Shows
Not Just A Pony Ride147. Making a Change in Your Center? It's more complicated than we thought!n this episode, Shelby and Kaiti unpack a realization that genuinely surprised them. Of all the education we have provided recently around equine welfare, we assumed the biggest hurdle would be whether people wanted to make changes and what changes to make. What we discovered instead was something very different — and much heavier. Most people do want to improve welfare practices, but feel stuck behind barriers that seem out of their control.We talk honestly about what those barriers look like in the real world: leadership resistance, lack of buy-in, tight budgets, and the quiet frustration of kn...
2026-01-3118 minNot Just A Pony Ride146. Seizure Disclosure FormIn this episode we walk through the Seizure Disclosure Form and policies used at HETRA, explaining not just what we ask, but why it matters. This conversation is designed to support transparency, safety, and collaboration. We talk through how seizure information helps staff make informed decisions that protect participants, horses, and everyone involved—without creating unnecessary barriers to participation.In this episode, we cover:What information families are asked to share—and how it’s usedHow PATH Intl. standards influence mounted participation decisionsWhen riding may be paused and what alternative programming can look likeHow HETRA communicates seizure-related information respect...
2026-01-1721 minNot Just A Pony RideSHORT 144. Five Things I Would Tell My Younger Executive Director Self…What would you tell yourself if you could go back to your earliest days as an executive director?In this episode, Edye Godden—CEO of HETRA and a leader in equine-assisted services for over 30 years—shares five lessons she wishes she’d known sooner. Drawing from her experience, Edye offers grounded, honest insight for executive directors, program leaders, and emerging nonprofit professionals. Edye’s conversation blends practical leadership wisdom with the perspective of someone who has stayed rooted in mission, people, and horses—while navigating real-world challenges.Link for more information about the NEW mini course launching January 15...
2025-12-2912 minNot Just A Pony Ride143. REPLAY Positive Culture in EAS Staff with Edye Godden, CEOIn the replay of this popular episode, HETRA CEO Edye Godden is sharing with us how HETRA manages a healthy work culture. Tune in for real-world tools and reflections to help you lead with intention and keep what matters most at the center. Hear what tools we have used for staff development too!:Clifton Strengths Finder Gretchen Rubin’s ‘Four Tendencies’ Quiz: https://gretchenrubin.com/quiz/the-four-tendencies-quiz/Stay Interview - Get the copy of our questions on Patreon! patreon.com/notjustaponyrideLink for more information about the NEW mini course launching January 15: Trail to Sustainability: Securing Your Programs F...
2025-12-2230 minNot Just A Pony RideSHORT 141. This Isn’t “Equine Therapy” - Edye Breaks Down Real Terms & Real WorkIn this new series of short episodes - we hear from Edye Godden, OT, CTRI & HETRA’s CEO, for a candid conversation about language, ethics, and professionalism in EAS. Too often, well-intended phrases or flashy-looking credentials can blur lines, misrepresent our field, and ultimately undermine the work we’re all here to do. This episode digs into some big topics, including: Language matters—it defines what we do and adds credibility to our industry. Horses are partners, not “tools” or something we “use.” Being skeptical of new social media and AI “certifications” or “advanced trainings”. Stay in your lane & stay out of troubl...
2025-11-2917 minNot Just A Pony Ride136. Horses as Partners in Mental HealthOn this episode we are honoring World Mental Health Day. The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health. I’m honored to share the work that HETRA does through our mental health services partnering with horses and on this episode to help spread the word is mental health therapist Kelli Hatzenbuehler. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, contact a mental health professional near you or call the national suicide prevention lifeline, 988.Fo...
2025-10-1023 minNot Just A Pony Ride135. Evaluating Potential EAS HorsesYou have identified a potential horse for your program and you’re ready to go take a look. What you do at this initial visit is a pivotal part of setting your new herd members up for success. What do you do while you’re there? How do you do a thorough investigation of their behaviors and medical status? Join us to hear how we do it at HETRA including some policies that we have that help save time, money and keep great herd prospects coming through our barn doors! Potential HETRA Horse Form: https://hetra.org/donate...
2025-10-0427 minNot Just A Pony Ride133. Emergency Dismounts in EAS: What’s your Plan of Action?In this episode of Not Just a Pony Ride, we’re talking about one of the most critical skills for every Equine-Assisted Services team—emergency dismounts. Whether it’s a sudden horse reaction, a participant complication, or an environmental hazard, having a clear plan of action can make all the difference in keeping participants, volunteers, and horses safe. Expect to hear conversation around: Creating a plan of action – why it’s essential and how to ensure every team member knows their roleEmergency Dismount Scenarios – What if your rider is independent? What if a horse is loose? Wh...
2025-09-0630 minNot Just A Pony Ride132. Pairing Horses & Riders: Movement & ConformationIn this episode, we explore how a horse’s unique conformation and natural movement patterns directly influence the rider’s experience, posture, and progress. Kaiti Otte, OT will discuss why we may pair different participants with certain horses including how different diagnoses and impairments may impact those decisions. Learn more about the EAS Workshop, HETRA University Live: Level Up and Lead! https://hetrauniversity.mykajabi.com/hul-level-up-landingFollow us on social and plug in here: https://hetrauniversity.mykajabi.com/HETRAUniversityLinks
2025-08-3024 minNot Just A Pony Ride130. Maintaining the Senior Horse - REPLAY In this replay from episode #21, we’re diving into maintaining our Steady Eddy’s. We all have them and we love them - but how do we balance keeping them happy, healthy, sane and sound with our budget? Shelby Schult, HETRA’s Program Director explains how we do that at HETRA including discussing conditioning regimens, vet work, nutrition supplements and more. GLC Joint Supplement: https://kbchorsesupplies.com/glc-direct/Equine Sustainability Mini Course: https://hetra.org/education/register-for-webinars.htmlThis episode is proudly sponsored by Freedom Rider: https://freedomrider.com/Follow us on social and...
2025-08-0923 minNot Just A Pony Ride129. Having Hard Conversations in EAS: Why is it so hard? with Cindy SchwarzIn this episode, we dive into the challenges of having tough conversations in the equine-assisted services industry with leadership coach Cindy Schwarz from Ears Up Leadership. Why do we avoid hard discussions, even when they’re necessary? Cindy brings clarity and compassion to the topic, exploring the impact of scarcity mindset, our deep desire to be seen as "nice," and the emotional dynamics at play in tightly knit communities. Whether you’re running a program, working on a team, or just trying to speak up more effectively, this episode is packed with insights to help you lead with integrity and...
2025-07-2645 minNot Just A Pony Ride128. Writing Social Stories: Helping participants through new, changing or difficult tasks In today’s episode, we’re diving into social stories — those short, purposeful narratives designed to help people better understand specific situations, events, or tasks. You’ve probably heard of them, especially in the context of supporting neurodivergent children, including those with autism, ADHD, or challenges with transitions and change. Social stories can be incredibly powerful tools — if they’re done right. But writing them isn’t just about being creative; it’s about being intentional. That’s why today, we’re breaking down: What social stories are and who can benefit from them Why they work (and when they don...
2025-07-1925 minNot Just A Pony Ride124. Creating a Positive Culture for your StaffIn this episode, HETRA CEO Edye Godden is sharing with us how HETRA manages a healthy work culture. Tune in for real-world tools and reflections to help you lead with intention and keep what matters most at the center. Expect to hear: Getting to Know Your Team & Managing Conflict Work-Life Harmony and “family first” support.Setting Boundaries at WorkAlso, hear what tools we have used for staff development too!Clifton Strengths Finder Gretchen Rubin’s ‘Four Tendencies’ Quiz: https://gretchenrubin.com/quiz/the-four-tendencies-quiz/Stay Interview - Get the copy of our questions o...
2025-06-0739 minNot Just A Pony Ride122. No Show and Cancellation Policies in EASEAS services are different than going to soccer practice or getting therapy in an outpatient clinic. When we miss a session in EAS, there are many assets still at stake- volunteer time, scheduling time, getting the horse ready, allocating resources to different places to balance work loads etc. How do we give our participants grace while protecting our sustainability? Expect to hear: The importance of clear communication regarding policiesHETRA Cancels vs. Participants Cancels vs. Not ScheduledCrediting participants who are billed up front Differences in managing cancellations for therapy services vs. other programming Link t...
2025-05-1719 minNot Just A Pony Ride121. An EAS Program to Fill a Need: What is the GAP Program at HETRA?Learn all about a unique program at HETRA and how it has grown and developed in this episode with Edye Godden, OTR/L, PATH Intl. CTRI and the CEO of HETRA. We wanted a program for our participants that weren’t exactly ready to transition to adaptive riding, but wanted more independence. It could be that the participant needs skilled intervention occasionally for things like the mount/dismount, posture, position, communication, behavior or mental health — but that they are ready to learn more horsemanship skills, wallah the Group Activity Program (or GAP Program) was born! This episode is prou...
2025-05-1018 minNot Just A Pony Ride119. When do we Introduce the Bridle for our Participants?Part of managing our horses physical and mental health during lessons is making sure our participants are prepared for their next jump in horsemanship. Let’s talk about when to introduce the bit and bridle! How do we stay fair to our horses while helping our participants improve their independence? Expect to hear: Reining in a Halter vs. Reining in a bridle Why does HETRA only use snaffle bits in sessions? Preparing horses for using bridles in lessons Preparing participants for using bridles - including HETRA’s checklist.NEW Mini Course Launching May 1st! Equine Welfare: Sustainabil...
2025-04-2628 minNot Just A Pony Ride115. The Ins and Outs of Equine Lease AgreementsWe just got back from PATH Intl. Region 6 Conference in White Bear Lake, MN (shout out to the River Valley Riders for hosting a great event). During Shelby Schult’s presentation on Equine Strategic Planning, there were a lot of questions around Equine Lease Agreements and how HETRA utilizes leases to bring horses into our programs. It was such good discussion that we thought, let’s bring it to the show! Expect to hear today: The pros/cons of taking horses on donation, purchasing or leasingWhat is an Equine ‘Care Lease’ Agreement?What percentages are right for what hor...
2025-03-1420 minNot Just A Pony Ride114. HETRA University on the Road: Themes from HHRF & Region 7 ConferencesHETRA University was busy flying around the country for education this last weekend! Shelby Schult took a team to Main Stay Therapeutic Riding in Richmond, Illinois for PATH Intl. Region 7 Conference and Kaiti Otte and Edye Godden took a team to San Antonio, Texas for the Horses and Humans Research Foundation. We all took so much away from our time spent with these organizations and we’re talking about the themes today! Highlights from Region 7: Leadership in EAS Current climate of donor giving/relations and the shift of wealth from baby boomers to millennials and women drive...
2025-03-0126 minNot Just A Pony Ride112. All About Therapeutic Carriage Driving with Amy Causey: PART ONEPART ONESo much great information we had to split it up! In PART ONE of this two part episode, hear Amy Causey tell us all about therapeutic Carriage Driving. Amy is such a WEALTH of knowledge for the EAS field- fun fact, she holds all the certifications that are currently offered by PATH Intl. including, Certified Master Instructor, Interactive Vaulting Instructor, Therapeutic Driving Instructor and an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning!In this episode expect to hear: Benefits of Carriage DrivingDifferent variables we can manipulate with Carriage Driving to increase/decrease th...
2025-02-0834 minNot Just A Pony Ride111. What’s in your tack room? Shelby and Kaiti are talking about tack room essentials including what kind of equipment is in HETRA’s tack room as well as how we stay organized when prepping our horses for over 150 sessions per week! Expect to hear Types of “tack accessories” and adaptive equipment in our tack room Why we dismantle our saddles after each use How we organize our tack using a specific labeling system How we make it easy for our “new to tacking” volunteers to learn How we improve efficiency for sessions with organizationWatch the Tack Room Tour over on our HETRA U...
2025-01-2521 minNot Just A Pony Ride110. Scheduling VolunteersHETRA’s volunteer coordinator, Noah Bevington, is here to share his tips and tricks for keeping the chaos organized when it comes to scheduling our volunteers! He shares tips and tricks on:
Communication with volunteers
Consistency in scheduling
Useful tools that help to streamline our scheduling process
Overview of our board system and how we easily update and display the schedule
Learn how to streamline your scheduling process in Salesforce with the help of Equiforce: https://www.equi-force.com/
Get access to examples of our volunteer absence form, volunteer paperwork and our sign...
2025-01-1823 minNot Just A Pony Ride109. Which instructor journey is right for you? “Homegrown”, external mentorship or higher education? with Erin CardeaErin is a lifelong horse woman and very accomplished professional in the equine and EAS world. She is sharing her advice for folks on their journey to becoming involved!
Importance of taking risks and being open-minded.
Tips on networking with the right people
EAS Horse burnout and education for prevention
Benefits of 3 types of “paths” to instructorship: Internal mentorship, external mentorship and higher education
More information about William Woods University including their hopeful program training and desensitizing horses for other EAS centers.
Dr. Erin Cardea is the Dean of Equestrian Studies and the Equine-Assisted Services...
2025-01-1040 minNot Just A Pony Ride108. REPLAY! Understanding ADHD in EASAn oldie but a goodie podcast! If you didn't catch this episode the first time around, listen in now! Kaiti is shedding light on the #2 diagnosis served by the EAS industry, ADHD. We're also highlighting our new mini course that is launching soon, "Unbridled Potential: Support for Neurodivergent Participants in EAS". Don't stop with this podcast, get more tips, tricks and activities with the course!
Get more information and to register for the course here: https://hetrauniversity.mykajabi.com/NeurodivergentEducation
Get all the details and to register for the Equine Welfare Workshop here: https://hetra.org/educ...
2025-01-0432 minNot Just A Pony Ride104. Are you missing this critical piece of a lesson?: Defining Skill ProgressionWe’re not talking about the kind of progress participants make from month to month or even week to week. We’re talking about within a single 30-45 minute session, how are you challenging your participants and upping the ante? Riding patterns every week without a SPECIFIC focus on skill progression is not enough. Giving participants opportunities to grow in confidence safely with their skills in each session is what we’re after, but how do we do that? Cassidy Fredrickson, OTR/L, PATH Intl. CTRI and Lead Instructor at HETRA is here to help us figure it all out.
2024-11-291h 07Not Just A Pony Ride103. REPLAY: Setting Weight Limits for EAS HorsesWe are doing a replay of a VERY popular episode, Season 2, Episode 40 of the show. At the time of this episode, Shelby Schult was our acting Equine Operations Manager, which she was for 8 years, but is now our program director here at HETRA. We are replaying this episode because number one it was a really popular listen but also we get a TON of questions on this topic through the show and when Shelby presents on Equine Welfare at conferences. As you know we are really passionate about that around here, so that is why we decided to take this...
2024-11-1642 minNot Just A Pony Ride102. What does McDonalds have to do with EAS? Thoughts on Running your Non-Profit as a BUSINESS with Joe Wappelhorst, ED of SIRE2 Tips for going into episode 102… #1 it’s a little longer than our typical episodes, so be prepared fr that, but #2 it’s longer because it’s JUICY. There was too much good information to make it any shorter! Joe has such a fresh perspective on managing therapeutic riding centers. Joe Wappelhorst is the ED at SIRE and he was able to not only grow their organization SUBSTANTIALLY in a short amount of time, but also really position them in a sustainable spot that they did not have before he arrived. What’s unique about Joe is that he is not a grassr...
2024-11-091h 10Not Just A Pony Ride101. Understanding Diagnoses in EAS: Muscle Tone - Hypertonia vs. HypotoniaToday we are gong to look at tone. Everyone has heard it… high tone, low tone, fluctuating tone, spasticity … what does all that even mean!? Spoiler alert it’s can be a little complicated and depending on the diagnoses can look very different from participant to participant. Today we are going to do our best to simplify it and break down the basic differences between hyper- and hypo-tonia and how both impact our participants in the saddle.
Register for the LIVE WEBINAR: Postural Corrections and Modifications for Adaptive Riding Participants, November 17th at 6:30 PM CT https://form.jotform.com...
2024-11-0130 minNot Just A Pony Ride100. What is the Importance of Staying Adaptable as a Center?We’re celebrating 100 episodes of the podcast! Listen in to hear Edye Godden, CEO of HETRA and Erin Bevington, COO of HETRA, share their thoughts on how we have stayed adaptable as a center and why that is so important for sustainability. We share great reflections and some laughs about the adventure to where HETRA has ended up today.
Follow us on social and plug in here: https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio
This episode is proudly sponsored by Equiforce. https://www.equi-force.com/
2024-10-1833 minNot Just A Pony Ride98. It’s time to focus on Equine Welfare in EASAs the EAS industry continues to expand and diversify, it is of utmost importance to keep the needs of our equine partners at the forefront of the movement. The better you are to your horses, the longer they will be in your program. It’s about education and staying honest with yourself about what our horses need to stay happy, healthy, sane and sound.
Check out HETRA University Live, October 4-5, 2024: https://hetra.org/education/pre-conference-hetra-university-live.html
Check out these Equine Welfare webinars now for just $10:
Seamless Transitions: Integrating New Horses...
2024-10-0426 minNot Just A Pony Ride97. What goes into a thorough participant evaluation?Evaluation of incoming participants is an important piece of the puzzle in so many ways. It helps your participant be as successful as they can be, but it also helps your instructors, volunteer team and horse team make important decisions and be prepared. Listen to hear what Edye Godden, CEO at HETRA thinks the primary barriers are to thorough evaluations and why they are so important.
Get the CEU’s and more details with Edye’s on demand presentation, Evaluation of EAS Participants here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/evalofeasparticipants
Join us at Patreon to get the web...
2024-09-2121 minNot Just A Pony Ride92. Dallas, Texas: HETRA University on the Road!Kaiti & Shelby traveled from Gretna, NE to Dallas, TX for PATH Intl. Region 8 /LSTEN Conference hosted by Equest! We love to travel to share presentations and learn, but another bonus is getting to see other centers! Expect to hear in this episode:
Hear about out time at Equest’s facility in Dallas
What’s trending in education for our industry?
Exciting sessions we attended
Thoughts on EAL continuing as a trend…
Inside look at what we presented: Preventing Equine Burnout, Understanding Seizures & Understanding ADHD
Register for HETRA University Live: Vol 2, the EAS Workshop in Gretna NE Oct 4 & 5 now! https...
2024-08-0921 minNot Just A Pony Ride91. What is Hippotherapy? A Collaboration with ‘All Things Sensory’
Link to the FULL EPISODE: https://harkla.co/blogs/podcast/317-equine-assisted-therapy-in-ot-and-ptThis week’s episode is a collaboration with some very special folks. Rachel Harrington and Jessica Hill, are two Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants who, in partnership with Harkla, have a podcast called “All things Sensory”. On their podcast they answer questions related to all things sensory, occupational therapy, parenting, self-care, nutrition, and health, all from a therapist’s perspective. If you want to know more about working with children who have sensory processing disorder—they are a WEALTH of information. In episode #317 [of the All Things Sensory Podcast] you will learn abou...
2024-07-1903 minNot Just A Pony Ride89. Does Confidentiality Matter in our Barns? Yes! How is your center protected when it comes to confidentiality? It is important both legally an ethically to maintain proper confidentiality when working with our participants. As instructors and therapists we have access to sensitive health care information such as diagnoses and medical paperwork and it is our job to protect that. Listen in to hear how HETRA manages protected information with our volunteers, staff and others.
We’d love to talk with you about your confidentiality policies, fill out the form here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4890916
Get our confidentiality statement for our volunteers at our Pat...
2024-06-2922 minNot Just A Pony Ride84. What do we do when we need to retire 'Steady Eddy'?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://notjustap...
2024-05-1123 minNot Just A Pony Ride83. Understanding Diagnoses: What is Stimming?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 norm...
2024-05-0322 minNot Just A Pony Ride82. What should we focus on for Positive Public Perception in our barn?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...
2024-04-1919 minNot Just A Pony Ride81. Support for Grief and Loss with the Help of Horses with The Collective for HopeWhen 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. L...
2024-04-1236 minNot Just A Pony Ride80. How do we make sure sessions are ACTUALLY running smoothly? It’s session observation week!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...
2024-04-0525 minNot Just A Pony Ride79. PART TWO: How do you Manage a Board? Valuable Advice on Engaging an Effective Board
A continuation from episode 78- click here if you haven’t heard PART ONE yet. https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ZWaQ3Chl9Hb
Nonprofit work and getting to change lives every day seems like a dream job until you read the fine print. Kimberly Thomas is hear to help us discover how to effectively work with a board of directors/leadership and how to activate engagement. Expect to hear:
What exactly should boards be doing for an organization?
How to integrate new board members effectively
What if board members aren’t a good fit?
Importance of a good...
2024-03-2230 minNot Just A Pony Ride78 PART ONE: How do you Manage a Board? Valuable Advice on Engaging an Effective BoardPART ONE: Nonprofit work and getting to change lives every day seems like a dream job until you read the fine print. Kimberly Thomas is hear to help us discover how to effectively work with a board of directors/leadership and how to activate engagement. Expect to hear:
Variety of “types” of boards
How your board changes as your organization grows
Thoughts on Board Term Limits
How to “evaluate” your board members: “Report Cards”
Setting up expectations -- and more!
Kimberly Thomas is the Executive Director of EPIC for Girls in Omaha, NE. Ms. Thomas brings more than 25 years of experience in the...
2024-03-1530 minNot Just A Pony Ride77. How do Horses Help Reveal our True Selves?: Perspectives for Equine Facilitated Mental Health with Cheryl EriksenCheryl Eriksen has a masters in social work and is an accomplished author, blogger and a life long learner of equine communication. Cheryl has spent decades as an equine professional and extensively studied equine behavior and how it is influenced by what the human brings to the relationship. Through her work in the field of equine assisted psychotherapy and learning, Cheryl has seen and experienced firsthand the healing power of the horse-human relationship. In this episode expect to hear her valuable tips for facilitators including the use of ‘clean language’ for open communication and interpretation of horse behavior as well a...
2024-03-0939 minNot Just A Pony Ride76. What do our Mini Horses do? Miniature Horse Programming at HETRAThis week Cassidy Fredrickson is here to talk all things miniature horses. Our minis are busy at HETRA, from after school programs, mini camps, offsite visits and more! Listen to hear about the logistics of our different programs and some important tips to consider when traveling and working with these important herd members.
Get the PDF download of the PERSONAL SPACE Curriculum here:
https://notjustaponyride.ck.page/personalspace
Follow us on social: https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio
This episode is proudly sponsored by Equicizer: https://equicizer.com/
2024-03-0224 minNot Just A Pony Ride75. Why is Education so Important? Reflections on HETRA University LiveNew Podcast Alert! We recently hosted HETRA University Live and the PATH International Region 7 Conference here in Gretna, NE! Listen in to hear key take aways and our thoughts on why education is so important for our industry professionals.
Thank you to The BARN Therapeutic Riding Center and Rhythms of Grace for sharing their favorite things about conference with us on the episode!
Follow us on social: https://notjustaponyride.my.canva.site/linkinbio
This episode is proudly sponsored by Equicizer: https://equicizer.com/
2024-02-2526 minNot Just A Pony Ride70. What's next for EAS? 2023 at HETRA in Review with Edye Godden, CEOHETRA CEO, Edye Godden reflects on how HETRA has grown and what year 34 was like for us at our center. She talks about her philosophies as a CEO: never settling, always being open to change, thoughts on valuable mentorship and learning from each other in the industry.
Expect to hear:
Challenges HETRA has experienced and what challenges Edye foresees for EAS industry as a whole including horses, donations, grant funding and volunteer recruitment.
Thoughts on how HETRA has grown without adding additional staff time or arena space requirements
Why does HETRA focus so much on education?
Te...
2024-01-0531 minNot Just A Pony Ride69. What is Neurodiversity? Creating a Space of Inclusion in EASSteph Pharr has a unique career as a neurodiversity consultant and psychological educator for the equine-assisted services field. She is here to tell us why it is so important to educate ourselves about Neurodiversity and gives us some tips on creating an inclusive environment including focusing on strength based language. We have an important discussion about “masking” and “stimming” and Steph provides her personal perspectives and experience with self-advocacy under the neurodivergent umbrella.
Reach Steph at stephie.pharr@gmail.com
Sign up for “Equine Strategic Planning” LIVE webinar scheduled on January 11th, here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4851528
Join us for HETRA University...
2023-12-2929 minNot Just A Pony Ride68. How do I find a Grant Opportunity?: Get Creative! Where do I even start to find good grant opportunities? How do I get creative with keywords and grants that might apply to EAS? How do I know if it’s even a good grant for me? What the heck is a 990? Get all your questions answered in this advice packed episode from a true veteran of the grant writing world, Lucy Charvat, HETRA Grant Manager and PATH Intl. CTRI.
Resources from this episode:
Episode 37: All Things Grants
Episode 38. How Can Community Foundations Strengthen Your Organization
Episode 61. Board Management, D...
2023-12-1528 minNot Just A Pony Ride67. An Athletic Trainer Finds Therapeutic Riding: Unique PerspectivesChristina Coxe shares how her life paths have intersected between athletic trainer, CTRI and program manager. We share thoughts on tracts of education for therapeutic riding instructors including the importance of understanding the biomechanics of humans and horses alike. Checkout this episode for an EXCITING announcement. Check out Equi-librium here: www.equi-librium.orgDetails on registration for HETRA University Live! here: https://www.classy.org/event/hetra-university-live/e544602 This episode is sponsored by Freedom Rider: https://freedomrider.com/
2023-12-0243 minNot Just A Pony Ride66. The Art of Creating Sustainable EAS ProgrammingWanting to start a new program? Wanting to figure out how to maintain sustainable programming? This episode is for you! HETRA’s Program Manager, Shelby Schult, sits down with us to discuss the art of program sustainability. Expect to hear information on:
Cost of programming
Community need
Horse Workload & Horse Selection
Diversifying your horse herd
Business Techniques for Success
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Evaluation of the EAS Horse
Preventing Equine Burnout
Potential HETRA Horse Form
This episode is sponsored by Freedom Rider: https://freedomrider.com/
2023-11-1831 minNot Just A Pony Ride65. What does ‘It’s not just a pony ride’ mean to you?: Live from Charlotte, North CarolinaThis episode is a very special one. HETRA University was on the road to PATH Intl. International Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina October 26-28, 2023 and we met so many wonderful people. During the conference we set up an impromptu live recording of the podcast and ended up with this gem of an episode. You will hear some amazing perspectives on what does “It’s not just a pony ride” mean to you. We had professionals from all walks of the EAS life chime in and boy was it inspiring. This is a great episode to share with someone in your life t...
2023-11-0328 minNot Just A Pony Ride64. Transition Programs for Young AdultsStart your own transition program at your center! Transition Programs are for students with disabilities that need extra time after HS graduation to help develop valuable life skills that will prepare them for independence. We hear from two experts in the field from Gretna Public Schools, Kendra Schneider, Assistant Director of Special Education and Dawna Daily with the Gretna Young Adult Program. They share what makes a great program and what to include for success. Then we hear from Diane Bemis the occupational therapist that manages HETRA’s transition program, “Life Skills”. How can horses help with this process? Listen now...
2023-10-2041 minNot Just A Pony Ride59. HETRA University on the Road!: OklahomaHETRA University was presenting live on the road in Stillwater, Oklahoma at the PATH Region 8/ LSTEN Conference. Listen in to hear Kaiti and Shelby discuss their presentations and other big themes in education that they saw while at conference. Kaiti Otte shared Sensory and Behavior: Regulation in EAS and Shelby Schult presented Equine Strategic Planning.
Sensory Hand out at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/notjustaponyride
LSTEN: www.lsten.net
PATH International: www.pathintl.org
Turning Point: https://turningpointriding.org/
ROCK: https://rockride.org/
SIRE: https://sire-htec.org/
2023-08-1114 minNot Just A Pony Ride56. Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Mindful Marketing with Erin Bevington, COO
Listen in to hear how HETRA curates their brand including social media, presentations, images, website and more. COO, Erin Bevington explains our detailed photo and social media policy and how HETRA ensures we are always putting our best foot forward when it comes to marketing. Get access to HETRA’s photo policies on our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/notjustaponyride
2023-06-1632 minNot Just A Pony Ride52. Preparing for the Canter with Shelby Schult, CTRI and Italia RouseA much requested episode on preparing our participants for the canter! This episode is packed with perspective from Shelby Schult, CTRI and HETRA Program Manager and Italia Rouse of Royal T Training, a professional horse trainer in the Omaha area. Listen in to hear about HETRA’s cantering checklist and how we help both our horse and rider prepare for this big step in horsemanship!
Get the cantering checklist by subscribing to our NEW Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/notjustaponyride
Check out Italia’s Training services at https://www.theroyaltbrand.com/
2023-04-2248 min
Not Just A Pony Ride47. Co-Facilitation: Mounted Mental HealthEquine-Assisted Mental Health doesn’t have to be just ground sessions! HETRA utilizes an unique co-facilitation model where our mental health providers, in partnership with a CTRI, utilize mounted sessions to maximize our participants'’ benefits. Listen in to hear Cassidy Fredrickson, CTRI and Kelly Baulisch, LMHP, discuss how they facilitate these sessions including some awesome activities they like to do with their classes to target confidence, problem solving and social interaction.
This episode is sponsored by Stable Moments, learn more here: www.stablemoments.com
2023-02-1136 minNot Just A Pony Ride44. Budgeting for Success with Edye Godden, CEO and Erin Bevington, COOA good budget really is a roadmap for success. Edye and Erin have been working together for the last 20+ years to perfect the process of budgeting for the HETRA organization. Listen in to hear about all of the factors that go into budgeting including cost per session and much much more.
Get more information about HETRA mentoring here: www.HETRAUniversity.org
Submit topic suggestions and questions here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4952203
2023-01-0641 minNot Just A Pony Ride40. Setting Weight Limits for HETRA Horses with Shelby Schult, Equine Operations ManagerSetting Weight Limits and Evaluating Back Soreness
Shelby Schult is the Equine Operations Manager at HETRA and with an education in Equine Studies and a long history of horse experience, she is here to explain weight limits for horses. Setting weight limits is a hot topic that can be very complicated, especially in the EAS realm. In this episode you will learn how HETRA sets weight limits and why we feel it is so important. Shelby covers some pivotal things to keep in mind, some tips, and even covers two examples. See the photos from the examples Shel...
2022-11-1140 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode 38: How can Community Foundations strengthen your organization? with John LevyWhat can community foundations do for you? How do you get involved with a good foundation? What are the ‘need to knows’ when it comes to requesting funding? John Levy, President of the William and Scott Ruth Foundation is here to answer all of our questions! He gives some valuable advice from his experience as a foundation president and as a previous non-profit CEO. Listen now to hear how a good partnership with a Community Foundation can strengthen your organization.
Find out more about HETRA Mentoring at www.HETRAUniversity.org
This episode is sponsored in part b...
2022-10-1431 minNot Just A Pony Ride37. All Things Grants with Lucy Charvat, HETRA Grant ManagerLucy Charvat, HETRA Grant Manager is here to help make the grant process less mysterious! Listen now to hear more on:
Finding Grants
Applying for Grants
The Art of Story Telling
Grant Reporting and much more!
2022-09-2435 minNot Just A Pony RideQ&A: What are some good activities for an EAL Parkinson’s Disease group? with Kelly BaulischQ&A: What are some good activities for an EAL Parkinson’s Disease group? with Kelly Baulisch
On this short episode, we answer a question from our audience! We recently had a question that read: “Looking for ideas for unmounted activities for a Parkinson's group (8-10 participants), several will be in wheelchairs. We have an accessible grooming ramp but looking for activities in addition to grooming. Activities can address: Life skills; socialization, safety and having choices. Vocational skills by following direction and completing tasks. Fine and gross motor skills with grooming and barn work. Looking for safe ideas that i...
2022-07-1508 min
Not Just A Pony Ride33. Helping Children with Complex Trauma Needs with Rebecca Britt of Stable MomentsEpisode 33: Helping Children with Complex Trauma Needs with Rebecca Britt of Stable Moments
This episode features Rebecca Britt, creator of Stable Moments, a unique Equine-Assisted Mentorship program for children in foster care and those with complex developmental trauma. Developmental Trauma is trauma that happens in the first core years of development of a child’s life that can yield a variety of difficulties as those kids grow and develop including social-emotional, cognitive and behavioral struggles. Rebecca explains why children with these needs respond so greatly to working with horses and how her program helps meet those needs. Liste...
2022-07-0157 minNot Just A Pony Ride32. Chiropractic Care for the Therapy Horse with Dr. Cass ThielenHave you ever wondered how chiropractic care benefits horses? What all does it entail? How do they do it? Dr. Cass Thielen is here to answer all your questions! 90% of the brain’s input comes from movement. When movement is strained in some way it creates pain and tension throughout the body. Restoring a horse’s natural movement through chiropractic care essentially helps the body heal itself! Listen now to learn more about why it’s so important to keep the biomechanics of our therapy horse’s in tip top shape!
Get the video and handout of ‘carrot stretch...
2022-06-1730 minNot Just A Pony Ride31. What Motivates A Consistent Volunteer?: A Volunteer PanelConsistent, reliable volunteers make our jobs as instructors and therapists so much easier. It takes the stress off of scheduling, constantly asking people if they’re coming and relieves the worry of if we will have enough people to get it all done! So what motivates volunteers to be so consistent?
In this episode we hear from 3 volunteers at HETRA about why they continue to make volunteering a priority. What keeps them coming back? How did they get started with us?
Hear more about how you can integrate these easy things into your center to start or keep building your pool...
2022-06-0431 minNot Just A Pony Ride30. Christy Landwehr, CEO: Why Should You Certify with the CHA?
Christy Landwehr, CEO of the Certified Horsemanship Association shares everything the CHA can do for you, including the details about their certification for Instructors of Riders with Disabilities. Listen now to hear what makes the CHA different and all the perks they have to offer!
Find out more about the CHA at www.cha.horse
This episode is sponsored in part by Equi-Force. Find out more at www. equi-force.org
This episode is also sponsored in part by Equicizer. Find out more at www.equicizer.com
2022-05-2035 minNot Just A Pony Ride29. Kelly Baulisch, LMHP: What is Self-Regulation?My child can’t focus, my child has no idea how they are feeling, my child doesn’t listen. Ever heard any of these comments from caregivers? Kelly Baulisch LMHP, LPC, LADC explains the valuable skill of self-regulation including why it's so important and key ways to start to teach it in sessions. She even shares tons of resources to help you get started.
Resources from this episode:
Diane Alber, ‘color spots’, social-emotional learning: https://www.dianealber.com/
Slumberkins: https://slumberkins.com/
Sensory Bottles:
Not Just a Pony Ride Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/notjustaponyride
2022-05-0940 minNot Just A Pony Ride28. Julie Boilesen, CEO: How A Local Foundation Makes a Wide ImpactThe Omaha Equestrian Foundation is a non-profit foundation in the Omaha area that has an HUGE impact. Julie shares how the OEF does that through their large scale events, educational offerings and partnerships with other non-profits. She shares advice on how local foundations can help your organization as well as how you could start an OEF of your own! Check out more about the OEF including opportunity for The International and World Cup coming soon to Omaha! https://omahaequestrian.org/
This episode is sponsored in part by Equi-Force. Find out more at www. equi-force.org
Thi...
2022-04-0829 minNot Just A Pony Ride27. Alison Curtis: A Horse Can Feel a Fly: Yoga for EquestriansAlison Curtis has a passion for helping horses feel happy and comfortable in their sport. How does she help horses feel this way? By helping their riders feel more balanced and fluid in the saddle! Listen now to hear how much the rider’s body influences our horses and how we can help them feel more at ease with concepts learned from yoga. She even shares a short stretching routine we can all benefit from. Check out more from Alison at https://equiharmonywellness.com
This episode is sponsored in part by Equi-Force. Find out more at www. equi...
2022-03-2634 minNot Just A Pony Ride26. Frankie Lovato: Not Just a Wooden HorseFrankie is the founder and owner of “Wooden Horse Corporation” who produces the exceptional training tool, “The Equicizer”. Frankie shares with us his journey to success in developing his company and tips for anyone looking to develop new products for the equestrian world! Frankie was a successful jockey beginning his professional riding career at age 16. After an accident left him with a badly fractured left leg in 1981, he created the Equicizer, as a means to rehabilitate. The Wooden Horse Corporation is a proud sponsor of the Not Just a Pony Ride podcast. Check out the Equicizer and more unique content at...
2022-03-1132 minNot Just A Pony Ride25. Katie Oakland: Center Start-UpHow do you turn the life-long dream of owning a therapeutic riding center into reality? Katie Oakland did just that a few years ago when she founded, TR for Heart and Soul in Bismark, ND. She has grown her mostly volunteer operated facility from 4 participants in 2016 to about 50 participants today and is loving every minute of it. As a busy mom of 3 young kids, she shares with us ways to find the balance while still growing the successful and sustainable TR center of her dreams.
Learn more about the HETRA Mentoring services at www.HETRAUniversity.org
T...
2022-02-2549 minNot Just A Pony Ride24. Why are they riding backwards? Therapy Positioning Explained with Lisa HarrisTherapy positioning can include any position we place our clients in to achieve desired outcomes-- backward, prone, supine, quadruped and more! Why do therapists use these positions though? How can we use them to work toward our goals, and do it safely? Lisa is here to tell us!
Lisa Harris has both a MS in Physical Therapy and Veterinary Science, specializing in equine biomechanics. She is a hippotherapy clinical specialist and has served on the AHA board as vice president, research and education chairperson and newsletter editor. She is a PATH, Intl. Advanced riding instructor and currently ow...
2022-02-1124 minNot Just A Pony Ride23. PART TWO: Equine Assisted Learning with Debbie & Blair of Strides to SuccessEpisode 23: PART TWO: Equine Assisted Learning: What’s the line between EAL and Therapy?
Did you catch PART ONE of this series? This is part two of an amazing series on Equine Assisted Learning from two experts in our field, Debbie Anderson and Blair McKissock of Strides to Success. In this episode we hear a quick and effective way to tell if you are crossing the line from EAL into therapy with some great examples. They also help answer questions like how to get started in EAL and what responsibilities you have as a facilitator. Find out how D...
2022-01-2846 minNot Just A Pony Ride23. PART ONE: Equine Assisted Learning with Debbie and Blair from Strides to SuccessEpisode 23: PART ONE: Equine Assisted Learning: a Depth of Knowledge & Purposeful Intention
Equine Assisted Learning is a wonderful way to build skills and meet goals for our participants, but there is a lot to it! Debbie Anderson and Blair McKissock from Strides to Success have been “gathering EAL gold” for the last 25 years and they are hear to share it with us! Join us to hear from EAL experts in our field! They help facilitate many questions for us like ‘What is your intention for partnering with horses?’ Have you explored the depth of knowledge it requires? Have you set...
2022-01-2442 minNot Just A Pony Ride22. Roadmap for Success: Setting Goals & Planning for 2022 with Edye Godden, CEOLet’s kick off the new year and season two of the podcast on the right foot! CEO of HETRA, Edye Godden, talks with us about planning for 2022. She encourages us to not get bogged down by scary words like ‘strategic planning’ and think of it more as a roadmap for success! She tells us how HETRA continues to meet goals every year including tips for staff assessments, setting personal and professional goals as well as how delegating tasks and using measurable goals prevents burn out and creates accountability for a successful staff team.
Don't forget to join the...
2022-01-0745 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #21- Maintaining the Senior Horse with Shelby Schult, Equine Operations Manager and Kevin Roche, Owner of GlucoGlideA hybrid episode! First we hear from Shelby Schult, HETRA’s Equine Operation Manager on how we keep our senior horses “Happy, Healthy, Sane & Sound”, including HETRA’s effective routine and why you shouldn’t be afraid of maintenance! Then, we hear from Kevin Roche, owner of GlucoGlide. He shares the science behind his products and why they work so well for our horses at HETRA.
Order products here! https://hetra.org/donate/shop-glc.html
Have Questions? Click on the box at www.hetrauniversity.org
2021-12-2743 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #20 - Cultural & Community Healing with Horses with Jessica White Plume, Ph.D., MPHJessica White Plume is heading up a growing movement, horse culture-based wellness and therapy, focusing on the historic connections between horses and Indigenous peoples. She speaks with us about the healing work she is doing on a local reservation and about how the equine studies program at NHS tribal college is helping young people reconnect with culture and wellness through relationships with horses.
Jessica White Plume was raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation in SD. Since completing her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Masters in Public Health, her work has focused on cultural and community based ways o...
2021-12-1141 minNot Just A Pony RideTales from the Rail: Meet Londyn!Meet Londyn! Her mom, Whitney, shares the joys of their 3 year long relationship with HETRA and all of the gains Londyn has made with communication, strength, confidence and more!
Support Team Londyn with their Drive to Ride campaign here: https://www.classy.org/team/377005
2021-12-0706 minNot Just A Pony RideTales from the Rail: Meet Alpine!Meet Alpine! Her mom, Teri shares the incredible progress Alpine has made with HETRA on her rehabilitation journey. Alpine and her horse Leroy have an incredible bond that has helped her get stronger physically, mentally and emotionally. Listen to her story now!
Support Team Alpine with her Drive to Ride campaign here: https://www.classy.org/team/379231
2021-11-2106 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #19 - Therapy Insights & The AHA with Lisa Harris, PTCalling all therapists! Lisa shares her insights on utilizing hippotherapy in her private physical therapy practice as well as offers some great tips on topics such as reimbursement. We also discuss a great organization, the American Hippotherapy Association and what it has to offer you. Lisa Harris has both a MS in Physical Therapy and Veterinary Science, specializing in equine biomechanics. She is a hippotherapy clinical specialist and has served on the AHA board as vice president, research and education chairperson and newsletter editor. She is a PATH, Intl. Advanced riding instructor and currently owns and operates her own p...
2021-11-1637 minNot Just A Pony RideTales from the Rail: Meet Emily!Meet Emily! Her mom, Erin, shares their family’s story including how much HETRA has helped Emily on her journey to gaining confidence while working on strength, flexibility and cognitive healing. Support Team Emily with her Drive to Ride campaign here:https://www.classy.org/team/380285
2021-11-0807 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #18 - Reimagine Life with Ed Armstrong from QLIEd Armstrong is the Coordinator of Adaptive Sports and Recreation at QLI here in Omaha. Today we discuss the importance of recreation and alternative therapies. HETRA and QLI have partnered several times to help people get back to riding or start to enjoy riding after a life changing injury or accident. Together Ed and I discuss the emotional journey that rehabilitation can be and the importance of getting back to things that make you feel good again no matter what it is! Even riding an Equicizer with virtual reality goggles!
Learn more about QLI here: www.https://tea...
2021-10-2925 min
Not Just A Pony RideTales from the Rail: Meet Dash!Meet Dash! His mom Clare, shares the great progress Dash has made in the arena and how they see that progress help him at home. Dash guest stars in this episode too, listen to hear his favorite things about HETRA!
Support Team Dash with his Drive to Ride campaign here: https://www.classy.org/team/376029
This is a special edition of the Not Just a Pony Ride Podcast: Tales from the Rail. These are short stories told by those that watch from the rail as their participants climb into the saddle and ride out to r...
2021-10-2204 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #17 - Importance of Research with Anastasia Kyvelidou, PhDLet’s talk research! In this episode we are joined by Anastasia Kyvelidou, PhD, an Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy Department at Creighton University. Together we talk about the exciting research project happening at HETRA, studying the effectiveness of hippotherapy in children with autism spectrum disorder. We also discuss the importance of research as a whole for our industry and what it takes to put together a great project.
Dr. Kyvelidou graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center with her doctorate from the Medical Sciences Interdepartmental Area (MSIA) with a focus in pediatrics. She has comp...
2021-10-1537 min
Not Just A Pony RideTales From the Rail: Meet Nikola!This is a special edition of the Not Just a Pony Ride Podcast, a short story series: Tales from the Rail. Meet Nikola! His mom, Alexie shares his progress and funny things they appreciate about their time at HETRA. “As he gets older especially it's so important for him to experience therapy in a fun way. He has lots of challenges in life and this is something special for him.”
Support Team Nikola with his Drive to Ride campaign here: https://www.classy.org/team/376025
2021-10-0807 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #16 - Funding Your Mission with Edye Godden & Angie ConnellEvents, campaigns, grants, sponsorships, donors… there are so many ways to fund your mission! How do you choose what is best for you center? Edye Godden, CEO of HETRA and Angie Connell, Development Director at HETRA discuss the pro’s and con’s of each including how we use the different sectors of funding to ensure a good foundation for our organization.
Find out more about our consulting services 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 in part...
2021-10-0148 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #15 - Amberley Snyder: Confidence & Self-AdvocacyWhat an honor it is to have Amberley on our show, if you know rodeo then odds are you know this wonderful woman! In this episode, the cool and confident Amberley Snyder shares her story with us and how she has learned to advocate for herself and others along her journey. Learn more about Amberley and reach out to her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @AmberleySnyder
Amberley was born in California as the second to six children. Amberley fell in love with horses at a young age and began barrel racing when her family moved to Utah at...
2021-09-1737 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #14 - Shelby Winnail & Edye Godden: Impact of Horse MovementWhy are horses such good therapy partners? Several reasons, but this episode focuses primarily on horse movement and how it impacts the rider. As therapists and instructors, we don’t just pick a random horse! We consider movement, conformation and several other factors when selecting a partner for our riders. Listen to hear Edye Godden, OTR/L, Clinical Specialist in Hippotherapy, CTRI and Shelby Winnail, HETRA’s Equine Operations Manager, CTRI, discuss a horse that has lateral movement, and how we use that movement to facilitate different goals in our riders. To see video content that Shelby and Edye refer...
2021-08-2025 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #13 - Megan: Grabbing Courage with the Help of HorsesMegan is an active duty military member and a mother to 3 beautiful children. After experiencing the sudden loss of her son, Megan found herself at HETRA looking for peace. In this episode, Megan shares with us how horses have impacted her life and how she continues to grow with their help. Kelli Hatzenbueler, mental health therapist, is also here to discuss the types of programming they did together and exactly how she saw Megan grow during her time with us.
Learn more about the type of program Megan participated in with Kelli’s webinar, “Wellness Coaching in the Equ...
2021-08-0640 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #12 - Lauren Taylor: Recovering with HorsesLauren Taylor grew up around horses. She competed in all three rings as a junior, eventually accepting a working student position in Ireland with Cian O’Connor as a 17-year-old. When that barn closed, she came back to America, where she landed a working student position in Wellington, Florida, with Tori Colvin for the winter beginning her last junior year. She continued training her horse, Speechless, under the watchful eye of Brigid Colvin.
Following the winter circuit, Lauren obtained a job working for the Ingrams. She worked there for one year before being kicked in the head whi...
2021-07-0933 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #11 - Kim Berggren: Growth through International TravelIn this episode, Kim shares with us her personal and professional growth gained through international travel. Kim has been lucky enough to travel to several overseas countries with the opportunity to teach and observe other professionals in our industry. We covered everything from cultural barriers, quality of equine management, differences in class structure, and of course, we talked about the food. If you’ve ever been curious about international differences in EAS, this one is for you!
Kim has been a lifelong horse person, starting in the back yards of Wisconsin. She has been involved in the Equin...
2021-06-1141 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #10 - Saebra Pipoly on Mentorship & Education for InstructorsSaebra Pipoly on Mentorship & Education for Instructors
On this episode Saebra Pipoly, owner and founder of Hooffalls and Footfalls, busts several myths related to mentoring others and supervising instructors. She provides awesome tips for both mentors and mentees seeking guidance! Join us to hear Saebra speak on the importance of good mentorship and continuing to educate yourself even after you’ve passed instructor certification.
Saebra Pipoly is a PATH Intl. Advanced Therapeutic Riding Instructor, CTRI, ESMHL, Instructor Mentor and a PATH Intl. Registered PATH Intl. Registered OSWC Associate Faculty/Evaluator. She is also the owner/fou...
2021-05-2843 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #9 - Yes, you can host students! with Marissa and LaneYes, you can mentor a student in this field! In this episode, I talk with two previous students who completed 12-week rotations with HETRA on their experience. Marissa, a Doctoral OT student from Creighton University, and Lane, a Masters OT student from Georgia State University, share their journey. We talk everything from day one, training, and onboarding to the last weeks with a full caseload and completing projects. This is an area that I am happy to consult on your program with! If you are interested in growing your student mentorship programming and want to learn more, drop us a l...
2021-05-1429 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #8 - Lisa Whalen: One Fence at a TimeTodays’ guest is Lisa Whalen, author, professor and horsewoman. Lisa shared with our audience a personal journey of healing from an eating disorder and living with depression, anxiety and perfectionism and how horses have helped her to continue to grow and heal. Lisa explains how horses were like a mirror for her soul and how they helped her reflect and connect her mind and body again.
Lisa Whalen is a writer whose debut book, Stable Weight: A Memoir of Hunger, Horses, and Hope, was published by Hopewell Publications in 2021. Her writing has also appeared in An Introvert in...
2021-04-3039 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #7 - Leaps of Faith & Growing HETRA with Edye, Katherine & ErinIn this episode, three long-time HETRA favorites, Edye Godden, CEO, Erin Bevington, COO and Katherine Smith, Project Manager, speak on growing our organization from one participant and a handful of volunteers to a flourishing business. Together, their 60+ years of experience with HETRA provide invaluable insight and advice. They talk about all the big transitions HETRA has gone through and the leaps of faith required to get to where we are today.
Interested in consulting from HETRA? Fill out this form to get started: https://www.tfaforms.com/4890916
Help us work toward our mission with a do...
2021-04-1646 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #6 - Adaptive Riding vs. Therapy Services with Katherine SmithIn this episode, one of HETRA’s first team members, Katherine Smith, talks with us about HETRA’s foundational programs, Adaptive Riding and Therapy Services. We break down the differences and similarities between the two programs a well as how they overlap and work together. How can therapists and instructors work together to help our participants the most? How can these programs create a firm foundation for your center? Join us to find out!
Katherine Smith, OTR/L, completed her BS degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas. After working in hospitals, nursing homes, and privat...
2021-03-2636 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #5 - Kathy Alm PART TWO: What can PATH Intl. do for you?In the last part of this two part series, Kathy Alm, CEO of PATH Intl. talks about what her organization has to offer it’s members, including some exciting changes and new offerings only from PATH Intl. Listen to hear more about some hot topics in our profession and how PATH Intl is helping to advocate for us! Be sure and listen to last weeks episode, PART ONE: A Journey to CEO with Kathy Alm of PATH Intl.
Kathy Alm began her service as Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH Intl.) in 20...
2021-03-1926 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #4 Kathy Alm of PATH Intl. PART ONE: A Journey to CEOIn part one of this two-part series, Kathy Alm talks to us about her journey to becoming CEO of PATH Intl. I asked her about personal and professional development and she shared a wealth of knowledge with us. Join us to hear the highs and lows of being a CEO as well as tips from her to stay successful!
Kathy Alm began her service as Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH Intl.) in 2014. For the previous 15 years, she served as Executive Director of Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Washington state. Sh...
2021-03-1229 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #3: "Happy, Healthy, Sane & Sound” with Shelby Winnail, Equine Operations ManagerIn this episode, we pin down the busy, Shelby Winnail, HETRA’s Equine Operations Manager. Shelby is constantly running around the barn with the responsibility of keeping the HETRA herd, as she so effectively describes it, “happy, healthy, sane and sound”. Shelby completed her animal science degree and has since added Certified Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning to her resume. In this episode, we talk about why horses are so effective for the type of work we do, how we keep our horses in top shape with special conditioning, saddle fit, and the special develo...
2021-02-2646 minNot Just A Pony RideEpisode #2: Mental Health & Horses with Kelli HatzenbuehlerIn 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 runn...
2021-02-1240 min
Not Just A Pony RideEpisode #1: Welcome with Edye Godden, CEO of HETRAWelcome 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 I...
2021-01-2941 min
Hoof Falls and FootfallsMeet Equi-Force President and HETRA COO Erin Bevinton!Saebra Pipoly of Hoof Falls & Footfalls interviews Erin Bevington of HETRA and Equi-Force. Erin is a PATH Intl. CTRI Therapeutic Riding Instructor and shares the story of how she became an instructor, the beginning of HETRA, and highs and lows during her time in the Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies Industry. Erin also shares about Equi-Force (equi-force.com), a database that is upping the game for documentation and record keeping of fellow instructors and centers. Find more free and low cost education for instructors in the EAAT Industry at HoofFallsandFootfalls.com and IntuitiveInstructorClub.com
2020-05-0221 min
A Recovery NowHETRA and Healing on Recovery Now with Kim JustusEdye Godden is the Executive Director of Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy (HETRA) located in Gretna, Nebraska. HETRA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for adults and children with disabilities through equine assisted activities. Edye graduated from Creighton University with a degree in Occupational Therapy. She also serves as one HETRA’s occupational therapists and is a PATH International certified instructor. Edye has been with the HETRA organization since 1991. She feels very fortunate to be able to combine her two great passions - helping people and love of horses - to help the students achieve a greater level of...
2015-11-053h 01