STARS, Inc.

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What Does it Take to Volunteer?

Have you been thinking about volunteering, but you weren’t quite sure you had what it takes?  Have you ever wondered what volunteering with STARS consisted of?  If you answered yes to either of these questions, this post is for you! Equine Therapy Volunteer One misconception many people have about being an equine therapy volunteer it that they have to have horse experience.  However, this is not true.  We have two different types of volunteers in our equine therapy classes.  The leader (leads the horse) is required to have horse experience, been around the facility long enough that they’ve gained the horse knowledge, or gone through training session with an instructor and been passed as a leader.  The sidewalkers (walk beside the horse and rider and aid the rider it whatever may be needed) do NOT need horse experience.  All volunteers must be able to walk and lightly jog in sand.

Canine Handler Volunteer These individuals must have a dog of at least 18 months that has passed its Canine Good Citizens (CGC) Test and been through two six week sessions of dog obedience.  These individuals are responsible for doing this training and testing with their dogs themselves.  Once they have completed these requirements, they must complete two tests administered by STARS.  One of these tests is to make sure they are where they need to be on obedience, and the other is a temperament test.

Both equine volunteers AND canine handlers must be at least 14 years of age and have a desire to help others!

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What does it take to prepare our horses for classes? 

When horses first come to STARS, we spend a lot of time desensitizing them.  We want them to get used to anything they may encounter in a therapy session.  We play puzzles on their back, drop things off of them, clap, make noise, play with musical toys on their back, and ride them in a variety of positions.  We also desensitize them to having sidewalkers (someone on each side holding the rider up).  These horses need to be used to people hanging on them, bumping into them, etc.  These horses also need to learn to be respectful to the person leading them.  They need to respect their leader and walk with them as a teammate.  Our horses also need to get used to people mounting them from a ramp.  They need to get used to wheel chairs and walkers coming up next to them and standing above them.  They need to be able to stand still while we take the time to safely put a rider on their back.

Now, once the horse has been desensitized and is fine with everything listed above, they will be entered into the program if the instructors feel they are safe and will be a good match for the program.  They are now able to participate in class.  However, their training and tuning is not over.  The instructors are constantly going through the herd and doing tune ups as needed.  They also take time to teach the horses new things in order to give them a job and keep them busy so they don’t get burnt out or bored with their job.  Instructors are also responsible for keeping the horses in shape by taking them out to ride hills, or working them through different obstacles.  Just like a person couldn’t run a marathon without training for it, a horse isn’t able to be ridden hard without the proper conditioning. 

This picture shows one of our instructors long lining one of the horses at STARS.  in this picture, the horse is getting exercise, learning how to carry herself in a proper position, and learning to respond to a rider’s hands.  This is only one of the many ways we keep our horses tuned up and in shape. 

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This quote right here is the reason horses work so well for Equine Assisted Learning (EAL).  We can learn so much about ourselves through a horse!

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One common question we get regarding the K9 STARS is in regards to the difference between therapy dogs and service dogs, and which one STARS offers.

What is a Therapy Dog? Therapy dogs go through special training in order to go, with their owners, on different visits.  These visits may include hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, schools, hospice, etc.  At these visits, the dogs provide affection and comfort to the individuals they see.

What is a Service Dog? A service dog is a dog that goes through extensive training in order to learn how to aid their owner in whatever way they may need.  These dogs belong to owners with disabilities.  They complete every day chores for their owners like opening doors, picking things up, sensing a seizure or low/high blood sugar levels.  

So, which services do we offer at STARS? At STARS, we certify dogs as THERAPY dogs.  Here is how it works.  All of our dogs are trained by and go on visits with their owners.  First, dogs are required to pass their Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test and complete two six week sessions of dog obedience.  They can start this process at any age.  Once this is completed AND the dog is at least 18 months old, the dog is required to take an obedience test and a temperament test put together specially for the K9 STARS program.  Once all of this is complete AND passed, the dog is certified to go on STARS APPROVED visits as THERAPY dogs.  STARS does not train service dogs.

If you are interested in getting your dog certified as a THERAPY dog, or would like to know more, contact us to get started!

Visit our website at www.scstars.org

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Have you ever wondered what the top five most popular horse breeds in America were?  Have you noticed that certain breeds seem to show up more often than others?  Although the popularity of a breed may depend on the type of of event you compete in, watch, or hear about most often, there are five breeds that above all are the most popular in America.   Please find these five breeds and a short description listed below in no particular order.

American Quarter Horse: This one probably doesn’t surprise anyone.  This breed was first developed as a racehorse, and got its name from it’s ability to run faster than any other breed at a distance of a quarter mile or less.  Today, however, Quarter Horses are used for a variety of events including ranch work, barrel racing, western pleasure, English events, trail riding, and much more.  These horses are especially known for their athleticism, versatility, loyalty, and classic, muscular beauty.

Thoroughbred: This breed originated from England, and is best known for their ability to excel in horse racing.   Thoroughbreds aren’t only used for racing, but are also used in many different English events including dressage, jumping, and endurance.   Thoroughbreds are also used for general riding.  This breed is hot-blooded which means they tend to be more sensitive and spirited than cold-blooded and warm-blooded breeds.

American Paint Horse: This breed is known for its unique markings.  These horses tend to be good natured and intelligent, making them good performance horses as well as great companions.   Paints, like Quarter Horses are very versatile and excel in a variety of events.  Paints can come from Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred backgrounds, and resemble whichever breed they come from in body type.

Appaloosa: The Appaloosa is an American breed that is best known for its colorful spotted coat.  These horses are also very versatile.  They are generally quick, compact, and mild mannered.  They can be used for anything from general riding, to showing, to rodeo events.

Arabian: The Arabian originated on the Arabian Peninsula.  This horse has a distinctive head shape as well as a high tail carriage, making it one of the most recognizable breeds.  Like the Thoroughbred, Arabians are hot-blooded making them more sensitive and spirited than other breeds.  These horses are known for their intelligence, strength, speed, and eagerness to please.  These horses excel at many different events including endurance, general riding, jumping, racing, and work.

Visit our website at www.scstars.org