RAISING THE BAR IN EQUINE INTERVENTIONS

Horse Assisted Play Therapy X Equine Body Language

During this 4 day training, Tracie-Faa Thompson and Rachaël Draaisma join forces. This is a unique opportunity to learn with two of the leading practitioners in their field. This training is designed for coaches and therapists working within horse-human interventions or those considering doing so.
The presentations will include photos and videos, demonstrations and exercises with participants and the horses, should they wish to be involved. You will have the opportunity to learn via observation and practical activities. Tracie Faa-Thompson and Rachaël Draaisma will be sharing their expert knowledge and experience, with an eye on detail and a lot of humour!

Participants are taken into the world of the horse, the coach/therapist and coachee /client, that of Animal Assisted Play Therapy™, and Equine body language, with an emphasis on Calming Signals and Scentwork with horses. Throughout the training, the observation of the horses body language is explored to ensure they are actively enjoying the activities.

The following themes will be elaborated on:

• The therapy horse as an individual.
• Ethology of the horse - What are species own needs and the needs of the individual.
• What activities does a specific horse enjoy? What can he handle?
• How do we see that?
• How do we take the individual needs of the horse as a starting point in determining the activities we choose in an animal assisted session.
• How we help develop relationships and reciprocity between the horse and coachee.
• The role of the therapist/coach/owner in the complex balance of horse - human interactions in a supportive, fun and therapeutic way.
• Reading the horse’s body language and body characteristics.
• To test assumptions directly and see what degree of joy or engagement the horse shows, or perhaps even shut them down – or a weakened or strengthened flight mechanism.
• The horse should always have a choice whether to engage with us – what does that look like?

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The attendee is challenged not only to look at features and signals horses give, but to also link these signals and features to sequences and stimuli that start and affect these. With obviously adaptations if need be, to keep a safe and positive social climate for the horse, coachee and coach.

​Playful interactions and the incorporation of Scentwork and a few activities of Animal Assisted Play Therapy™ form the basis of these days. During these horse-human interactions, the subject matter may be serious but the approach is light and playful. The focus is giving opportunities for the clients goals to be achieved in a way that feels emotionally safe, supportive and promotes positive relationships.

​Real-life examples are shared, considering the character traits and needs of horses and linking them appropriately to clients’ requests for help. What are the conditions needed for human & animal play? We consider how to give the horse choice whether to participate and to ensure that is is enjoyable for both the horse and human. We shall be using observation skills to see what’s going on for the horses throughout the sessions.
 
This training program offers an introduction to Equine Scentwork, the Calming Signals of horses and is based on the principles and approaches of Animal Assisted Play Therapy™. It is an appropriate introduction prior to the level 1 of AAPT™ and forms an additional equine component for those already trained in AAPT or other Equine assisted interventions at any level. (details available from: www.iiaapt.org).

INTRODUCING YOUR TRAINERS

Tracie Faa-Thompson spent 29 years as a specialist social worker in adoption working with traumatized children and their adoptive and foster families. She is a BAPT Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor who uses a mix of individual play therapy, filial therapy, and group filial methods. Tracie is a practice teacher of social work students and newly qualified social workers, also a trainer in Life Story Work, Attachment Theory and resilience in adversity. As a clinical hypnotherapist, Tracie incorporates EMDR, Eye Movement Integration with Emotional Freedom Technique as an effective approach to trauma. Her passion is working outdoors in nature and since 2000 has been amalgamating Nature family therapy with Equine Assisted Family Play Therapy.A Lover of the natural world she is an Applied herbal choices animal health professional consultant, a Certified Animal Ethology and Behaviour consultant & Instructor. She has a unique approach to therapeutic life story work using nature to plot adopted children and adults journeys in 3D! Tracie is the author of numerous manuals, articles, and training programmes on attachment and resilience, life story work, sibling contact in adoption, introductions of adoptive families and children, EAL/EAP, and Animal Assisted Play Therapy. She is co-author of the book Animal Assisted Play Therapy which won the coveted Maxwell Award 2018 under the Category Best Book on the Human Animal Bond.

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Dr. Rachaël Draaisma has always lived with and had a passion for dogs and horses. In 2002 she decided to make it her profession. Achieving several diplomas then working full time as a trainer and behavioural consultant. First with dogs, later with horses. In 2013 she completed the Turid Rugaas Internationals Dog Trainers Education. Under Turid’s supervision she started to firstly map the horses’ levels of tension in response to a variety of everyday stimuli in a livery environment. Secondly she started to investigating if horses use relationship-managing signals in response to stimuli in their environment that they want to appease in order to avert conflict and maintain social relationships. They chose the term Calming Signals to refer to these signals. Thirdly, to see how tension relates to possible Calming Signals. Video footage formed the basis of the study. Hundreds of videos of domesticated horses of various breeds in interaction with humans, or with humans in proximity of twenty meters, were analysed. The study lead to the description of 20 calming signals horses use to appease each other and calm themselves to keep a positive social climate and avoid negative escalations. It also lead to the description of ten communication ladders that represent ways a horse may interact to stimuli around them. Every step on the ladder represents a tension level and gives features and behaviours, which makes them a valuable tool to assess your horse. And see if possible tension is declining or rising. This (ongoing) study lead to the book Language signs and Calming signals of horses.

PRACTICALITIES

WHEN? ​31st of august until 3rd of september 2023 (09u00-17u00)
WHERE? Soulhorses in Gierle (BELGIUM)
INVESTMENT? 1190 euro, homemade lunch is included on all 4 days, so is tea/coffee/water and snacks
LANGUAGE? English (Rachaël is also fluent in dutch and can help you out where needed!)
WANT TO JOIN? Spots are limited, so join us now
WHERE TO STAY/SLEEP? You can stay at the B&B of Soulhorses or you can book a B&B nearby

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Even the expert was once a beginner.