Four Winneshiek County residents attend a Colorado workshop on horse therapy for people with special needs

(Left to right): Nicholle Phillips, Brittany Hansen, Michelle McLain-Kruse and Bonnie Adams.

Four Winneshiek County residents have attended a workshop in Ft. Collins, Colorado aimed at teaching skills to people working with therapy horses and people with special needs.

Michelle McLain-Kruse and Nicholle Phillips from Decorah, Brittany Hansen from Burr Oak and Bonnie Adams from Spillville were able to visit Hearts & Horses, a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International premier training facility, thanks to grants from The Depot Outlet and United Way of Winneshiek County.

The workshop covered a variety of topics, including mental and physical challenges pertaining to horse riding, how to mount and dismount physically challenged riders, various learning styles, volunteer requirements, intake assessment processes and care and conditioning of therapy horses. 
 
The four women work with Thunder Rode, an equine assisted therapy program that serves individuals with special needs from Allamakee, Clayton, Fillmore, Houston, Howard and Winneshiek counties.