Horsemanship at Shepard Meadows
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Program Description:
Level 1 Class: Our friends at Shepard Meadows will help teach numerous horse skills such as grooming, tacking, and leading. This program also provides the opportunity to challenge participants to persevere, problem-solve, and communicate. This program helps participants connect with their peers socially, as well as promotes the development of self-esteem. Please note that there is no riding in this class.
Level 2 Class: Participants are able to build on the skills that were learned in the Horsemanship Level 1 class. It is a requirement for registrants to complete Horsemanship Level 1 before enrolling in the Horsemanship Level 2 class. Please note that there is no riding in this class.
Required Forms:
Please complete the documents in the forms section and bring them with you to the first class.
Program Benefits:
- Participants will learn and demonstrate safe horse handling skills, including grooming, haltering and leading
- Participants will gain an understanding of horse behavior and identify the horse's body language
- Participants will gain an understanding of a healthy horse diet and will be able to identify what is healthy/unhealthy for horse's to eat
- Participants will be able to identify grooming tools and their purpose
About the Instructors:
Amy Degumbia
Instructor & Equine Specialist
PATH, Intl. Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Amy grew up on a small farm and owned a couple of horses. She was 5 years old when she first started to ride, and 13 when she got a horse of her own – he was a young and spirited Arabian. Amy competed in Arabian Horse Association shows, mostly in dressage, but some jumping too. She worked as a Veterinary Technician and gained a great deal of knowledge about animal health and first aid, and became Certified as an Animal Behaviorist. Amy attended Tunxis Community College and Central Connecticut State University for her degree. She is grateful to have horses as a part of her life, and loves to share that with the participants in our program! Amy is a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship and teaches mounted and unmounted lessons all week long.
Gabby Birkic
Instructor & Equine Caregiver
Gabby started riding over 15 years ago in Brooklyn, NY. Gabby has competed at horse shows, leased horses, and taught mounted and unmounted lessons as a teenager and adult. She volunteered at Gallop NYC working with children who had disabilities and there discovered a newfound love for therapeutic riding. Her first ever horse was named Casper, who has lived out his retirement in Pennsylvania. Since then, Gabby’s passion for horses has continued to grow. Gabby has been teaching, riding, and caring for horses for many years and knows the true impact horses have on our lives.
Additional Forms and Files: