family or work at a job they enjoy. We keep track of where they go and how they are doing.
     Horses that are not eligible for rehoming are kept in Sanctuary as part of our therapeutic herd.

Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
Our organization provides the following Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
    Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy/Counseling (Mental Health)

6: Total number of Equine Assisted Service Providers at Peace Ranch

     1. Alison Wilson, LPC

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Peace Ranch

RELATIONSHIP: Independent Contractor

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy/Counseling (Mental Health)

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Eagala Certified Mental Health Professional
Trauma Therapy and Assessment Child & Family Services of Northwest MI
Michigan Licensed Professional Counselor

2. Allison Woytowich MSW

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Peace Ranch

RELATIONSHIP: Independent Contractor

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy/Counseling (Mental Health)

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Michigan Licensed MSW
New MH in training: Serves on an Eagala Team with an Eagala Certified Equine Professional.
25 years prior in Adventure Therapy

3. Jacquelyn Kaschel

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Peace Ranch

RELATIONSHIP: Employee

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy/Counseling (Mental Health)

Equine-Assisted Learning involving Personal and/or Professional Development

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Advance Certified Eagala: Mental Health And Equine Professional
Board Certified Equine Interaction Professional: MH/ES
NCCA Licensed Pastoral Counselor
Masters Degree From Oxford Graduated School: Religion & Society with concentration in Counseling
Peace Ranch Caretaker 15 years.
Certified Level 1 Parelli Natural Horsemanship
Head Trainer/handler Peace Ranch
Developed Basics In Natural Horsemanship Curriculum. Taught at Peace Ranch for 12 years.

4. Jan Stump, MSW

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Peace Ranch

RELATIONSHIP: Employee

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy/Counseling (Mental Health)

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Eagala Certified Mental Health Professional
Natural Lifemanship- TF EAP
Michigan Licensed Social Worker
Master of Social Work

5. Marijane Boomer

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Peace Ranch

RELATIONSHIP: Independent Contractor

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy/Counseling (Mental Health)

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Eagala Certified Equine Professional
Owner Still Point Farm
Natural Horsemanship Training

6. Nancy Wieland

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Peace Ranch

RELATIONSHIP: Independent Contractor

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy/Counseling (Mental Health)

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Eagala Certified Equine Professional
President NWMI Draft & Mule Association
Instructor: NWMIDMA Driving School (10 years)

Overview of our programs involved with providing EAS to individuals with special needs:
     In 2020 Peace Ranch was the only organization authorized by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to provide mental health services for children and family in crisis. All service provided were experiential, equine assisted, facilitated by a licensed MSW and qualified equine professional.

     Kids@Peace provides Eagala Model Equine Assisted Psychotherapy for children in foster/adoptive homes with complex trauma. Focus is on permanency and helping children and families to learn how to minimize the impact of trauma on both the child and the family.Children are referred through Child & Family Services of Northwest Michigan. Children served come from 6 counties(since 2015)

     Equine Assisted Veterans Services began in 2013 as collaboration with the Aleda Lutz VHAMC Hospital in Saginaw, MI serving veterans with complex trauma from 32 counties in

     Northern Michigan Eagala Model Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.
     Brickways, which provide housing and services for Developmentally Disabled adults, partners with Peace Ranch for an equine assist Life Skills program. This program targets areas including self management, self awareness, communication skills, cooperation, collaboration, and building confidence.

     Peace Ranch also hosts Cognitively Impaired students from area middle and high schools, and a broad ranch of children with special needs including Autism, and other sensoring processing disorders.

     Individual and Family sessions are provided for people ages 5 and up from our community. Clients needs range from dealing with grief and loss to dealing with the traumatic stress caused by having cancer. The thread that connects MOST of the clients we see is trauma, be it through disease, violence, war, abuse, neglect, or something else.

Community Outreach and/or Public Education:

Overview of our programs involved with providing community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses:
     Hug and Groom, an original program of Peace Ranch meets weekly and is open to the public and offered free of charge. Participants come to help at the ranch by brushing horses, cleaning manure from pens, picking up rocks, working in the garden and various other farm “chores” every Friday from 1-3pm.
     Each participant is paired with an experienced, trained volunteer to mentor them in the process. The results are both educational and therapeutic for participants. Participants are of all ages and backgrounds and included the following this year:
     *Teens from the Woman’s Resource Center Safe House
     *Children of all ages with their parents
     *Pine Rest home based therapists with their clients as part of their treatment
     *Adult foster care home residents
     *Classes of 5th graders from GTA
     *Children with Autism, ADD and other mental health issues
     *Seniors (primarily women over 55)
     This program was begun organically, stemming from organizational needs and community needs.

     Peace Ranch also offers a full Natural Horsemanship Curriculum build on our foundational Basics In Natural Horsemanship. This is an 8 week course in which students will learn the fundamentals of natural horsemanship from a relational perspective through classes which combine theory and practice. All students will develop a solid foundation in understanding of:
     • herd dynamics
     • equine behavior
     • method vs language
     • how to effect change in a horse
     Beyond Basics, and Fluency build on the foundation laid in Basics which is offered twice annually.

     Healing Trauma From The Bottom up is a workshop provided for both professionals and the public whose focus is using a Bottom Up or Neurosequential approach for people dealing with complex trauma combined with equine activities to create a practical learning opportunity. This class has been offered to Foster/Adoptive Parents since 2017 and for professional CEs since 2019.

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
    Kill pen/Feedlot
    Surrender

Our organization does not acquire horses/equines from the following source(s):
    Lease
    Purchase/Adoption from Owner
    Auction
    Return
    Seizure
    Abandonment

Our organization will accept the following:
    Geldings
    Mares
    Pregnant Mares

Not Checked:
    Foals
    Stallions
    Only Stallions to be castrated

Additional information about our acquisition policies and practices:
Peace Ranch has hosted a wide range of breeds. Horses are typically younger, unhandled or traumatized that are difficult for a rescue to place. The horses stay at Peace Ranch until they are rehabilitated and can go on to a healthy life. Many of our horses have been with us for more than 5 years and will stay for the rest of their lives as their rehabilitation took a long time and we are concerned about their ability to make a safe transition.

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
If health records are not available or are out-of-date, our veterinarian will administer appropriate vaccinations

Not Checked:
    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.
    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:
Equines are not taken on trial

Not Checked:
    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

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
    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 farrier
    Physical examination by a dentist
    Coggins test
    Fecal test
    Vaccinations
    De-worming

Not Checked:
    Blood work other than Coggins
    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:   20 to 30 days

Horses are assessed for following skills and behaviors:
    Temperament, disposition and attitude, such as rated from very calm to very high spirited
    Known vices, i.e., cribbing, biting, kicking, weaving, stall walking, etc

Not Checked:
    Retrieval from a pasture/paddock
    Leading with a halter and lead rope
    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
    Jumping
    Driving (Pulling a carriage)
    Tolerance to unusual objects and loud noises
    Grooming
    Bathing
    Clipping
    Tolerance to multiple handlers at the same time

Our organization has the following policies and procedures in place pertaining to the ongoing assessment of horses in its care:
    The Henneke Body Condition score or other body conditioning score is updated at least annually
    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:
    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
    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)
    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
    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):   Weekly

Additional information about our intake, assessment & training policies and practices:
Most horses are coming in crisis. Peace Ranch generally does not take horses that can be served by our local rescue. Our Sanctuary is for horses that are feral with negative experience with humans. They are assessed and immediate health needs are met as we are able.
     Traumatized horses require handled daily for trust building. Training is built around basic trust and relationship. Basic handling and ground manners are our primary focus and may take several months. Herd dynamics are an important part of training as horses take their cues from herd members. Training progression may include being started to ride or drive.
     In crisis situations, Peace Ranch occasionally will take in horses for short term placement (6-18months) These horses come through our community and are not traumatized but are in danger in their living situation. These horses are vetted and assessed and adopted to Michigan families.

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

Additional information about our breeding policies and practices:
There is no breeding at our facility and we do not take stallions.

POLICIES: EUTHANASIA

The organization has the following policies related to euthanasia:
    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 an equine euthanized for space
    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
Veterinary student under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian

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

Additional information about our euthanasia policies and practices:
Horses whose dispositions are threatening or aggressive are not accepted at Peace Ranch. Euthanasia is considered the humane alternative for a horse already in the process of dying.

POLICIES: RE-HOMING

View Re-homing Agreement
Our organization has the following re-homing (adoption/purchase) policies and procedures in place:
    All potential adopters/purchasers complete a written contract which constitutes the agreement between our organization and the new owner
    Our organization does NOT re-home an equine to first time equine owners
    Our organization will only re-home an equine to a location where another equine resides
    Potential adopters/purchasers must visit our organization and be observed with the equine on site

Not Checked:
    The distance of a potential adopter/purchaser's home from our facility is a consideration for when re-homing an equine
    Our organization conducts a site visit of the adopter/purchaser's facility before the transfer of the equine to the adopter/purchaser's facility
    Potential adopters/purchasers are encouraged to do a short-term, on-site foster with the equine
    Adopters/purchasers are NOT required to provide updates

The uploaded Re-homing agreement includes the following re-homing (adoption/purchase) statements:
The agreement reflects that any individual or organization in possession of the equine as of the date of the agreement and any time thereafter is bound to not sell the equine at auction for slaughter or allow the equine to be sold, transferred, released, or otherwise placed into possession of any person or organization that will cause or allow the equine to be sold at auction for slaughter.

Not Checked:
    The agreement states that should the adopter decide to re-home the equine, our organization must be notified of the name, address, and telephone number of any individual or organization intending to take possession of the equine for any reason prior to the equine being placed into the possession of such individual or organization.
    The agreement states that re-homed equines CANNOT be sold, adopted, transferred, auctioned, released, given away, or otherwise placed into the possession of another individual or organization under any circumstances.
    The agreement states that should the adopter decide to re-home the equine, our organization must grant approval of any individual or organization intending to take possession of the equine for any reason prior to the equine being placed into the possession of such individual or organization, including being provided written notification of the name, address, and telephone number of any individual or organization intending to take possession of the equine for any reason.
    The agreement states that the terms of our organization's agreement will be binding on any future individual or organization taking and/or in possession of the equine for any reason.
    The agreement states that re-homed equines cannot be bred
    The agreement states that if there is any breach of contract the equine must be returned to our organization
    The agreement states that our organization reserves the right to make unannounced visits
    The agreement states that our organization reserves the right to make scheduled visits
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers can return an equine to our organization free of charge
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers can return an equine to our organization for a fee
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers are required to provide updates (photos, vet records) for one year
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers are required to provide updates (photos, vet records) for two years
    The agreement states that adopters/purchasers are required to provide updates (photos, vet records) for three or more years
    None of the statements are included.
    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 does not have the authority to transfer ownership and/or does not own any of the equines involved with our programs.

Our organization requires references from the following:
    Veterinarian
    Farrier
    Personal/Other

Not Checked:
Not applicable or no references required.

Transfer of ownership occurs:   Immediately (at the time of adoption/purchase) or less than one year

The average equine re-homing (adoption/purchase) fee received by your organization:
$751 to $1,000

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:
    Equines may remain at our organization for their lifetimes
    Equines may be found suitable homes by our organization
    In the case an equine is unsound and/or unhealthy and cannot be treated to relieve suffering, the equine may be euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian

Not Checked:
    Equines may be returned to their owners
    Equines may be sent to auction
    In the case an equine is unmanageable and demonstrates repeated dangerous behaviors, the equine may be euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian
    If a suitable home cannot be located within 12 months, the equine may be euthanized
    If a suitable home cannot be located, and space is not available for the equine to remain at the organization, the organization will secure a suitable home for the equine and accept financial responsibility for the lifetime of the equine

Additional information about our rehoming policies and practices:
Peace Ranch takes in horses from killpens and rescues that are hard to place due to cruel treatment and excessive fear. We also take horses from our community who are in a bad situation or whose owners are in crisis. For example: We helped a family place three horses after their owner died of an aneurism. Graduates of our program are horses that have been rehabilitated and can have a successful life in a family or doing a job they love. They go to our community, volunteers or ranch affiliates who live in our community. Horses that graduate had a rough start or ran into a rough patch but are ready to to on with their lives. Regardless, they remain a part of ours. but they are still a part of ours.