equine therapy | Horse Racing Free Tips

Emory & Henry College will begin offering a new bachelor's of art degree in Equine Assisted Therapy, starting in Fall 2021.

The Equine Assisted Therapy major is an interdisciplinary major blending psychology and equine studies courses, designed to provide students with a thorough knowledge of human psychology and psychopathology and how horses may be used in order to improve the psychological functioning of a wide range of individuals.

“This interdisciplinary program blends the college's expertise in equine studies and psychology to create an opportunity for students who are interested in utilizing their knowledge and love of horses in order to offer therapeutic services to children and adults,” says Jessica Denniston, Clinical Assistant Professor of Equine Studies. “This major provides an excellent path for students interested in receiving graduate training in various mental health fields as well as allied fields such as occupational therapy.”

The program will be based on the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) model of practice, so students will be prepared to become an EAGALA certified therapist. EAGALA is recognized as the standard-setting organization in this field.

Graduates will be prepared for careers such as equine specialist for a therapeutic center, mental health specialist, working in a residential therapy setting, managing a therapy program as well as graduate studies in programs such as Emory & Henry's master's of Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

For more information, please visit www.ehc.edu/equinetherapy. To apply, visit www.ehc.edu/apply.

About Emory & Henry College:

Located in the Highlands of Virginia, Emory & Henry offers a community filled with engaged students who choose to contribute to society and make a difference. Consistently ranked among the nation's best private liberal arts institutions, Emory & Henry has more than 80 academic majors and tracks, including the new Schools of Nursing and Business, and an average class size of 14 students making individualized education a priority. Students are connected to the world of work through our distinctive van Vlissingen Center for Career and Professional Development and Student Success Centers. Through integrated liberal arts learning and hands-on experiences all students are supported to connect their classroom experiences and projects with domestic or global travel, internships and civic engagement. Visit www.ehc.edu for more information.

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Matt Chew, a third-generation horseman, bid goodbye to more than four decades as a trainer on Labor Day.

The 60-year-old grew up in the shadow of storied Santa Anita, where his father, Richard, earned his spurs. Grandfather William trained primarily in New York. Chew took out his trainer's license in 1982 on his 18th birthday and trained primarily in the Bay Area early in his career.

Now Matt hopes the future has something perhaps even more fulfilling than conditioning a Thoroughbred to win a race: helping those with special needs through programs he plans to develop.

One of countless everyday trainers who are the backbone of racing, not with abundant stakes winners but with mid-level campaigners, Chew never waivered in his philosophy: do what's right by the horse.

Matt and his wife of 35 years, Candace, purchased a home on 18 acres in Idaho north of Coeur d'Alene, about seven years ago. It has been a work in progress, and after the completion of the barn and indoor ring this fall, they will relocate their five OTTBs (off the track Thoroughbreds) and three Weimaraners to the new location overlooking Hayden Lake.

Matt's game plan is to have a safe haven for those with special needs who can benefit from the emotionally therapeutic environment the horses provide those with whom they're in contact. Additionally, there will be room for a few more retired racehorses to thrive.

One local episode graphically reveals such a healing process.

Matt tells the tale: “Pete Siberell (Director of Special Services and Community Projects) arranged for a group from Pasadena called Ability First that aided the developmentally disabled to come visit Santa Anita.

“Candie and I brought the park's mascot, Fred (one of the equine stand-ins for Seabiscuit in the movie of the same name) to the paddock one morning and we saw this young boy, maybe 11 or 12, looking at him real hard.

“I went over and handed him the shank. He took it and started walking with the horse, talking to him, telling him how pretty he was and what a great horse he was; he was having a conversation with him.

“Candie meanwhile looks over and sees three adults in the middle of the walking ring and their jaws are dropped; they look almost horrified. She realizes they are with the boy and begins to apologize.

“'I'm sorry,' she says. “My husband does these kinds of things. We really should have asked permission before he gave him the horse.'

“One of the women—it turned out to be the boy's mother—was sobbing. She finally told Candie that Austin (her son) doesn't talk. He was technically what they call non-verbal autistic.

“He had been through a traumatic incident several years back and since had not said a word—until that day.

“So winning races is great, of course, but witnessing something like this is beyond special.”

Candie is Santa Anita's dedicated and gifted Director of Print and Graphics. Both she and The Great Race Place have flourished under her astute guidance now going on three decades. Her most popular creation is the Wall Calendar, a traditional staple given to fans every Dec. 26.

The good news is, while Matt is retiring, Candie is not. “I will be working for Santa Anita as long as they will have me,” she says, “partially from Idaho, but at Santa Anita as much as I need to be.”

Candie also is President of the Board for CARMA (California Retirement Management Account), a program that has facilitated the successful efforts of the state to retrain and retire thousands of race horses in new homes. “I'm going to continue working at Santa Anita, but Matt will spearhead the operation in Idaho,” she said.

“He is excited about it. We have been planning this for a while, but it got moved up when it seemed the right time was sooner rather than later.

“Matt has a lot more experience with special needs kids than I do. He volunteered for a group in the Bay Area that had a riding program (Hippotherapy) for kids with cerebral palsy and that was a game changer.

“It gave him a new perspective and led us to eventually having a means of 'giving back.' Our plan is to have retired Thoroughbreds, with a program for PTSD-stricken vets to start, then explore what the community needs for other groups seeking equine-assisted therapy.

“It will require a lot of research and development, but it seems like the right thing to do.”

Amen.

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