Equine Specialist Workshop

The Equine Specialist workshop is a three-day workshop offered to equine professionals and therapeutic riding instructors who work or would like to work with students with mental health and/or learning issues. The workshop also benefits those who work with mental health or education professionals, helping to enhance cooperation and provide a more complete experience.

This workshop will give an overview of Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) standards and core values, and provide overviews of EFL and EFP programs and examples of what EFL or EFP sessions will look like. In addition, ES workshops will detail the role the equine specialist is meant to play in a session, offer lesson roleplays and hands-on experience, and discuss the therapy and education teams and the importance of the equine professional’s role in maintaining the safety of all in the team – particularly the equine partner.

To find an Equine Specialist workshop, please see the PATH Intl. Events Calendar for dates and locations. Complete the application below and send it to the specific host center facilitating the workshop you wish to attend.

Equine Specialists should be able to:

• Create and maintain a therapeutic and educational environment for all participants.
• Understand how to maintain PATH Intl./EFMHA standards, including the care, management and humane treatment of the equine.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of all equines participating in EFL/EFP sessions, and serve as the equine expert during all equine/human interactions.
• Collaborate with all members of the team (mental health professionals, educators, volunteers and equines) to meet the goals of the client’s treatment plan or individual education plan.
• Assist in designing appropriate exercises for clients based on their IEP or mental health treatment plan.

Independent Mental Health or Educator Certifications: visit www.cbeip.org

Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning Certification Booklet

Questions?

Visit the Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning FAQ page.

Register or Host a Workshop

• Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning Intent to Host
  

• Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning Workshop and Skills Application

Please see the PATH Intl. Events Calendar for dates and locations for equine specialist workshops.

Previous Fast Track Option

The Equine Specialist for Mental Health and Learning certification is meant to certify an individual as the horse handler in any un-mounted mental health or learning session.

If you are a current PATH Intl. certified instructor and have been participating or plan to participate in an EFP or EFL program, please review our PATH Intl. certified instructor option located on page 20 of the certification booklet. This option, previously known as the Fast Track, allows any current PATH Intl. certified instructor to submit his or her portfolio to the PATH Intl. office and begin taking the online exams for the Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning certification. This option is meant to help centers and instructors meet the new 2011 standards, specifically the EFP specialty standards. Some centers have expressed concern over the new standards; please remember all centers have two years to comply with the new standards. This option will help individuals get certified without spending a great deal of time and money to travel to a workshop and skills test.

The on-site 3-day workshop and 1-day practical skills test is very educational and informative, especially for those who are not familiar with EFP and EFL sessions and is highly recommended for everyone. However, it is not required for those taking advantage of the PATH Intl. certified instructor option.

The deadline to apply for this option is December 31, 2011. So do not delay if you wish to take advantage of this option! This option is only available for current PATH Intl. certified instructors; other qualifications do not apply and all other certification candidates must attend the onsite workshop and skills test.

Please call the PATH Intl. office with questions.

PATH Intl. ESMHL Certified Instructor Option

With the launch of the new ESMHL certification came concerns that current certified instructors practicing in the field of mental health and learning would need to invest a lot of time and money to attend a workshop and skills test to gain this certification even though they have already been doing the work. Since PATH Intl. did not have this certification available when many dedicated instructors entered the field of mental health and learning, we heard their concerns and created the PATH Intl. certified instructor option. This option assists current instructors who are well versed and experienced in or currently practicing mental health or learning in their PATH Intl. programs. We understand these instructors gained their TRI certification in order to meet PATH Intl. standards as it was the only certification available at the time. In order to assist them in continuing their work and meeting our standards, the certified instructor option was created to alleviate financial burden on those individuals and the centers that offer EFP. It is not meant as a grandfathering process for all instructors. The portfolio, hours of experience and online ESMHL exam is achievable by this particular audience even if they have not attended a workshop or gained the workshop manual. (The ESMHL workshop is beneficial to attend, however, and most current instructors recommend taking it.)

We have heard some concerns and feedback from members who wish to take advantage of the certified instructor option to gain ESMHL certification that they do not have access to the workshop manual or information. The ESMHL certification subcommittee has decided not to grant everyone access to the manual because it may devalue the benefits and efforts members take to attend the workshop as well as put the industry at risk of certifying individuals as an ESMHL who may not yet be ready or prepared to enter this field. In order to protect the professionalism of the industry and this new certification, the committee chose not to make the manual available to all members, just those attending the workshop. Once the PATH Intl. certified instructor option has concluded in December 2011, we may reconsider making the educational manual available for sale to those who have gained the certification through this method so they have the information in it. We will keep our membership up to date as this progresses.

We also welcome feedback on the online exam. It is a brand new exam, and this is our pilot year, so we ask for feedback and patience from our members as changes may need to be made to the exam questions. You can submit your feedback on exam questions to Tara McChesney.