EQUUS Foundation

MISSION & PROGRAMS

Mission:
To benefit children and adults with special needs or disabilities by offering them the opportunity to interact with dedicated horses in a manner that promotes physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. We believe people can develop therapeutic relationships with horses in a way that encourages healing and improved self-esteem.

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 Unmounted Services

3: Total number of Equine Assisted Service Providers at Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center

     1. Jamie Duva

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center

RELATIONSHIP: Independent Contractor

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Therapeutic Mounted Services

Therapeutic Unmounted Services

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

Jamie Duva is a PATH International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
She is also licensed in the State of Florida as an Occupational Therapist and has completed the AHA level 1 training. She will be attending AHA level 2 training to meet the requirements to become a PATH registered therapist.

2. Robin Bramson

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center

RELATIONSHIP: Employee

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Therapeutic Mounted Services

Therapeutic Unmounted Services

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

PATH cTRI,ESMHL,Certified CPR, First Aid, and AED- renewed annually.
Completed course work and teaching hours for PATH International Vaulting Instructor- certification pending workshop completion.

3. Sarah Pinon

FACILITY PARTICIPATION:

Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center

RELATIONSHIP: Independent Contractor

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Therapeutic Mounted Services

DEGREES, LICENSES AND/OR CERTIFICATIONS

This instructor was a volunteer at Whispering Manes for over a year before entering into the mentoring program at Whispering Manes to become a PATH instructor.
Certifications include:PATH cTRI, certified CPR, First Aid, AED renewed annually.

Overview of our programs involved with providing EAS to individuals with special needs:
     Therapeutic Horsemanship is a hands-on program that uses the interactions and relationships between horses and humans in an environment of learning and self-discovery. It is designed to promote personal growth and the development of positive social/life skills in a fun and supportive environment. Through a curriculum of activities designed to address individual goals and needs, each equine interaction is framed to help participants learn and grow. The barn environment naturally lends itself as a unique multi-sensory classroom. Each week the participants explore a new concept (i.e. trust, body language, managing risk, boundaries) through the eyes of their horse. As comfort and confidence levels grow, students tackle new activities, building their self-confidence. This program is designed to build confidence, leadership and horse knowledge, while improving social skills and having fun in a unique environment.
     Therapeutic Horseback Riding is a mounted program in which participants are taught horseback riding skills while simultaneously working on cognitive, physical, and/or emotional objectives. Through a curriculum of activities designed to address individual needs, each riding lesson is planned to help individuals achieve their personal goals. The riding program includes aspects of the Therapeutic Horsemanship program. Students build confidence, self-esteem, and leadership skills while learning to ride. As riders gain comfort and confidence they will tackle new and more challenging riding activities which additionally stimulates motor skills and sensory awareness. Therapeutic Horseback Riding is tied to specific learning objectives set by the therapeutic riding instructor with input from parents, teachers, and caregivers.
     Whispering Manes has a program specifically designed for military veterans. Working with recreation therapists from the Veterans Administration Medical Center we offer current and former service personnel suffering with physical disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other anxiety disorders the opportunity to learn horsemanship and horseback riding. Our goal is to provide veterans with a quiet, peaceful environment where they can learn to interact with horses in a way that encourages emotional and physical healing, and a pathway to readjust to civilian life. By facing new challenges in a safe and secure setting, service members take important steps towards regaining control of their lives: they learn new skills, practice and understand the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication, and develop a strong bond based on trust and mutual respect with their equine partner.

Community Outreach and/or Public Education:

Overview of our programs involved with providing community outreach and/or public education programs involving horses:
     Whispering Manes offers a Summer Camp for parents who are looking for an experience that allows children to be in a unique and sensory-rich environment. The summer camp is a weeklong, full day program. The daily schedule includes horsemanship (grooming, tacking, feeding, and handling) and horseback riding for every camper. The camp also offers a variety of non-horse related activities throughout the week. Non-horse activities include yoga/stretching, scavenger hunts, designing and building obstacle courses for campers and their horses to do together, horse-themed arts and crafts, and games and water fun in the field.

     Whispering Manes offers two horsemanship programs, Manes & Tales literacy program for struggling readers, and Mini Manes, the miniature horse visiting program where the mini horses go to the local schools, senior centers and children's hospitals.

     The Manes & Tales equine-assisted literacy program is targeted to struggling readers of all ages. The program is based on the successful Horse Powered Reading program and children come to our facility to work on a variety of reading exercises with an educator/tutor and miniature horses to help them improve their literacy skills and confidence.

     The Mini Manes program is a visiting program where the miniature horses visit local schools, senior residential centers and children at a local children's hospital. The individuals at these location would not otherwise be able to interact with the horses. For example, the children are too ill to leave the hospital grounds, but the minis are allowed to visit. Typical visits include grooming the minis and feeding the treats.

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 do not have the staff required to manage pregnant mares or to train foals. We have no policy against having such animals on property, but we cannot properly care for them with current staffing.

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
    Equines are on trial up to 60 days
    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
    The trial period may be terminated by either the organization or the owner for any reason

Not Checked:
    The owner is financially responsible for the shipping of the equine to and from the organization
    Equines are not taken on trial
    Equines are on trial for up to 30 days
    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
    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 trained barn staff
    Physical examination by a farrier
    Fecal test
    De-worming

Not Checked:
    Physical examination by a veterinarian upon arrival and/or prior to quarantine departure
    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
    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:
    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
    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

Not Checked:
    Loading onto and unloading off a trailer
    Jumping
    Driving (Pulling a carriage)

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
    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
    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

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
    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)
    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:
    Size, shape, condition and angle of the hooves
    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): As needed; no set schedule

Additional information about our intake, assessment & training policies and practices:
We only offer equine assisted services. We do not offer rescue or rehabilitation. Horses joining our herd must be fit and in good body condition. We have a small herd of horses, and we keep careful track of changes in their behavior and eating. We note changes to the individual horses on a daily basis.

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

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 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
    Adopters/purchasers are NOT required to provide updates

Not Checked:
    Our organization does NOT re-home an equine to first time equine owners
    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

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.
    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 adopters/purchasers can return an equine to our organization free of charge

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 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 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:
Personal/Other

Not Checked:
    Veterinarian
    Farrier
    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:
Not applicable; None received

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 be found suitable homes by our organization
    Equines may be returned to their owners
    In the case an equine is unmanageable and demonstrates repeated dangerous behaviors, the equine may be euthanized upon the recommendation of the veterinarian
    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 remain at our organization for their lifetimes
    Equines may be sent to auction
    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:
Updates are not a formal part of our agreement, but we re-home so few horses and they only go to people with whom the organization has a relationship, so updates are shared freely. No horse will ever leave the program to be re-homed with someone that does not have a relationship with the organization. We have re-homed only three horses - two went to volunteers who we are in contact with and one went to a previous staff member.