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In This Issue
Sponsors/Exhibitors
AVON
eBay
Conference Highlight
Select Your Sessions
Airline Discount
Registration Reminder
Region 5 Conference
ESMHL Certification Update
From the Equine Welare Committee
Adopting Horses
Workshops and Certifications
Quick Links


Advertising

Official PATH Intl. Events 
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Sponsors/Exhibitors
PATH Intl. wants to thank its 2011 sponsors and exhibitors who have committed thus far. If you have any questions about sponsoring PATH Intl. or exhibiting at the 2011 PATH International Conference and Annual Meeting in Lexington, KY, please contact

Megan Ream. 

 

Title Sponsor

Purina

 

Gold Sponsors

Equine Network/AIM

Equisure

Markel

Platinum Performance


Silver

Adequan

American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 

AQHA

Breyer

 

Bronze

Farnam 

Triple Crown Nutrition
WESA

 

Pewter

Racing Unified Network

Show Me Animal Products 

 

Conference Exhibitors

3B Enterprises, LLC

Blazing Prairie Stars 

The Educated Equine

Equuspeak

Freedom Riders

Jane Heart Jewelry 

LisaWysocky.com

Ohio University Southern

Stop Equine Colic  

SureHands Lift & Care Systems  

US Pony Club   

WHOA-GA!      

AVON Calling

Be beautiful and support PATH International at the same time. From now until September 10, AVON representative Julie Gridley will donate 7% of all AVON orders to PATH Intl. Orders must be placed through Julie at www.youravon.com/byJules. You must use the code DONATETHERAPY for PATH Intl. to receive the donation. Click here for details.  

PATH Intl. and eBay

You can now support PATH Intl. on eBay! Donate 10 to 100 percent of any item up for sale and choose PATH Intl. as your cause. Click here for more information.

Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International  

August 2, 2011

Conference Sessions Offer Variety of Expertise
conference logoYou can see in the 2011 PATH International Conference and Annual Meeting registration book the great session line-up and can also decide which networking events you would like to attend.  

 

You'll see that the session line-up is divided into levels, designated by horseshoes. One of the many wonderful things about the PATH International Conference is that there is something for everyone, from the newbie to the advanced member. For example, "The Bricks & Mortar of Community Building" is at the novice level, designated by a single horseshoe. In this session, you will find out how to create healthier, more effective communities. The group will engage in experiential exercises as it identifies aspects of community building. Another session, "Diversifying Your Programs for Sustainability," is at the Expert level, shown with three horseshoes. In this "advanced knowledge" session, four EFL models are examined to provide a formula for creating innovative programs. Whether you are new to the EAAT industry or have many years behind you, you will find something of interest in the Research, Program, Administrative and EFP/EFL tracks.            

 

Click here for the digital registration book or here for information on the conference.  

 

Book a room at the Hyatt Regency Lexington by calling (859) 253-1234 or  click here. Enter the code g-NARH into the corporate\group# field to apply our group rate. If you call for reservations, be sure to mention you're with PATH International.        

Select Your Conference Sessions Now
For those who took advantage of the promotional rate, session information is now available. There has been a large response to the conference, so we encourage you to make your selections as soon as possible to ensure you get into the sessions you want. 

To make your meal, special event and session selections visit the PATH Intl. website. Log in at the upper right hand corner using your email address and password.  

Once you have logged in, select "my account" and then select "my events."  The "my events" page will list all events for which you are registered. Next to the annual conference you will see a link, "add sessions." Click on "add sessions" and you will be able to check each item you want to add to your current conference registration. 

Session details can be found in the registration book.  A copy of the registration book was mailed with the summer edition of PATH Intl. STRIDES magazine but you can also click here for the digital registration book.

        

Airline Discounts for Conference Registrants!
Delta airlines logo

Book your travel to the PATH International Conference and Annual Meeting through Delta Airlines and receive discounts on airfare. Domestic flights can be booked Nov. 4-15 (unfortunately, the discounts do not cover international flights). Email Bonnie Burgess, PATH Intl.'s travel agent, to book your travel and discuss discount options.         

 

Conference Registration Reminder

All conference registrants must register separately with a unique personal email address. If you are registering more than one person, please note that you will need to process each individual separately using his or her unique email address and password. This will ensure that all registrants will be properly credited with their continuing education hours under their individual account records.

If you are registering multiple people and do not have their personal sign-in information, we recommend sending in hard copies of the registration form to the PATH International office. Copies of the registration from can be found in the summer edition of PATH International Strides. You can also click here to visit the conference page and download the registration book. If you are having difficulty logging in with your email address and password, please contact the PATH Intl. member services department for assistance, (800) 369-7433.       

 

PATH Intl. Region 5 Conference in September
The hotel rooms for the 2011 PATH International Conference in Lexington, KY, are filling up quickly. If you would like to share a room, click here to see contact information of others who are looking for a roommate. You must be logged in to see this information. NOTE: PATH Intl. will not match you up with someone. If you would like to have your name and contact information added to the list, email Cher Smith.

      

PATH Intl. Region 5 Conference in September
Region 5 would like to invite you to attend the PATH Intl. Region 5 conference, September 16-18, at the Calvin Center in Hampton, GA. Look for information to be available soon on the PATH Intl. regional conference page.

      

Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning Certification Update

While this certification opens the door for many additional programs and services to be provided in the field of equine-assisted activities and therapies, there are enhancements needed. There are multiple PATH International committees and task forces working on refining the certification as well as the standards and guidelines that are affected. Watch for future updates in the PATH Intl. eNews and other communications coming soon. 

From the Equine Welfare Committee
Approaching with Mindfulness
By Heidi Potter, Equine Welfare Committee

You are heading out to catch your horse. Your thoughts are most likely filled with what awaits you once you get in the saddle. Maybe it is a nice stroll in the woods or a schooling session. Maybe it is a lesson that you have planned or moving the cows from one pasture to the next. Whatever your endeavor might be, rest assured that your equine friend probably won't be thinking the same thing.

Because horses live in the moment, their minds will most likely be quiet. They may just be enjoying the morning sun, snoozing in their shelter or grazing in the pasture peacefully alongside their friends. While we have grand ideas about what lies ahead, our equine partner most likely will not.

One of the most valuable gifts our horses give to us is the idea of living in the moment. To help us understand our horses better we need to clear our minds of all thoughts about the past or the future. We want to focus on being in the present and approaching him in a mindful manner.

Take a few big, deep breaths before you head out to get your horse. Allow the breath to travel through your body. Upon exhaling, release all tension and let your mind become calm. When you see your horse, take a second to connect with him. Think about what he may be feeling. Become aware of all that surrounds him. Observe his body language for a minute. Get a sense of how he is responding to your approach, to the other horses and to the environment around him. When you do approach him, do it mindfully. Say "hello" instead of just going up and putting on his halter. Give him a rub on the withers and down his back. Scratch his sweet spot. Allow him the pleasure of your touch and being in your presence. Then "ask" him for permission to put on the halter. Wait for him to turn his head and show that he is ready.

Breathing, connecting with the moment and approaching your horse mindfully will help to ensure a more pleasant experience for you both. Likewise, practicing this during the time that you are away from your horse is also of great benefit. Remembering to breathe and relax during busy or stressful times throughout your day will help you tremendously. Taking a few deep breaths will help you relax mentally, physically and emotionally. It will also greatly improve your overall awareness of the world around you. Regardless of where you are or what you are doing, your breath is your most powerful tool. Remember to use it.

So just breathe, relax and enjoy living in the moment, just like your equine friend!

   

Looking to Adopt Horses for Your Center? Start Here!
Many times we at PATH Intl. are asked by centers where they can find horses. PATH Intl. is partners with DonateMyHorse.com, a place where prospective horse donors can post their horses for adoption and where prospective adopters can see available horses.

In addition, two other programs offer horse adoption services. The Standardbred Retirement Foundation in New Jersey, www.adoptahorse.org, follows horses for life and generally does a fairly extensive training of their horses. They will also place horses in therapeutic progrms at no cost. New Vocations in Ohio, www.horseadoption.com, also trains their horses. They deal with many horses, so if they don't have the right horse today, they may in a short while.

If you are looking for horses to adopt into your program, start with one of these programs.

      

Workshops and Certifications
Unless otherwise noted, contact Abigail Hendren at (800) 369-7433, ext. 104 for further information. All dates are subject to change. To register for an event, please contact the host site directly. You can locate their contact information under the Find a Center link on the PATH Intl. home page or on the PATH Intl. events calendar.

PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning Workshop and Practical Skills Testing
October 19-22

Hearts and Horses in Loveland, CO  

 

October 27-30

High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center in Old Lyme, CT 

 

PATH Intl. Advanced Level Certifications
August 27-28
Little Bit TRC in Woodinville, WA
 
PATH Intl. Driving Workshop and Certification combination event
Workshop is held the first 3 days; certification is held the last 2 days
November 5-9
Gayla Driving Center/U.S. Driving for the Disabled, Inc., in Lexington, KY 

PATH Intl. Vaulting Workshop and Certification
Workshop is held first 3 days, and certification is held on the last day
August 25-28
Riding to the Top in Windham, ME

September 23-26
Falconwood Farms in Conyers, GA

Mentor Training Workshop
August 4-5
Region 8 Conference in Baton Rouge, LA

November 9-10
PATH International Conference in Lexington, KY

Please visit the PATH Intl. calendar for a list of 2011 Registered On-Site Workshops and Certifications.

Please direct correspondence about this newsletter to PATH Intl. eNews coordinator. PATH Intl. eNews is a benefit of Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International membership. No portion of this publication may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, scanned or electronic process without written permission from PATH Intl. PATH Intl. reserves the right to reject, accept and edit submitted material. PATH Intl. eNews is intended as an information exchange and an opportunity for communication for members in the field of equine assisted activities. The opinions, practices or products presented in PATH Intl. eNews do not necessarily reflect PATH Intl. policy, imply PATH Intl. endorsement or comply with PATH Intl. standards.

 
If you prefer not to hear from us, just click on the "safe unsubscribe" below and we will remove you from our mailing list. Removing your email address from the PATH Intl. members database will prevent you from receiving all email correspondence including event notices and other time-sensitive correspondence.