(April 2022) – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has a new blog posted – Tools and Tips to Identify Subtle Signs of Pain in Lesson Horses. This blog has online tools available to use to determine possible pain in your horses including the Lameness Grading Scale from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, The Equine Pain and Welfare Assessment App from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University and more. You can read the blog in full here.
This blog article is written by Jill Montgomery who is a CHA English and Western Riding Instructor, and a CHA Equine Facility Manager and Certifier. She is owner and CEO of JRAM Enterprises Inc. an equine consulting business that focuses on work to keep equine activities accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Jill@JRAMEnterprises.com
Nina Ekholm-Fry is featured in this blog. She is the Director of Equine Programs at University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection and Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology and the Graduate School of Social Work where her work focuses on therapeutic human-horse interactions and on equine behavior and welfare. Nina is a former Equestrian Special Olympics Coach and teaches Equine Behavior at Yavapai College in Arizona. She is a CHA certified riding instructor (Level 4) and holds a certificate in Equine Management from the Vocational College of Ostrobothnia, Finland. As a practitioner member of the International Society of Equitation Science (ISES), she is dedicated to ethical equitation, correct application of learning theory, and the understanding of equine cognition, behavior, and mental states as part of equine management, assessment, handling, and training. She has a background as a mental health practitioner providing clinical services, specializing in trauma treatment, as a competitive rider and equine behavior consultant, and as an academic professional actively engaged in national and international organizations for both human and equine health.
CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses. The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals such as riding instructors and equine facility managers, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational streaming videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse
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