Tewksbury Hospital Equestrian FARM, Inc 500 Livingston Street | P.O. Box 754 Tewksbury, MA 01876 978.851.5540 www.t-h-e-farm.org

The Tewksbury Hospital Equestrian Farm, Inc. D/B/A

STRONGWATER FARM THERAPEUTIC EQUESTRIAN CENTER Application Process & Participation Policies Dear Prospective Strongwater Farm Participant: Thank you for your interest in Strongwater Farm Therapeutic Equestrian Center. Enclosed you will find general information on our programs, the application process, and the required application paperwork. The programs currently offered at Strongwater Farm include the following:

Therapeutic Riding Programs: Throughout the year, Strongwater Farm offers therapeutic riding lessons taught by certified therapeutic horseback riding instructors in conjunction with volunteers. EAAT (Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies) programs provide mounted and unmounted equine activities with therapeutic benefits for a range of participants with different needs and disabilities. This program is available to children ages four and above and adults with cognitive, physical, psychological and developmental disabilities.

General Horsemanship & Lessons: Strongwater Farm offers horseback riding lessons to able-bodied participants of all abilities and is open

to all members of the public. This program is available to children ages seven and above and to adults. Participants learn “from the ground up” how to care for, communicate with and ride horses in a safe and encouraging environment. The General Horsemanship programs include: • Important safety skills for interacting with and riding horses • General knowledge on the care and behavior of horses • Identifying and using various pieces of tack and equipment • Riding lessons for riders of all abilities

Kids Summer Session: Two - one week Sessions available to children ages 8 – 12. Activities include proper horse handling techniques, care and management, basic riding skills and more.

Special Programs: Please visit our website: www.t-h-e-farm.org Board of Directors David Wahr, President / Chris Perley, Vice President / Janice O’Neill, Treasurer / Patricia Bowen, Secretary Mary Alice Brady / Yarima Garcia / Susan Lorenti / Richard O’Neill / Jessica Wadden Mary Jane Marcucci, Founding Director

_____________________________________________________________________________________ T.H.E. FARM is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation under Section 501 (c)(3)

Tewksbury Hospital Equestrian FARM, Inc 500 Livingston Street | P.O. Box 754 Tewksbury, MA 01876 978.851.5540 www.t-h-e-farm.org

Application Process: The application process for all of our programs is the same. Once a completed Participants Application and Release Form (available online at our website www.t-h-e-farm.org) has been received by our office, you will be added to our wait list The information you provide will assist us with scheduling and determining the goals and the appropriateness of the program for an individual. Program openings are determined based on the needs of the individual and the availability of resources. Many of our participants return each Session and openings are limited. Please know that we do all that we can to integrate participants whenever possible. When an opening becomes available, but not less than three weeks prior to the start of any Session, you will be contacted to schedule a pre-riding assessment. A $50 assessment fee, payable in cash or check is due at the time of assessment, prior to scheduled enrollment into a program. No pre-riding assessment is required for able-bodied participants in our Kids Summer Camps. Due to the nature of therapeutic riding and other equine related activities, there are individuals for whom Strongwater Farm’s programs are deemed inappropriate during the evaluation process and such individual are not accepted for enrollment or not eligible to continue in Strongwater Farm’s programs. This determination is made on the basis of physical, behavioral and other limitations. Participants applying for the Therapeutic Riding Programs will be required to provide a Medical History form signed by a physician on or before the date of the pre-riding assessment. Strongwater Farm reserves the right to determine if we are unable to serve an applicant or that

continuance in a program by a given individual is inappropriate due to unavailable resource(s)and or/safety concerns including PATH Intl. guidelines relating to contraindications for participation. Under Massachusetts law, an equine professional is not liable for an injury to, or the death of, a participant in equine activities resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities, pursuant to section 2Dof chapter 128 of the General Laws.

Lesson Sessions: Strongwater Farm offers six Sessions of riding lessons per year. Each Session consists of eight (8)

lessons with the exception of the Winter Session which consists of six (6) lessons. In addition, there are two Summer Session (The Kids Summer Sessions) of one week in length for children ages 8-12. Participants will be notified of enrollment not less than ten (10) days prior to the start of a Session. To the greatest extent possible, lessons will be scheduled for the same day and time each week and. participants with similar goals will be grouped together. In the event that inclement weather does not

Board of Directors David Wahr, President / Chris Perley, Vice President / Janice O’Neill, Treasurer / Patricia Bowen, Secretary Mary Alice Brady / Yarima Garcia / Susan Lorenti / Richard O’Neill / Jessica Wadden Mary Jane Marcucci, Founding Director

_____________________________________________________________________________________ T.H.E. FARM is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation under Section 501 (c)(3)

Tewksbury Hospital Equestrian FARM, Inc 500 Livingston Street | P.O. Box 754 Tewksbury, MA 01876 978.851.5540 www.t-h-e-farm.org

allow for mounted lessons, Strongwater Farm, in its sole discretion, may integrate one or more unmounted equine learning lessons into a participant’s riding program. During unmounted lessons participants will learn important skills about horse care and management that includes, but are not limited to: leading the horse, grooming, tacking, nutrition, and basic horse first aid. Skills learned in unmounted equine learning lessons are equally as important as horseback riding lessons. Strongwater Farm operates Tuesday through Sunday during each Session. Lessons will be held during all school vacations and all holidays with the following exceptions: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving Day STRONGWATER FARM 2013-2014 Riding Lesson Calendar Summer Session Kids Summer Session I Kids Summer Session II Early Fall Session Late Fall Session Winter Session Early Spring Session Late Spring Session Kids Summer Session Summer Session Early Fall Session Late Fall Session

8 weeks 1 week 1 week 9 weeks 10 weeks 8 weeks 8 weeks 8 weeks 2 weeks 8 weeks 8 weeks 8 weeks

June 24, 2013 – August 18, 2013 August 5, 2013 – August 9, 2013 August 12, 2013 – August 16, 2013 August 19, 2013 – October 20, 2013 October 14, 2013 – December 23, 2013 January 6, 2014 – March 2, 2014 March 3, 2013 – April 27, 2014 April 28, 2014 – June 22, 2014 June 23, 2014 – July 6, 2014 July 7, 2014 – August 31, 2014 September 1,, 2014 – October 26, 2014 October 27, 2014 – December 21, 2014

Attendance: Strongwater Farm expects consistent attendance by all participants. If a participant unable to attend a

regularly scheduled lesson, notification must be made by calling the instructor at his/her designated number as soon as the absence is anticipated so we may provide sufficient notice to staff and volunteers

Refunds and Cancellations: Due to the need to schedule staff and volunteers and to properly utilize our horses, each participant is limited to one lesson cancellation per session by giving not less than 24 hours advance notice to Strongwater Farm and will be permitted a make-up lesson provided it can be scheduled within the same Session. Make-up lessons will be scheduled into an existing group lesson at a mutually agreeable time and date. Make up lessons for one-hour private lessons will remain private and will be scheduled during the same Session. The same day and time is not guaranteed for any make-up lesson. Other than such Board of Directors David Wahr, President / Chris Perley, Vice President / Janice O’Neill, Treasurer / Patricia Bowen, Secretary Mary Alice Brady / Yarima Garcia / Susan Lorenti / Richard O’Neill / Jessica Wadden Mary Jane Marcucci, Founding Director

_____________________________________________________________________________________ T.H.E. FARM is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation under Section 501 (c)(3)

Tewksbury Hospital Equestrian FARM, Inc 500 Livingston Street | P.O. Box 754 Tewksbury, MA 01876 978.851.5540 www.t-h-e-farm.org

pre-cancelled lesson, no lesson missed or cancelled by a participant can be made-up nor shall the participant be entitled to a refund therefore. In the event that Strongwater Farm cancels a class due to an unforeseen circumstance such as inclement weather, all reasonable attempts will be made to notify participants of the cancellation at least two hours prior to the scheduled lesson time. In the event that Strongwater Farm cancels one or more classes during a Session, a credit will be issued to the participant for each such cancelled lesson to be used and applied against the cost of a future Session in which the rider is a participant, provided that no more than two such roll-over lessons may be utilized in any one future Session. Notwithstanding the forgoing refunds or make-up classes will be offered by Strongwater Farm for a participant cancellation due to a serious (i.e. not a common cold/flu) medical condition which prevents the rider from participating in a lesson or Session, which condition is documented by a writing from physician and presented to Strongwater Farm.

Payment: The tuition for each Session is payable in advance no later than seven (7) before the day of the first scheduled lesson. The tuition charge is a flat fee and is nonrefundable except as herein specifically provided. Tuition helps to defray the cost of operating expenses. Current fees are as follows (and are subject to change):

STRONGWATER FARM 2013-2014 FEE SCHEDULE THERPEAUTIC OR RECREATIONAL RIDING .

Lesson type

# of Riders

1 Hour Group Semi Private 1 hr Private 1/2 hr Private 1 hr Kid’s Summer Session

3+ Riders 2 Riders 1 Rider 1 Rider

Cost Per Rider $320.00 $400.00 $320.00 $600.00 $400.00 Per Session

Cost Per Rider Winter Session $240.00 $300.00 $240.00 $450.00

Attire: Board of Directors David Wahr, President / Chris Perley, Vice President / Janice O’Neill, Treasurer / Patricia Bowen, Secretary Mary Alice Brady / Yarima Garcia / Susan Lorenti / Richard O’Neill / Jessica Wadden Mary Jane Marcucci, Founding Director

_____________________________________________________________________________________ T.H.E. FARM is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation under Section 501 (c)(3)

Tewksbury Hospital Equestrian FARM, Inc 500 Livingston Street | P.O. Box 754 Tewksbury, MA 01876 978.851.5540 www.t-h-e-farm.org

Participants should dress weather appropriate and always wear an equestrian helmet (ASTM/SEI approved), long pants (even during summer), with sturdy-soled boots or shoes with a ¼ heel unless alternative attire arrangements are made for a therapeutic lesson. Participants will not be allowed on the horse unless properly dressed. Participants must be prepared to ride outside in all weather conditions. Strongwater Farm recommends that participants dress in layers.

Board of Directors David Wahr, President / Chris Perley, Vice President / Janice O’Neill, Treasurer / Patricia Bowen, Secretary Mary Alice Brady / Yarima Garcia / Susan Lorenti / Richard O’Neill / Jessica Wadden Mary Jane Marcucci, Founding Director

_____________________________________________________________________________________ T.H.E. FARM is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation under Section 501 (c)(3)