Free May Webinar- Schools, Horses, and Research

Schools, Horses, and Research: How do horses help students learn?

Join HHRF's moderator, Octavia Brown and listen to three panelists discuss their diverse experiences combining education with horses and research.

Get a chance to ask them questions about their programs and how they got involved in research!

About our speakers:

Jo Anne Miller is the Executive Director of Brook Hill Farm, a fully accredited horse rescue by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, as well as a PATH International Premier Therapeutic riding center, working with rescue horses in all of the programs. She is a retired Professor of Equine Science at Randolph College, and her passion is looking at the well-being of horses through science. She has been the co-chair of the PATH Equine Welfare Committee, and is currently the chair of the Equus Foundation’s Equine Welfare Advisory Group, and serves on the HETI Equine Welfare committee, the HHRF well-being committee, and the Virginia Horse Council.

Michael Kaufmann is the Farm and Wildlife Director and Director of the Sam and Myra Ross Institute at Green Chimneys, dedicated to education and research on the human connection to animals and the natural world. At Green Chimneys, he directs all aspects of the nature- based therapeutic/educational programs.

Kaufmann started his career as a humane educator at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York City and continued at the American Humane Association. At AHA he served as a national spokesperson with a special focus on humane education program development, the correlation between animal cruelty, domestic violence and child abuse and equine welfare issues. Subsequently he represented the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association as Director of Education and Communication and editor of the national magazine STRIDES. Today his focus is on Green Care, the concept of working with animals, plants and nature to enhance human environments and lives.

Michael is an advisor to International Center for Anthrozoology, Norway, TAT Center for Human Animal Interaction, Vienna, Austria and The Canadian Institute of Animal-Assisted Interventions. He serves on the editorial board of People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice and of the magazine GREEN CARE, Switzerland. Michael is a past member of the board of the Horses and Humans Research Foundation, the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association; Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International and was a founding board member of the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association.

Michael Kaufmann has published defining chapters and articles on nature-based interactions, lectures and presents internationally and has been quoted on human-animal interaction and animal welfare issues by such diverse sources as TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, National Public Radio, Reaching Today's Youth, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and various social media sources.

Debbie Anderson has served in the animal assisted therapy industry for over 40 years. Debbie has held every position including lead stall cleaner, program director, board member, fundraiser, founder, executive director and has always been a great instructor. In addition to being involved on a program level, Debbie volunteered her time and energy to PATH International for the last twenty years serving on committees and on the PATH Board of Directors for ten years including four years on the Executive Board.

After years of traveling on the horse show circuit and training several world champion riders, Debbie settled in Indiana and co- founded Strides to Success with a vision of meeting community needs through EAL and Therapy programs. Debbie also loves to serve as the welcome mentor for people that are new to EAL. She loves to listen to their vision and lend them any experience that may be helpful and guide them to resources that will help them make their dream a reality.

Debbie is a PATH certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor since 1996 and is also certified as an Equine Specialist is Mental Health & Learning. Additional certifications include Certified Equine
Interaction Professional in Education, E3A certified corporate trainer, and EAGALA trained and a HorseWork Master trainer.

Call in Information:

Topic: May 2023 Webinar- Schools, Horses & Research