Not Just A Pony Ride – Details, episodes & analysis

Executive function is the cognitive process of the brain that allows us to set goals, plan things, stay organized and make the right decisions while keeping our emotions in check.  It consists of a series of 7 skills: self-awareness, inhibitory control, non-verbal working memory, verbal working memory, emotional self-regulation, self-motivation and planning/problem solving. This episode will take a look at each one of these skills and how deficits in one or more of these areas might impact our riders in the arena.  We will talk about helpful strategies and ways to help our participants be successful despite challenges with executive functioning. 

For more helpful learning strategies and an in depth look at ADHD checkout this webinar:  https://vimeo.com/ondemand/understandingadhdineas

Learn more about the Leadership Adventures EAL Summit here:   https://www.equineassistedlearning.org/

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We have been getting a lot of questions lately about how to get involved in the Equine Assisted Services industry.  There are SO many ways to make an impact, listen in to hear the options and what all goes into each area of service.  Today we will cover options for instructors, therapists, coaches, educators, facility, horse and volunteer management as well as the different areas of programming and what qualifications you may need for each! 

Be sure to check out all of these resources for a deeper look!: 

Instructor Certification with CHA:  https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/TnWvIb51xLb

Instructor Certification with a Therapeutic Horsemanship Degree at University:  https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/SIgG3H01xLb

Adaptive Riding vs. Therapy Services:  https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/2ykDTlc2xLb

American Hippotherapy Association:  https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/SGv2nM71xLb

Horse Powered Reading: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/wbbCxbY1xLb

EAL Certification with Strides to Success:  https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/oOAeHSf2xLb

EAL and EA Psychotherapy with the HERD Institute:  https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/JgvAWMh2xLb

EAGALA:  https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/G2rdvI01xLb

Graduate Students in EAS:   https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/UuE1rT71xLb

Learn more about the Leadership Adventures EAL Summit here:   https://www.equineassistedlearning.org/

Follow us on social and plug in here:  https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio

Emily Dillard has the best of both worlds.  She is a School Psychologist and the Dean of Students at Explorer Academy, a unique school that serves those in special education.  She is also a PATH Intl. Certified Instructor and associate program director for Bison Strides, an equine-assisted services program in Fargo, ND.  Her worlds collided in a very special offering in which she organized the core competencies of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and overlayed them with equine assisted learning.  SEL can be a very difficult subject to engage students in, but Emily has found the horses make it motivating and fun for the kids to learn. Listen to hear how she organized the program including staffing logistics, liability, preparation and funding for the program. 

Learn more about Bison Strides:  https://www.bisonstrides.org/

This episode is proudly sponsored by Stable Moments:  EAL for Complex Trauma. https://www.stablemoments.com/

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In this episode, Kelli Hatzenbuehler, HETRA’s mental health therapist and project coordinator, shares how important mental health is and why horses are such a good partner for working on ourselves. Join us to hear about healthy boundaries, anxiety, energy, and how she uses the horses to teach these powerful skills and more. Kelli is a Combat Veteran of the Army National Guard in the rank of First Sergeant. She has served as the NE Army National Guard’s Resilience and Risk Reduction, Suicide Prevention Manager, and then the Military OneSource State Consultant. When she is not at HETRA running our mental health and veterans programming, Kelli enjoys spending time with her four active kids.

Check out more education from Kelli and others at: www.hetrauniversity.org

Help us work toward our mission with a donation: https://www.classy.org/give/168754/#!/donation/checkout

This episode is sponsored by Equi-Force. Find out more at www.equi-force.org

Welcome to our brand-new podcast! For our first episode, Kaiti King sits down with HETRA's CEO, Edye Godden, to talk about the different programs that HETRA has to offer the community and why what we offer our participants is "Not Just A Pony Ride." 

Edye started with at HETRA in 1991 as a volunteer, and was made the Executive Director soon after. She was certified as an instructor in 1995, and received her Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist Certification in 2016. Edye has a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Creighton University. In 2007, she was awarded the PATH, Intl. Region 7 Instructor of the Year Award. In 2013, Edye received the “Caring for Others” award from Woodmen of the World.

The "Not Just A Pony Ride" podcast is produced by HETRA University. At HETRA, we are committed to providing high-quality education and programming to our participants and community, but that commitment isn't restricted to the boundaries of the HETRA campus. Now, our Instructors and Therapists can share their wealth of knowledge with you in your very own home! Check out www.HETRAUniversity.org to see all that we have to offer. 

This episode of the "Not Just A Pony Ride" podcast is sponsored by Equi-Force. Find out more about at www.equi-force.org

We all have a Steady Eddy in our barn. We love them and hate to retire them, but what happens when we need to? Shelby is here to talk to us about options and how to plan for success when we retire a herd member.

Get more on Equine Strategic Planning with Shelby’s on-demand webinar:  https://vimeo.com/ondemand/equinestrategicplanning

This episode is proudly sponsored by Teaching Aids for EAS. Use code “HETRA” for 10% off your order now through May 10, 2024.  https://teachingaidsforeas.com/

Follow us on social and plug in here:  https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio

We are adding tools to our instructor toolbox today with another installation of Understanding Diagnoses. This episode is a little different, we aren’t going to talk about a specific diagnosis but rather something that we see most commonly as part of neurodivergent diagnoses.  Stimming. Stimming is short hand for “self-stimulating” – it’s a natural and instinctive behavior that people engage in to regulate their sensory experience. Things like hand flapping, rocking, repetitive vocalizations.  Stimming is a normal thing, but what happens when it interferes with our ability to participate safely in mounted sessions? I’m hoping this episode will help normalize stimming and help folks to understand exactly what it is and when it should or shouldn’t be addressed.

Get a whole lot more tools for your toolbox with this on-demand webinar:  Understanding Autism in EAS: Effective Strategies for Success. Click here:  

This episode is proudly sponsored by Teaching Aids for EAS. Use code “HETRA” for 10% off your order now through May 10, 2024.  https://teachingaidsforeas.com/

Follow us on social and plug in here:  https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio

Barns are not meant to look like the Taj Mahal, but how the public perceives our place of business is important!  We should be advocating for our horses safety and mental health while also putting our best foot forward.  Listen to hear important things to consider when hosting any event or tour including, helpful signage, managing horse vices and unexpected safety tips.  Any person in your barn could be a potential donor, volunteer, staff member or participant, so being conscious of [what seems like minor] things is important! 

Learn more about our Blue Jeans and Dreams event here:  https://hetra.org/events/2024-blue-jeans-dreams.html

This episode is proudly sponsored by Teaching Aids for EAS. Use code “HETRA” for 10% off your order now through May 10, 2024.  https://teachingaidsforeas.com/

Follow us on social and plug in here:  https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio

When grief isn't expressed or addressed, it can lead to prolonged states of depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and chronic health issues. It can also strain relationships, impair work performance, and diminish our overall quality of life.   On this episode, Sandy Lemen, Director of Programming at The Collective for Hope, is here to explain how we can help.  Anyone can provide support in this arena and it’s her hope that everyone will. Showing up and holding space without judgement, without making it about us, without "silver linings"  – with validation and companionship instead - can go a very long way.  Listen to hear how we have created a program at HETRA, in partnership with our OTD Student JJ Simons, to help fill the gap for grief support in our community with the healing help of horses.  

Find a grief support program near you at the National Alliance for Children’s Grief:  https://nacg.org/

Learn more about The Collective for Hope here:  https://thecollectiveforhope.org/

This episode is proudly sponsored by Teaching Aids for EAS. Use code “HETRA” for 10% off your order now through May 10, 2024.  https://teachingaidsforeas.com/

Follow us on social and plug in here:  https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio

Sustainability and longevity of our programs is directly linked to high-quality services for our participants.  If our horses are unhappy, our programs aren’t impactful.  If our volunteers aren’t effective, our programs feel it.  If our instructors/therapists aren’t doing their best, programs are successful.  We train our horses, volunteers and staff to our standard, but how do we ACTUALLY know that they are continuing that way?  At HETRA we started doing Observation weeks!  Listen in to learn how you can implement this strategy and why it’s important no matter what size of program you have. 

For FREE access to our observation checklist for instructors/therapists:   https://notjustaponyride.ck.page/3d704a234e

To hear more about our volunteer training levels: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/volunteerstructure

To here more about our horse leader training process (Part 1 of 3):  https://vimeo.com/ondemand/leadingpart1

This episode is proudly sponsored by Teaching Aids for EAS. Use code “HETRA” for 10% off your order now through May 10, 2024.  https://teachingaidsforeas.com/

Follow us on social:  https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio