Frequently Asked Questions
DIRECTIONS
View MapCALENDAR OF FARM EVENTS
View CalendarINFO REQUESTS
Contact UsEMAIL ADDRESSES
Please refer to our contact page to contact us.WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIPPOTHERAPY AND THERAPEUTIC RIDING?
These services are delivered by a licensed PT or OT who is also dually certified by the American Hippotherapy Association, a Business Member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. Often the services are reimbursable by health insurance plans.
The horse is either lead by a horse professional or long lined by the Hippotherapist. Back riding, which is when a trained professional rides behind the client, may be used in certain limited cases. Whenever Back riding is done, the horses welfare must be strongly considered and safe guarded. In many current NARHA centers which offer Hippotherapy, an actual PT/OT clinic is available on site with various pieces of equipment to help stimulate range of motion, etc. This kind of equipment would be similar to that found in a typical PT/OT clinic.
Therapeutic Riding takes place when a NARHA certified instructor delivers the session. NARHA Instructor Certification is possible at the Registered, Advanced or Master level. To become certified, candidates must be able to demonstrate proficiency on a rigorous set of criteria for each level. They must also demonstrate their knowledge of the NARHA standards and program accreditation standards. They must perform a riding test, pass a written test and demonstrate excellent teaching and lesson planning skills.
A typical therapeutic riding lesson would be taught by a certified instructor who would be the one to plan the lesson, select the horses, train the volunteers and deliver the actual lesson. S/he would work as a team with the volunteers who help assist riders by helping to mount, leading the horse and cueing the riders as appropriate. The people who attend this therapeutic riding session would be called riders or students rather than clients. Riding skills would be the focus of the lesson program.
Therapeutic Horsemanship would be the term used when students do not ride the horse but rather engage in other activities with the horse. These activities could include Developmental Vaulting (gymnastics on the moving horse); Therapeutic Driving; Grooming or Ground work (such as Natural Horsemanship, T Touch, Equine Body Work, etc.) These alternative activities would be supervised and planned by a NARHA Instructor or a Psychotherapist and would include everything but riding.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THERAPEUTIC RIDING OR HORSEMANSHIP AND EQUINE FACILITATED PSYCHOTHERAPY?
In Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy, the person in charge of the riding or groundwork session must be a licensed or credentialed mental health professional who is also certified by EFMHA to deliver the services in partnership with the horse. These lessons can be either mounted or unmounted, depending on the treatment goals for the client. Riding skills may or may not be taught, with the focus being on therapy rather than skill development. Typically, these sessions are one hour in length, mirroring the therapy session in an office setting. The therapist often uses volunteers or a riding instructor to assist with the session but the therapist is the one in charge, setting the goals for the session and taking the lead with the client or group. This work qualifies for third party reimbursement as a therapy session with most health insurance companies which offer benefits for counseling.WHAT IS AN EQUINE SPECIALIST?
This is a new term which has been recently developed by the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association. The Equine Specialist is the horse professional, who may or may not be also a NARHA certified therapeutic riding instructor. The role that this professional plays in the delivery of mental health services is to take care of the horse, insuring its emotional and physical safety. In addition, this person is to make sure that all the people who are involved in the EFP session are safe with the horses. The session is designed and led by the mental health professional in collaboration with the Equine Specialist who makes sure that everyone involved is safe. This person is specifically not allowed to have the clients/students be mounted.WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANIMAL ASSISTED ACTIVITIES, ANIMAL ASSISTED EDUCATION AND ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY?
If a trained and licensed teacher or educator is delivering the session, it is called Animal Assisted Education. Again, the focus is not on teaching riding skills, but rather partnering with the horse to teach academic skills and to build assets which will help the participant(s) be more effective in learning. The horse becomes the motivator for improved academic performance. These services might well be written into an Individual Education Plan and paid for by the school from which the person comes.
In Animal Assisted Therapy, the person delivering the service is a trained and licensed mental health worker who partners with one or more animals to increase mental health and wellness. This would be third party reimburseable.
IS THERE EVER SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN LESSONS AT HORSEPOWER?
At Horse Power, we make every attempt to offer the healing magic of the horses and the farm setting to people of all ages, challenges and abilities to pay. We work extremely hard with our board and donors to never have someone turned away because s/he can not pay. Thanks to the huge generosity of the community, we often are able to offer scholarships to students or groups. However, everyone must pay something to demonstrate their commitment to the services they receive.Again, we work very hard to have anyone who wishes to come to Horse Power be able to participate in some way regardless of the severity of their physical, cognitive or mental illness. We offer such a wide variety of programs that we rarely have to turn someone away because you are too physically or emotionally challenged to ride. Options here at Horse Power can include riding, carriage driving, vaulting, groundwork or working with the farm animal and gardening program. With this variety of programs, we can accommodate individuals with the most severe challenges.
However, we do carefully follow all of the NARHA Precautions and Contraindications which have been developed over the years to safeguard both the humans and horses that are involved in NARHA programs. Our first priority is to keep people, students, volunteers and teachers alike, and animals safe and happy in their work.
WILL MY CHILD, MY GROUP OF MYSELF BE SAFE AT HORSEPOWER? WHAT IS HORSEPOWER'S SAFETY RECORD?
We are proud to say that in nearly 20 years, we have never had a serious accident. We maintain a high standard of care and safety. Our horses are well trained. Our teachers are certified. Our facility is carefully maintained to promote safety for people and horses. We uphold the NARHA Standards and are fully accredited, having received a 100% rating when last accredited. We pay careful attention to detail. We love our students, volunteers and horses. We work tirelessly to make sure that everyone is kept in a bubble of safety while being allowed enough freedom to preserve the dignity of risk. We are proud of our work in maintaining the balance of safety with appropriate risk taking. Through carefully trained staff, selected horses, well maintained facilities and careful screening of students, we have maintained a remarkable safety record for nearly 20 years of Horse Power and 37 years of Pony Farm.One of the most fantastic things about being a NARHA Premier Center is that we have excellent accident coverage should any rider or volunteer get hurt. The Markel Insurance Company has long been in partnership with the best NARHA Centers to provide this insurance, making frivolous lawsuits unnecessary.
HOW ARE HORSEPOWER AND PONY FARM RELATED?
Horse Power is a not for profit that operates on the farm called Pony Farm. Pony Farm is owned by Boo McDaniel, the Founder of Horse Power. Pony Farm offers a summer residential camp, a day camp, a riding & driving lesson program, a horse show series, and a number of specialty weekends. It has been in operation since 1972 when Boo started a summer camp with her two best friends and eight little girls. Since then, Boo has joined with various people who have developed new programs while keeping the old ones thriving. Horse Power was Boo&squo;s dream for many years. She was passionate about sharing the healing of the horses and riding with other people because she had personally experienced this healing power.Horse Power pays rent to Pony Farm and boards its string of horses at Pony Farm. Together, these two organizations offer programs to all people, of all ages and abilities. Thanks to a strong staff, dedicated Horse Power Board of directors and a committed Pony Farm Advisory Council, the future of both organizations is bright indeed. It is everyone's mission that the legacy of both Pony Farm and Horse Power will thrive long into the future, enduring for many years to come.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HORSE POWER INSTRUCTOR TRAINING SCHOOL AND THE HORSE POWER 10 DAY INTENSIVE COURSE IN JANUARY?
During this time, they will learn to teach, ride, train, handle horses and plan lessons through daily practical hands on learning. They will also receive many hours of lectures about mental health, mental illness and diagnosis, treatment plans, learning styles, horse care, NARHA standards and accreditation, riding skill development and training.
The course will culminate in the Director (currently Boo McDaniel in collaboration with the Horse Power instructors, but specifically Kathy Wile, as Assistant Director; Terri Devlin, Program Director and Volunteer Coordinator for Horse Power; and Lorna Young, NARHA Masters Candidate) determining if each candidate is ready for certification at either the NARHA Registered or Advanced Level. Upon successful completion of the HP Instructor Training Course and all NARHA requirements and the NARHA written test, the graduates will become certified by NARHA.
We have two OPEN HOUSES each year for those interested in attending. During these Open Houses, prospective students will get to meet some of the key faculty, get a complete tour of the farm, and be able to take a careful look at all the course work to determine if this is right for them.
Individuals who wish to attend the course must be able to at minimum walk and trot on the horse, either Western or English. They must have a team spirit, be willing to work and study hard, and have an open attitude. A list of required reading will be furnished. CPR and First Aid must be completed before finishing the HPITS course.
The HP 10 day Intensive Course is offered in January of every year for those who are not able to come to the full three month course. It features the plums of the lectures and course work offered at the longer course. It is an excellent toe in the water for those determining if this is the right career choice for them. In the past, the short course has welcomed farm owners, riding teachers, therapists and educators who want to get a taste of this kind of work. No prerequisites and no reading is required prior to attendance. We do not require a formal interview like we do for the 3 month course. No riding skill is required, although we give people the opportunity to ride during the 10 days. No instructor certification is achieved as a result of coming to this short course. A HP certificate of attendance is given, however.
Please see current dates for all the courses, workshops and open houses on our Horse Power Calendar of Events page.
DO I NEED TO KNOW A LOT TO VOLUNTEER FOR A HORSE POWER CLASS?
Absolutely NOT! We will find a spot in which you can help, taking care not to get you or any student or horse hurt! We can always use more hands on deck for helping in the classes, to helping do horse care, to provided individualized TLC for one horse, to stuffing envelopes, to helping on our fund raisers, (and NO we do not ask you to ask for money!) to serving on a Board committee, to helping with our farm animal and gardening program or to paint or repair the facility. We have a great job for anyone with a willing hand and an open heart. We do lots of volunteer training for those who work in the classes. Call us today and see how you can help make Horse Power stronger and better.IF I VOLUNTEER FOR A CLASS, CAN I RIDE TOO?
The answer sadly is no. We work so hard to carefully monitor how often a horse works for the program. We can not have random rides with folks who may or may not know how to ride. If you are an experienced rider, please speak with the Program Director to see if you could help train or condition a Horse Power horse.If you are wanting to ride yourself, we encourage you to contact the farm to sign up for our Pony Farm Lesson Program for children and adults. We would love to have you as a student in that program because it only makes you a better volunteer in Horse Power. So no, you can not ride in Horse Power lessons but you CAN ride in Pony Farm.
WHICH AIRPORT DO I COME INTO IF I COME TO VISIT HORSE POWER OR ATTEND A WORKSHOP?
The answer to this is easy. MANCHESTER, NH. It is much easier than Boston, Mass. It is about 45 minutes away from the farm. We have a car rental service with a corporate reduction. We have a great local car service which will bring you to the farm if you do not wish to rent a car. We also recommend calling the farm ahead of time and try to coordinate rides with other attendees.Should I plan to stay on site for the school, intensive or workshops? We highly recommend staying on site because we do a lot of evening programming to maximize the time you spend with us. We have delicious food and comfy beds. The lodge is well heated during the winter months. We can accommodate food allergies and are willing to accommodate all types of vegetarians. Dress is casual and comfy. You may choose to bring a sleeping bag or your own sheets. We do provide linens and towels for your convenience at a one time fee of $15. Please do not bring your pets. We have plenty of animals here. We do have access to the internet in several of the farm buildings. We have a copy machine and fax machine. Cell phone reception is spotty but possible. Please do bring your own hard hat if you wish to ride or drive. You are also welcome to bring your own saddle. You are welcome to bring your own libations for after hours.
This region boasts many good places to stay locally and we can surely recommend them. We also have a variety of good restaurants and plenty of fun, specialty shops so the cash does not burn a hole in your pocket!
I AM INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN INSTRUCTOR. HOW DO I KNOW IF I QUALIFY FOR HORSE POWER INSTRUCTOR TRAINING SCHOOL?
Be physically and educationally able and motivated to work hard.
Be personally able to be a healthy, contributing and strong team member.
Have good people skills with the ability to work with a large number of people with differing abilities, outlooks and experiences.
Have sufficient horse handling experience to be able to competently work around a large number of horses, keeping both people and horses safe.
Have sufficient riding experience to at least walk and trot with proficiency on a variety of school horses.
Currently first aid and CPR CAT and Instructor self study completed membership in NARHA and EFMHA
HOW SHOULD I DRESS?
Dress for the school or the workshops is “casually professional”. We try to model a professional demeanor and atmosphere throughout the farm. We would appreciate your helping us to do this through your dress. For any riding, driving or vaulting, we require an ASTM hard hat, of course. If you are coming to a riding workshop, please do bring appropriate boots and breeches or western wear. We do have a nice variety of western saddles and horses if that is your preferred style of riding. Gloves, belts, minimal jewelry and hairnets are a nice plus. If you would prefer to bring your own saddle, feel free.. but please leave your horse and your hound at home. We have plenty to share with you here.HOW CAN I GET IN TOUCH WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, AND THEM ME?
A phone is available for your use in the office for emergencies. Most people do bring cell phones and have pretty good success getting service. You are welcome to check emails as we do have wireless internet service and a computer station in the lodge for your convenience.For family or barn staff at home, someone is always by the phone during the day at (603)654-6308 Farm.
For dire emergencies at night, my home phone number is (603) 654-2243 but this should only be used when truly necessary. Our fax number is (603) 654-4077.
WHAT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO GET TO HORSE POWER AND PONY FARM?
Transportation to the lodge is easy. We STRONGLY recommend flying into Manchester, NH airport as it is only 45 minutes away and very easy to fly into from all over the country. Do NOT try to fly into Boston to try to save an extra few dollars. It is not worth the hassle and you will more than make up the difference getting here from Boston, Mass which is over 2 hours away.We have formed a professional relationship with LA Limo as the shuttle service from Manchester. They are terrific. Tina is the owner and she works hard to team up people flying in to share transportation. Their number is 603-654-3899. We know you will have a good experience and it is surely the easiest and cheapest way to get here.
Although we would love to offer to take you to the airport or pick you up, please don’t ask us. We work so hard right before the start of the school or a workshop or clinic that we need “all hands on deck” getting things just right for your arrival. Thank you for your understanding on this.
DO I NEED TO RENT A CAR?
People have said that they felt that once they got here, they wished they had not rented a car. It was an unnecessary expense as there was always someone of the farm staff or guests who were going to town. Unless you are looking for more ways to spend money, let us chauffeur you around.PLAN AHEAD, TREAT YOURSELF TO SOMETHING SPECIAL. A MASSAGE OR SOME REIKI.
The lodge will be offering therapeutic massage and Reiki for any guests who so wish this kind of service. We only work with fully licensed professionals and it is a service that the lodge arranges. You would pay the therapist directly.CLOSING MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER
Whether you are joining us for one day or three months, it is our heartfelt wish that you are made to feel most welcome from the minute your start making your arrangements to come, to the moment you pick up your certification of achievement. We want you to feel like a part of our ‘extended family’ of great people, great kids, great horses, great animals and a great countryside of beauty surrounding us.It is my most sincere desire to continue the traditions that have made this farm the centerpiece of the surrounding farming community since it was built in 1754. Come, relax, learn, enjoy, sleep, renew, rejuvenate and return to the world feeling a renewed commitment to make it a better place for the people and animals you serve. Let us all join together in a spirit of respect, dignity and mutual benefit to learn and grow and thrive!
***Call us for any other questions or specific needs. Call at (603) 654-6308.
