MISSION & PROGRAMS

Mission:
Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH) is dedicated to enriching the community by improving the quality of life and health of individuals with special physical, cognitive, emotional or social needs through therapeutic activities with the horse.

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:
     We currently have seven retired registered Thoroughbreds who have been retrained to provide unmounted therapeutic activities. They are mostly used for programming with veterans and at-risk youth. Our staff has made a great effort to select and train horses that fit our high-quality programming and abide by the standards set by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH.)

Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
Our organization provides the following Equine Assisted Services (EAS):
    Therapeutic Mounted Services
    Therapeutic Unmounted Services
    Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy/Counseling (Mental Health)
    Equine-Assisted Learning involving Academic Learning

6: Total number of Equine Assisted Service Providers at Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, Inc.

     1. Fayette County Public Schools

         FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

         Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, Inc.

         RELATIONSHIP: Independent Contractor

         SERVICES PROVIDED:

         Therapeutic Unmounted Services

         Equine-Assisted Learning involving Academic Learning

         DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

         DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS - Students approved by the school system attend The STABLES, an Alternate Education Program defined by Kentucky state regulations 704 KAR 19:002 as an community partnership providing a unique learning opportunity for students in grades 8-12 who thrive in a nontraditional school setting.

Overview of our programs involved with providing EAS to individuals with special needs:
     Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH)'s mission is to enrich the community by improving the quality of life and health of individuals with special physical, cognitive or behavioral needs through equine-assisted activities & therapies. A Premier Accredited Center of PATH since 1998, CKRH provides direct services to more than 300 individuals each year with the support of 30 (avg. herd #) equine partners, 125 weekly volunteers, and a dedicated staff of certified instructors, licensed therapists, equine facility managers, and administrative personnel.
     
     All core CKRH programming is developed and facilitated by a PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor with input from participants, their families, referring medical practitioners, educators, and CKRH’s Program Manager. A customized lesson plan is developed for each participant or community group based on the following needs:
     
     Physical/Cognitive/Developmental Disabilities - for mild to severe medical conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. Therapeutic Riding & Horsemanship, CKRH’s flagship service, are year-round mounted & unmounted activities designed to improve motor skills, strength, balance, and cognitive processing. Specialty programs include HorseAbililty, a summer camp collaboration with Easter Seals Bluegrass for their youngest clients, and Horse Tales, a memory recall program for seniors with cognitive challenges.
     
     Mental Health - for emotional, social, or behavioral conditions. Mounted & unmounted activities are designed to improve emotional awareness & regulation as well as help reduce stress or anxiety. Specialty programs include Adjust Fire (for active-duty and veteran soldiers with combat injuries or resiliency issues such as PTSD); I RIDE (for adolescent girls living in at-risk households), and EASTT (for adult survivors of sexual trauma), a partnership with Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center.
     
     Learning Disabilities – for academic or vocational challenges. Unmounted activities are designed to improve core educational subjects (i.e. reading, spelling, math) and tangential skills such as organizing, sequencing, and memory retention. Specialty programs include STABLES (a year-round curriculum of Fayette County Public Schools for 50+ students in grades 8-12); and Vocational Training (for individuals developing employment skills in horsemanship or facilities/farm maintenance.)

Overview of our programs involved with providing community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses:
     Community outreach during 2022 included:
     
     * Gold Star Families: We honored dozens of American Gold Star Families as they gathered at the center to celebrate the holidays, whisper their Christmas wishes to Santa, and meet the minis.
     
     * Camp Brown Bear: 10 male veterans received services through Camp Brown Bear, an organization dedicated to helping veterans that may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury recover in a peaceful, relaxing, and natural setting.
     
     * Special Events: Trick or Treat with Horses was established after CKRH staff saw the need for a more inclusive and accessible way to collect candy on Halloween.
     
     * Public Education/Facility Tours: CKRH offers a wide range of equine seminars (free and open to the public) covering topics such as nutrition, horsemanship, PATH Int'l Standards. We also offer free, on-site tours of our facility throughout the year many of which are school groups.
     
     * Mentoring: In addition to multiple internship opportunities in Equine Care & Equine Studies for undergraduate college students, CKRH staff provides shadowing opportunities to students in the healthcare field.
     
     * Volunteer/Service Learning Events: CKRH welcomes various volunteer groups each year from service-based organizations, schools, and universities.

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. 

Our Programs/Activities that are not equine-related and/or involving animals other than equines:
 N/A

POLICIES: ACQUISITION

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

Our organization does not acquire horses/equines from the following source(s):
    Auction  
    Kill pen/Feedlot  
    Return  
    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:
CKRH herd intake steps:
     1) Phone/email inquiry to CKRH's Equine Mgr.
     2) Trial Horse Application completed by owner
     3) Equine Mgr. reviews & does telephone interview
     4) Equine Mgr. site visit to assess condition
     5) 90 on-site trial at CKRH in quarantine paddock (60 days) then herd integration trial (30 days)
     6) If accepted, a Lend Lease agreement is signed which outlines return-to-owner policies when horse is no longer able to engage in CKRH programs.

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.

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 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

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
    Coggins test
    Fecal test
    Vaccinations
    De-worming

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

The typical length of quarantine is:   More than 30 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
    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

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
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

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
    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
    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


Horses provided formal training (groundwork or riding):   Daily

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.

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

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

Additional information about our euthanasia policies and practices:
CKRH follows euthanasia policies as established by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP.)

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.