Step 3 Horsemanship Option

OCNCredit4Learning Horsemanship Coach

On successful completion of this course, you will be a qualified therapeutic horsemanship coach, gaining an accredited Level 3 OCNCredit4Learning accredited qualification. Therapeutic horsemanship coaches make horses accessible to individuals and groups with diverse needs. They develop lesson plans that use ground-based activities (e.g., grooming, handling, leading, observing). These activities may help participants attain horsemanship skills, and allow for the naturally healthful benefits horsemanship activities to occur. These include motivation and opportunities to excel as competitive athletes, physical fitness, self-confidence, and social inclusion.

This LEVEL 3 course qualifies you to be able to lead sessions that use basic horsemanship skills and present moment exercises to help people who want to gain sensory input, relaxation, enhanced cognitive skills or improved mobility. It  includes a blend of self-paced distance learning as well as the opportunity for hands-on practice during a 4 day onsite workshop. Learning outcomes include:

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• Understand the different models of equine assisted learning, equine assisted psychotherapy and hippotherapy.
• Describe the theory of experiential learning.
• Demonstrate awareness of the ethical and safety considerations involved when working with equines and vulnerable people.
• Demonstrate safe equine handling.
• Plan, deliver and evaluate ground based therapeutic horsemanship sessions, showing how observations and evaluations inform future session plans.
• Analyse and evaluate a variety of learning and evaluation tools.