FAQ

:: Does Insurance cover your services?

We use a sliding scale. The minimum contribution being volunteerism / carrots / snacks / bottled water up to the full fee of $85.00 per hour. We work with families on an individual basis and are committed to providing services to those in need regardless of financial situations.

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:: What type of training has your staff had?

Pamela has worked since 1999 as a therapist with at risk youth and 13 years prior as an elementary school educator. Pamela has a MA in Ed. from the University of Colorado and a MA in Counseling from Denver Seminary. She is Level 1 certified in Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy and Level 2 certified in EMDR trauma work. Pamela has expertise with Trauma Recovery, Play Therapy, Attachment Issues, Developmental Disabilities, Eating Disorders and Domestic Violence.

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:: Are donations tax deductible?

Yes! Whinnian’s is a non-profit 5013C organization and we can provide receipts for any donations you would like to make. Donate through JustGive.org

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:: What is the Colorado liability clause?

In short, this clause relates to the fact that working with horses is inherently dangerous and organizations are protected from lawsuits if injury is caused from a situation that is the result of horse behavior.

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:: What is a Youth Development Program?
Entering into the horse-human bond is a workshop in which we learn a lot about ourselves and our values. The horse is the mysterious ambassador to show us many of the good things about ourselves, and some of the bad, or dysfunctional. They teach us about ourselves by reflecting our values back to us like a mirror. They call forth issues like honesty, integrity, self confidence, leadership, patience, compassion, justice and many more. They give young people a place to practice good values, as well as learn the life skills that let us learn and express our values in a productive way. The Youth Development Program commits a year to supporting young people, through a values-based experience, through the myriad of choices and growth that is the gift of horse-human bond.

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:: How does horse therapy work?

Whinnians offers Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. This type of psychotherapy uses a horse to help with healing the broken places inside caused by trauma, abuse, loss, and stressful events. The relationship with a horse and challenging activities involving horses benefit kids in many ways. Kids learn to overcome fear/frustration, contain their anger, increase empathy, take responsibility, learn to communicate more clearly, problem solve and work as a team with others.

Each client chooses a horse that they will build a relationship with and work with each week. The client learns basic horse care and horsemanship from the ground. They generally do not get on the horse’s back unless they are involved in the riding program. The client is challenged each week with activities that will encourage them to solve a problem. The process of solving a problem with a horse (such as getting the horse over a jump without touching or bribing them) leads to the numerous benefits listed above. Another activity we often include during the summer months is painting on your horse a memory, feeling or person which is bothersome. The client washes that particular painting off while bathing their horse. This activity is inherently cleansing for distressed clients. Through all the activities, the client learns much about trust, responsibility, perseverance, safety, fear, communication and empathy.

Horses + Healing + Hope
Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy is an experiential, hands-on approach similar to adventure based therapies such as ropes courses. The added benefit is the relationship with a powerful and gentle animal. Clients experience the size and power of the horse as "a problem too big to handle."

Clients can benefit from this experience in the following ways:

• gain confidence
• overcome fear and frustration
• contain anger
• increase empathy
• learn to take responsibility
• learn to communicate clearly with their horse and others
• problem solve new ways to relate to their horse
• and people in their life
• use teamwork to overcome obstacles

Equine Therapy is highly effective and impacts clients in powerful ways! Horses naturally demand trustworthiness as well as teach clients to trust. This helps clients rebuild the trust vs mistrust stage of development.

Horses will only respond and relate if emotions are contained and a sense of safety is maintained. This demands that clients be considerate of some living thing other than him/herself. This builds empathy skills.

Horses act as mirrors to human behavior. Clients often re-enact typical relationship patterns with their horse .The therapist is able to watch and reiterate the interaction as well as ask where does this pattern surface in their life. The next step is to assist the client in problem solving new ways of relating and applying this to current life situations.

The next step is to assist the client in problem solving new ways of relating and applying this to current life situations.

Horses naturally provide an unconditionally accepting and calming presence while clients touch, groom, watch, interact, ride and doctor their horse.

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:: What types of kids are eligible?

Whinnians is dedicated to providing these services to children/adolescents who could benefit from a relationship with a horse and the therapy work we do with horses. We take new clients when we have availability and after interviewing parents/caregivers to assess if our program is appropriate for each particular individual and their needs. Our clients usually have experienced abuse/trauma, grief/loss, separation from a loved one, or a stressful event in their life.

We believe that almost all children are at need in these categories of growth and development, and while we feel called to serve the needs of all children.

We are especially committed to children and youth that are struggling from damage and neglect within their lives.

We feel also called to those young people who are having difficulty finding their way and purpose; those trying to find out who they are in a complex, increasingly unnatural world. The lives of children & youth today are filled with problems so far beyond a child’s ability to handle.

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:: How long are clients involved
in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy?

The length of time clients are involved in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy depends on each person’s individual needs. Clients can be involved from 3 months to 1-3 years

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:: When can I start?

The first step is to call us! We will let you know our availability and set up a time to meet with you and your child. At that time, we will assess whether our programs are appropriate for your needs.

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:: Awards

» 2004 CHA Instructor of the Year

Rathel is a riding instructor, certified by a national organization, the Certified Horsemanship Association. Mrs. Gincig designed and began development of the program for the American Old Catholic Church in 1998. A graduate of the University of Southern California, she has had more than twenty years of training and experience with showing, training and raising horses. She has also been Director of Religious Education and Youth for the Archdioceses of Christ the King of the American Old Catholic Church in Aurora, Colorado for over ten years. During this time she has organized and maintained several volunteer programs serving the youth community and child development issues.

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:: Volunteer

Contact us for more information on how you can volunteer. You can also visit our Calendar of Events, to find out about upcoming special events that need volunteers.

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:: Bingo

While Whinnians utilizes many avenues to fund our program, by far our biggest source of funding comes from fund raising bingo games done by the American Old Catholic Church. We host bingo currently on Thursdays and Saturdays at Turn of the Century Bingo in Aurora. Check out our dates and times on our calendar and come play bingo with us to help feed our equine partners! Click here to view calendar for Bingo events.

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:: Official Whinnians Merchandise & Logowear

Click here to shop our secure online store--full of fun logo apparel that you can wear to help support Whinnians!

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