Programs and Services

Adaptive Horsemanship Lessons

Allied Horsemanship has PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors teaching lessons.

Adaptive lessons are conducted by a certified riding instructor assisted by additionally trained personal. Each participant is paired with a team of helpers for the lesson (horse, side walkers, horse handler). Lessons often include grooming, tacking, leading, riding, untacking, and final grooming of horse in a standard 60-minute lesson. Sessions are 6-weeks long with lesson one hour a week. Adaptive activities are created to fit the abilities of the participants.

Group – 60 minutes
Private – 30-60 minutes
Un-mounted lesson – 30-60 minutes, for participants unable to ride, group lesson
Parent Child Classes – 60 minutes

o Focus on parent being support for participant during horsemanship lesson, first lesson with parent only

*Autism * Depression * Downs Syndrome * Stroke * Traumatic Brain Injury * Visually Impaired * Hearing Impaired * Wheelchair/Walker Assisted * PTSD *

No lessons on these following dates in 2024

Feb 28, April 17th and 24th, May 27-31, July 1-6, August 21, Sept 1-7, Oct 16, Nov 27, and Dec 25

Training/Traveling Lessons

Lessons are conducted at client property on client horses to build the horsemanship relationship between the horse and its owner. Often conducted in a family setting. An assessment of the horses and property are required before conducting any lesson to ensure safety and enrichment of the lessons. Mileage fee is applied to all travel for lessons. Lessons start with a ground work component and built from there based on owners’ goals and abilities of the instructor.

$50/hr plus mileage

Equine Assisted Learning

Coming summer of 2024:

This area is a non-therapy service comprised of equine-assisted learning (ELA) in education, in organizations, and in personal development. Specially trained or certified professionals leverage experiential learning activities involving interactive mounted and/or unmounted activities with horses and the equine environment to benefit participants.

Animal Reiki with Dawn

Allied Horsemanship will be offering Reiki services for horses with Dawn Adkins, a Reiki Certified Professional. Services will be conducted in person or by long-distance sessions.

Animal Reiki is meditating with animals to create a compassionate healing space to relieve stress, promote relaxation, harmony, balance, and a sense of overall well-being. It honors the animal as an equal partner in the healing process. The animal can move freely in the healing space during the session. “Hands-on Reiki” is used only if initiated by the animal. Reiki is just as effective from a short distance as it is hands-on. By creaking compassionate space, the animal receives the healing energy he or she needs, not what we humans think the animal needs.

Reiki complements the animal’s health and wellness programs because it is safe, noninvasive, and does not interfere with medical/veterinary treatments. Reiki can do no harm and effectively address physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental issues of animals. Reiki always heals on some level, even if we do not see it. Reiki promotes a sense of harmony, peacefulness, and overall well-being, which allows the animal’s body to heal itself.

· $40 in person plus $10 mileage fee if over 25 miles of

Prairie du Chien

· $30 Long Distance

Educational Classroom Series and Clinics

Allied Horsemanship offers classroom type session throughout the year. Session ranges from disability education to equine management.

Cost varies on topic and speaker brought in

Mentoring

PATH Intl Instructors-In-Training are able to work toward their CTRI under Shannon.

Cost varies on travel needs and time needed to obtain required criterial for CTRI

Mentoring of early stages of program development of equine programs offered by Shannon.

Allied Team Member Program

Allied Horsemanship’s Team Member Program offers community members a valuable educational exchange based on service-learning models. The Adaptive Horsemanship program thrives in part because of the dedication of people who offer their time and talents to help our adaptive students reach their fullest potential. The primary role of a Team Member is assisting students in the Adaptive Horsemanship Program as side-walkers and horse handlers. Side-walkers may also assist the instructor in carrying out activities during the lesson and occasionally help with facility, equine, and equipment upkeep as needed.

Expectations of team member and Staff:

· be early to the start of session (30 minutes before)

· stay after the lesson (30 minutes after) we do a huddle (meeting) after lessons.

· stick to the schedule commitment time you pick.

· must be able to walk for 45 minutes and jog at brief intervals.

· not necessary to have previous experience with horses or individuals with special needs.

· Cell phones are to be turned off during lessons, it is a safety concern.

· No smoking is prohibited within 50ft of arena and tack shed.

· Park in designated areas

· Political, medical, and personal information of you or others is not discussed during lessons.

Horse Handler

Responsibilities

· Lead the horse during class within a group including side-walkers, keeping primary focus on assigned horse (not the rider) while maintaining communication with the team.

· Listen to and follow the directions of the instructor.

· Check the health and soundness of the horse prior to class.

· Assist with set up and cleanup of arena and tacking area, before and a

· Assist the rider and side walkers in getting the horse ready for the lesson by holding the horse for grooming, tacking up, and untacking.

Side Walker

Responsibilities

· Primary focus is on the rider.

· Help prepare rider for class as needed.

· Assist with rider support during mounting and dismounting as necessary.

· Listen and follow instructions the Instructor, Lead team member, and Executive Director

· Assist the rider in grooming, tacking, untacking, and completing tasks in a lesson.

Not responsible for the horse.

In return for a commitment to side-walking and horse handling, in at least two lessons per week for 6-week session, Team members are offered enriching benefits which include:

Educational Series: held several times throughout our program year, the educational series covers various equine and disability related topics. These sessions are held at Allied Horsemanship and are free to active team members.
Active Team Members receive 15% off recreational riding lessons, clinics, and shows at Allied Horsemanship.
*Must have been actively side-walking in past six months or during the season in which you want to ride.

To apply for the Allied Team Member Program, interested individuals must be at least 12 years old and complete and application packet. After acceptance into the Allied Team Member Program, individuals must attend a mandatory two-hour training taught by Allied Horsemanship staff.

Please contact Allied Horsemanship to schedule an assessment to determine which program may best suite your needs.

Absence Policy

Consideration for Allied Horsemanship staff is appreciated. Students are asked to call at 608-412-2692 as soon as possible if you know you will miss class.

Lesson Cancellation Policy

The safety and good health of students and horses are the most important concerns of Allied Horsemanship. Classes may be canceled during the following conditions: (Cancelations of lessons will be determined by Allied Horsemanship Instructors).

Temperature extremes
High winds
Thunderstorms or tornado warnings or storms
Access road is flooded.
Charge for lesson if client canceled with less than 3 hour notice or a no call no show

Students/parents/guardians are asked to check the Allied Facebook Page or call at 608-412-2692 if weather is uncertain. If classes are cancelled, it will be posted to Facebook no less than 1 hour before the lesson.

Clothing Requirements

A safety helmet (ATSM-SEI approved) must be worn and is provided.
Long pants such as blue jeans, stirrup pants or riding pants.
Protective sun screen, sun glasses and insect repellant as needed.
Shoes with sturdy heels (oxfords, riding boots) or non-slip soles are recommended.
No sandals, crocs, clogs, open-toed or open-heeled shoes, no shorts.

Questions

Allied Horsemanship is a PATH Intl. Center Member

Allied Horsemanship provides Equine Assisted Services as Adaptive Horsemanship. We strive to educate the community of the types of Equine Assisted Services. Below is a great break down of Equine Assisted Services from PATH International.

What are Equine Assisted Services?

Multiple services in which professionals incorporate horses and other equines to benefit people. The horse is the common thread that unites the three following distinct service areas.

Therapeutic/Adaptive Horsemanship

An area of non-therapy services focused on various riding disciplines, carriage driving, and interactive vaulting for individuals or groups with diverse needs. Qualified equine professionals with specialty training or certification develop lesson plans that may include mounted and unmounted activities and fun, creative games to develop horsemanship skills and provide the healthful benefits of interacting with horses.
Horseback riding has a variety of physical, social, and emotional benefits. Physical health benefits include improved fitness, balance, coordination, and posture. Horseback riding can also be relaxing (calming) or invigorating, depending on the horse, the environment and the activities the instructor may present. Taking place indoors and out doors, with the horses, other riders, the instructor and a helpful team of volunteers, riding has the social benefits from being part of a community. The emotional benefits of riding are demonstrated through accomplishments that increase self-confidence as well as through the human/horse connection.
Therapeutic/Adaptive sessions are conducted by a team that includes a certified instructor and the number of center volunteers deemed necessary by the instructor for the activities in the lesson plan.

Therapy

Therapy is provided by licensed medical or behavioral health professionals working within their scope of practice in counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychotherapy, recreational therapy, and speech-language pathology. The therapist determines how equine interactions, movement or aspects of the equine environment may enhance the client's individualized treatment plan with the goals of improving the client's sensorimotor, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, or psychological function for improved health and wellness. Best practice dictates the therapy professionals obtained specialized training focused on the safe inclusion of horses in treatment.
The therapist leads the treatment team that includes a certified equine specialist or certified therapeutic riding instructor and trained staff/volunteers who ensure everyone's safety.

Equine-Assisted Learning

A Center might offer any of the following:

Equine-Assisted Learning in Education: professionals with a knowledge of learning theory and teaching methodology focus on life skills, including leadership, character-building and academic skills. They may develop contracts with schools and integrate specific educational strategies, academic standards and character education within their curricula and provision of services.
Equine-Assisted Learning in Organizations: Professionals assist members of corporations, organizations and other work groups in building effective teams and leaders that enhance work dynamics and performance. They must have knowledge of organizational their, team building, strategic planning or leadership development and many integrate a variety of coaching and team building strategies.
Equine-Assisted Learning in Personal Development: professionals assist individuals and groups in handling life changes and opportunities by developing skills in effective problem-solving, decision-making and communication. Service providers must have extensive training or certifications in facilitation, coaching or teaching and knowledge of the distinct differences between personal development and psychotherapy.

Equine- Assisted Learning sessions will be provided by individuals such as teachers, organizational strategists and life coaches possibly with the inclusion of certified equine specialists who helps make sure the sessions are safe for everyone and may also include center volunteers/staff.