We are looking for homes for some of our horses. Some are retired, others are still working but are ready for a less hectic schedule and some are just not a good fit for our program but could be very useful in another setting. We are very selective about where our horses go when they leave SAPC and carefully screen anyone that is interested in giving a horse a forever home. If you are interested in learning more please send details of the type of horse you are looking for and the level of care you can provide to Jackie at dwellejm@sapc.edu.
Follow this link to see a listing of the horses. Horses Looking for Forever Homes
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sarah Marsh's Therapeutic Horsemanship Story
by Sarah Marsh
I was first introduced to Therapeutic Riding as a freshman at St. Andrews when Liz walked up and said “You need to volunteer with the Therapeutic Riding Program.”
“Okay…what’s that?” Prior to coming to St. Andrews I had never been exposed to the world of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies, but I was quickly hooked. There is something that happens in a therapeutic riding lesson that is just magic. There is no other way to explain it.
I continued to volunteer in the therapeutic riding program throughout my time at St Andrews, graduated with a degree in business, and headed off into the working world. Five years later I was burned out. Though I had the opportunity to work for a couple great companies and learned a lot professionally during this time, I also learned about myself personally. We spend so much time and energy at our jobs that for me, a paycheck wasn’t enough. I needed to work somewhere that fed my soul, not just my bank account.
A wise friend who is a professor at the University of New Hampshire gave me the advice to figure out when I was happiest, and see how I could make that work. I realized that when I was happiest was when I was volunteering, specifically when I was volunteering with Therapeutic Riding Programs. So I began to pursue certification, and after that things began happening quickly.
Once I committed to making this change, I jumped in with both feet. Four months after enrolling in the certification class at UNH, I had passed my registered instructors exam. I sent out a resume on a whim, more to gauge what areas I needed to improve to be an attractive candidate to future employers than with any expectation that I would be hired. Two weeks later I accepted a job offer from Sagebrush Equine Training Center for the Handicapped in Hailey, ID. Two weeks after that I was driving across country to a job and a state I’d never seen. A week after that I was teaching full-time, 28 lessons a week! My head still spins thinking about that.
The next two years were some of the richest of my life. I worked as an instructor, the Volunteer Coordinator, and Assistant Program Director for Sagebrush. We operated four days a week and had about 130 riders per session. I learned so much being fully submersed in working full-time at a therapeutic riding program, but the most important lessons I learned were from my students.
I could share countless stories of perseverance, determination, and overcoming overwhelming odds to succeed. I was blessed to cross paths with some truly amazing people and for a few short years, I got to be a part of their stories. I learned to appreciate every moment, because you never know when your life can completely change in the blink of an eye. I learned that no matter what happens you can always find something to be grateful for, no matter how small. I had never experienced anything so humbling in my life.
I was eager to give back to these participants for all that they had taught me, and how better to do so than by becoming the best instructor I could be. I began preparing for Advanced Certification. I sought out any educational experience I could to learn more about the disabilities I most commonly encountered, about general teaching and learning principles, and anything I felt would enrich the services I was able to provide to my students. But something was still missing.
In the summer of 2010, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Marty Clements, a PT who was preparing to get certified in hippotherapy. She was assisting in a lesson with an adult rider with Multiple Sclerosis I had been working with for two years. It was one of those lessons that while it was enjoyable and while we were achieving measurable goals and objectives, it still left me feeling like I wasn’t doing enough, like I was letting her down because I couldn’t do more. The first time I worked with Marty it clicked – this was what was missing! Though she had not been utilizing horses in a therapy setting for very long, Marty was able to draw upon her knowledge and experiences to quickly evaluate where some of the participants main challenges lay and come up with exercises incorporating the horse and horse’s movements to help her address some of these areas. This was what I needed to give back more, to give back better than I was. I realized with a better understanding of the human body, how it ideally works, and how to address issues that may arise when it’s not functioning in the ideal state, I could help not only physically involved riders, but also have better tools to assist able-bodied riders as well.
So here I am a year later. I have left behind a job, riders, and a place I loved to keep pursuing this dream of doing more, of giving back better. I have moved to Bozeman, MT in preparation to get my doctorate in Physical Therapy. I am a volunteer instructor at Eagle Mount here in Bozeman and have been accepted at Montana State in the pre-physical therapy program so I can complete the needed pre-requisites. My goal is to be accepted into the Physical Therapy program at the University of Montana for the fall of 2014. It will not be a short road or an easy one. I am working two jobs to save to go back to school for an education I hope to have completed six years from now. Had you asked me three years ago before I started this journey if this is where I would be, I would have laughed. But I it’s not about me. I am doing this for the Anns, the Lilis, the Zacs, the Reannas, and all those I haven’t met yet. I am doing this because I have a responsibility and a need to give back to those who have taught me so much, those who have made my life better.
It always amazes me to look back and see where this journey started. I had the opportunity recently to experience that journey come full circle when I traveled to High Hopes in Connecticut for Advanced Instructor Certification. It was very special to me to get to see Liz again now that she is the Program Director at High Hopes. She started it all ten years ago by recruiting me to volunteer in the program at St. Andrews. Adding to the uniqueness of that moment was the fact that one of my evaluators was Lorrie Renker, the founder of the Therapeutic Horsemanship program at St Andrews. So in a long and round-about way, I owe this all to the Equine Program at St Andrews. You never know where donating an hour a week will lead…
I was first introduced to Therapeutic Riding as a freshman at St. Andrews when Liz walked up and said “You need to volunteer with the Therapeutic Riding Program.”
“Okay…what’s that?” Prior to coming to St. Andrews I had never been exposed to the world of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies, but I was quickly hooked. There is something that happens in a therapeutic riding lesson that is just magic. There is no other way to explain it.
I continued to volunteer in the therapeutic riding program throughout my time at St Andrews, graduated with a degree in business, and headed off into the working world. Five years later I was burned out. Though I had the opportunity to work for a couple great companies and learned a lot professionally during this time, I also learned about myself personally. We spend so much time and energy at our jobs that for me, a paycheck wasn’t enough. I needed to work somewhere that fed my soul, not just my bank account.
A wise friend who is a professor at the University of New Hampshire gave me the advice to figure out when I was happiest, and see how I could make that work. I realized that when I was happiest was when I was volunteering, specifically when I was volunteering with Therapeutic Riding Programs. So I began to pursue certification, and after that things began happening quickly.
Once I committed to making this change, I jumped in with both feet. Four months after enrolling in the certification class at UNH, I had passed my registered instructors exam. I sent out a resume on a whim, more to gauge what areas I needed to improve to be an attractive candidate to future employers than with any expectation that I would be hired. Two weeks later I accepted a job offer from Sagebrush Equine Training Center for the Handicapped in Hailey, ID. Two weeks after that I was driving across country to a job and a state I’d never seen. A week after that I was teaching full-time, 28 lessons a week! My head still spins thinking about that.
The next two years were some of the richest of my life. I worked as an instructor, the Volunteer Coordinator, and Assistant Program Director for Sagebrush. We operated four days a week and had about 130 riders per session. I learned so much being fully submersed in working full-time at a therapeutic riding program, but the most important lessons I learned were from my students.
I could share countless stories of perseverance, determination, and overcoming overwhelming odds to succeed. I was blessed to cross paths with some truly amazing people and for a few short years, I got to be a part of their stories. I learned to appreciate every moment, because you never know when your life can completely change in the blink of an eye. I learned that no matter what happens you can always find something to be grateful for, no matter how small. I had never experienced anything so humbling in my life.
I was eager to give back to these participants for all that they had taught me, and how better to do so than by becoming the best instructor I could be. I began preparing for Advanced Certification. I sought out any educational experience I could to learn more about the disabilities I most commonly encountered, about general teaching and learning principles, and anything I felt would enrich the services I was able to provide to my students. But something was still missing.
In the summer of 2010, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Marty Clements, a PT who was preparing to get certified in hippotherapy. She was assisting in a lesson with an adult rider with Multiple Sclerosis I had been working with for two years. It was one of those lessons that while it was enjoyable and while we were achieving measurable goals and objectives, it still left me feeling like I wasn’t doing enough, like I was letting her down because I couldn’t do more. The first time I worked with Marty it clicked – this was what was missing! Though she had not been utilizing horses in a therapy setting for very long, Marty was able to draw upon her knowledge and experiences to quickly evaluate where some of the participants main challenges lay and come up with exercises incorporating the horse and horse’s movements to help her address some of these areas. This was what I needed to give back more, to give back better than I was. I realized with a better understanding of the human body, how it ideally works, and how to address issues that may arise when it’s not functioning in the ideal state, I could help not only physically involved riders, but also have better tools to assist able-bodied riders as well.
So here I am a year later. I have left behind a job, riders, and a place I loved to keep pursuing this dream of doing more, of giving back better. I have moved to Bozeman, MT in preparation to get my doctorate in Physical Therapy. I am a volunteer instructor at Eagle Mount here in Bozeman and have been accepted at Montana State in the pre-physical therapy program so I can complete the needed pre-requisites. My goal is to be accepted into the Physical Therapy program at the University of Montana for the fall of 2014. It will not be a short road or an easy one. I am working two jobs to save to go back to school for an education I hope to have completed six years from now. Had you asked me three years ago before I started this journey if this is where I would be, I would have laughed. But I it’s not about me. I am doing this for the Anns, the Lilis, the Zacs, the Reannas, and all those I haven’t met yet. I am doing this because I have a responsibility and a need to give back to those who have taught me so much, those who have made my life better.
It always amazes me to look back and see where this journey started. I had the opportunity recently to experience that journey come full circle when I traveled to High Hopes in Connecticut for Advanced Instructor Certification. It was very special to me to get to see Liz again now that she is the Program Director at High Hopes. She started it all ten years ago by recruiting me to volunteer in the program at St. Andrews. Adding to the uniqueness of that moment was the fact that one of my evaluators was Lorrie Renker, the founder of the Therapeutic Horsemanship program at St Andrews. So in a long and round-about way, I owe this all to the Equine Program at St Andrews. You never know where donating an hour a week will lead…
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Equine Business Internships
Laurinburg, N.C. – The Equine Business Management program at St. Andrews offers students hands-on experiences in both the equestrian and business aspects.
The ideal scenario of hands-on training was obtained this past spring when six Equine Business Majors tackled seven local internships.
Amber Powell, Erica Hill and Karen Gruninger did equine specific internships off campus in three diverse areas of the industry.
"I got to do a little bit of everything and they were very good about getting me involved,” said Powell of her internship with Gene Parker Farms, LLC, a breeding and showing facility in Orrum. “The value of this internship was that getting up at 5 a.m. is exhausting and it is a long day with hard work but the experience was priceless."
Powell felt so prepared by the experience that she has no doubt that she could move to another facility and step in.
"I learned how to do each of the processes and I feel like I could go to any breeding farm and step in right away,” she said. “This is how a business should be run. I also learned how crucial it is to get prepared and try to stay a step ahead. I would love to find a job somewhere like that."
Hill had a similarly successful at The T3 Ranch in Laurinburg.
"It was a great environment for me,” Hill said. “I thrived in the family atmosphere. It allowed for the refining of my skills and to refocus my steps for progression. It was not what I expected, and I had to do a 180 on my thinking.
“The learning here at St. Andrews forced me to partner with the horse and I took that to this internship,” she added. “I got the ranch on the track of education that moved them from a raw material location to a show level facility."
Gruninger worked with Carolina Horse Park in Raeford as well as doing an internship with the St. Andrews Equestrian Center as well.
"On schooling days at the Carolina Horse Park, I was in charge of theses events and collected paperwork and money, raised jumps in the ring and designing courses for some of the show,” Gruninger said. “I helped with the Southern Pines Horse Trials I and II. The first was for 300 local riders and the second is the first stop for the pro-rider tour with Olympic riders.”
Gruninger was able to network with those Olympic riders and others knowledgeable of the ins and outs of equestrian events.
"I did the administrative work that I hadn't ever experienced before,” she said. “I realized the value of teamwork. It was different knowing that no matter what, if something needed to get done, whether it was your normal skill set or not, we had to get it done. Organizing events I realized how important it was to do things but you hold on until the end. There is only so much you can do once the day arrives."
This helped Gruninger in her work with the St. Andrews Equestrian ANRC program.
“It included event entry, cleaning out the trailer, packing, and going down early for the ANRC to set up the barn so the horses could come straight off the trailer and go into the barn,” Gruninger said. "I learned the importance of effective communication before, during and after the events. I also learned about event entries. I have done my own entries before, but getting an entire barn together was definitely a learning experience."
Equestrian Program Director Peggy McElveen was highly impressed with Gruninger’s work.
“She has worked 12 – 14 hour days and done a fantastic job,” McElveen said. “She was the backbone of the team, planning horse feedings around competitive ride times, getting all the barn management done on time and knowing the rules of the competition to make sure everyone was in compliance. She was fabulous.”
Despite the success, Gruninger already knew that it is not the full-time direction for her future.
"I enjoy going to shows but it is not a full-time career choice for me,” she said. “I always knew what I wanted to do but one of the things I like about this program is getting to see all the facets of barn management."
Jenn Callahan also spent the semester working with the St. Andrews Equestrian Center events coordination, with hers specifically focusing on hunter seat clinics.
“I worked with the Scot Evans clinic with the ANRC team and the Sarah Good clinic helped prepare for the IHSA Zones," Callahan said. "I learned about the importance of organizing, scheduling, researching and promotion."
Through working with the other students and the staff with the events, Callahan saw an added value of the experience.
"I realized that you are never done learning,” she said. “A clinician can change one thing and the light bulb goes off."
Allison Brewer and Marissa Romaniello had parallel internships focused on publicizing the St. Andrews Equestrian Program to the world through web and social media outlets.
"My internship was to work around the equestrian website in the St. Andrews Communications Office,” said Brewer. "I learned the importance of strong communication, especially when you are working with someone. I did a lot of research and had to determine the most reliable sources because there are so many ideas out there. Time management was another key lesson and I realized this is something I need to improve on."
While Brewer was focused specifically on the website and video, Romaniello worked on the social media promotions more directly attached to the Equestrian center.
"I worked in marketing with a specific focus on social media,” Romaniello said. “We had a blank slate as this position was created for me. We started with a survey to determine where we should focus. "We created a schedule to provide our fans to get a taste of what we do here and we hope to get more participation in the future,” she continued.
Reposted from http://www.sapc.edu/PDF/2011/062011tebusinesinterns.php
The ideal scenario of hands-on training was obtained this past spring when six Equine Business Majors tackled seven local internships.
Amber Powell, Erica Hill and Karen Gruninger did equine specific internships off campus in three diverse areas of the industry.
"I got to do a little bit of everything and they were very good about getting me involved,” said Powell of her internship with Gene Parker Farms, LLC, a breeding and showing facility in Orrum. “The value of this internship was that getting up at 5 a.m. is exhausting and it is a long day with hard work but the experience was priceless."
Powell felt so prepared by the experience that she has no doubt that she could move to another facility and step in.
"I learned how to do each of the processes and I feel like I could go to any breeding farm and step in right away,” she said. “This is how a business should be run. I also learned how crucial it is to get prepared and try to stay a step ahead. I would love to find a job somewhere like that."
Hill had a similarly successful at The T3 Ranch in Laurinburg.
"It was a great environment for me,” Hill said. “I thrived in the family atmosphere. It allowed for the refining of my skills and to refocus my steps for progression. It was not what I expected, and I had to do a 180 on my thinking.
“The learning here at St. Andrews forced me to partner with the horse and I took that to this internship,” she added. “I got the ranch on the track of education that moved them from a raw material location to a show level facility."
Gruninger worked with Carolina Horse Park in Raeford as well as doing an internship with the St. Andrews Equestrian Center as well.
"On schooling days at the Carolina Horse Park, I was in charge of theses events and collected paperwork and money, raised jumps in the ring and designing courses for some of the show,” Gruninger said. “I helped with the Southern Pines Horse Trials I and II. The first was for 300 local riders and the second is the first stop for the pro-rider tour with Olympic riders.”
Gruninger was able to network with those Olympic riders and others knowledgeable of the ins and outs of equestrian events.
"I did the administrative work that I hadn't ever experienced before,” she said. “I realized the value of teamwork. It was different knowing that no matter what, if something needed to get done, whether it was your normal skill set or not, we had to get it done. Organizing events I realized how important it was to do things but you hold on until the end. There is only so much you can do once the day arrives."
This helped Gruninger in her work with the St. Andrews Equestrian ANRC program.
“It included event entry, cleaning out the trailer, packing, and going down early for the ANRC to set up the barn so the horses could come straight off the trailer and go into the barn,” Gruninger said. "I learned the importance of effective communication before, during and after the events. I also learned about event entries. I have done my own entries before, but getting an entire barn together was definitely a learning experience."
Equestrian Program Director Peggy McElveen was highly impressed with Gruninger’s work.
“She has worked 12 – 14 hour days and done a fantastic job,” McElveen said. “She was the backbone of the team, planning horse feedings around competitive ride times, getting all the barn management done on time and knowing the rules of the competition to make sure everyone was in compliance. She was fabulous.”
Despite the success, Gruninger already knew that it is not the full-time direction for her future.
"I enjoy going to shows but it is not a full-time career choice for me,” she said. “I always knew what I wanted to do but one of the things I like about this program is getting to see all the facets of barn management."
Jenn Callahan also spent the semester working with the St. Andrews Equestrian Center events coordination, with hers specifically focusing on hunter seat clinics.
“I worked with the Scot Evans clinic with the ANRC team and the Sarah Good clinic helped prepare for the IHSA Zones," Callahan said. "I learned about the importance of organizing, scheduling, researching and promotion."
Through working with the other students and the staff with the events, Callahan saw an added value of the experience.
"I realized that you are never done learning,” she said. “A clinician can change one thing and the light bulb goes off."
Allison Brewer and Marissa Romaniello had parallel internships focused on publicizing the St. Andrews Equestrian Program to the world through web and social media outlets.
"My internship was to work around the equestrian website in the St. Andrews Communications Office,” said Brewer. "I learned the importance of strong communication, especially when you are working with someone. I did a lot of research and had to determine the most reliable sources because there are so many ideas out there. Time management was another key lesson and I realized this is something I need to improve on."
While Brewer was focused specifically on the website and video, Romaniello worked on the social media promotions more directly attached to the Equestrian center.
"I worked in marketing with a specific focus on social media,” Romaniello said. “We had a blank slate as this position was created for me. We started with a survey to determine where we should focus. "We created a schedule to provide our fans to get a taste of what we do here and we hope to get more participation in the future,” she continued.
Reposted from http://www.sapc.edu/PDF/2011/062011tebusinesinterns.php
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