High Hopes Therapeutic Riding is committed to providing the safest environment possible for our participants, volunteers, and staff. To ensure we are doing so as thoroughly as possible, we have reviewed the State of Connecticut, Federal, and PATH Intl. guidelines and have created the following plan as of May 11, 2020. In the event additional best practice protocols are released, we will update our plan accordingly. Our expectation is that all staff, participants, and volunteers will follow the guidelines of this document. If there are questions or concerns regarding the ability to meet these expectations at return, please let us know immediately by emailing cbourn@highhopestr.org.
Phases:
- Phase One – minimal feeding volunteers return
- Phase Two – Low risk, independent riders, carriage drivers who can drive Al independently, and independent unmounted/ELP participants return
- Phase Three – Low-risk participants with leaders and select horse handler volunteers return
- Phase Four – Low-risk participants with leaders and sidewalkers, carriage drivers, and unmounted/ELP participants, sidewalking, carriage driving header, and ELP volunteers
- Phase Five – All interested participants, barn and office volunteers return
You will not be able to return as a volunteer until you have completed this survey.
Volunteers who are also participants must complete the volunteer survey as well HERE
Create your own user feedback survey
General Guidelines
- High Hopes will be open by appointment and to scheduled volunteers/participants only.
- Staff, volunteers, and participants will stay home if they or someone they reside with are feeling ill.
- All participants and volunteers must sign an updated liability waiver prior to their first engagement at High Hopes.
- Unless alone, all staff, volunteers, and participants are required to wear a mask which they must provide until such time regulations are lifted.
- Hand washing and/or hand sanitizing is required immediately upon entrance for all staff, volunteers, and participants. Gloves are not recommended for PPE by state or federal guidelines.
- Temperatures will be taken upon entrance for all staff, volunteers, and participants until such time state or federal guidelines no longer require it.
- High Hopes staff are responsible for disinfecting common services multiple times daily.
- Before May 20th High Hopes staff will survey all volunteers and participants regarding their comfort and risk level then will assign volunteers and participants based on the below phase system.
- To minimize risk, our plan accounts for minimized “touches” to common items. Please note the role-specific changes within each phase.
- Volunteer and participants’ schedules may change (different days/times) to accommodate disinfecting, phase changes, and efficacy.
- Volunteer and participant activities may change (as appropriate based on capability/training/appropriateness) to accommodate disinfecting, phase changes, and efficacy.
Phase One – Begins on May 20th
During Phase One, minimal feeders will return to assist staff with morning feedings. Feeders are expected to arrive for their duties with their mask already on. High Hopes will provide hand sanitizer for use immediately upon arrival to the barn. To minimize risk, the number of feeders per shift may be reduced. Additionally, High Hopes staff will assign specific tasks to feeders and will develop an alternative routine to reduce repetitive touchpoints and increase spacing among individuals. Feeders will not enter the building unless necessary to use the restroom.
Volunteers can document their hours via the website at
HTTPS://HIGHHOPESTR.ORG/VOLUNTEERS/CURRENT-VOLUNTEERS/VOLUNTEER-HOURS-LOG/
Holly, Equine Operations Director, will assign the schedule and interface with individual volunteers regarding their role during phase one.
Phase Two- Begins June 1st
During Phase Two, independent riders, unmounted participants, and drivers who can independently drive Al (who do not possess significant risk factors and who are comfortable) may return for lessons. It is highly likely that assigned lesson days/times, horses, and potentially instructors will change due to efforts to minimize the number of people in the facility and to allow time for disinfecting between participants.
Participants must enter through the sliding front door with their masks on and go immediately to the lounge to disinfect their hands prior to the lesson start. A High Hopes staff member will greet and supervise all participants in the lounge to ensure adherence to protocols. Except in emergency situations, family members/caregivers/staff may not enter the building/barn for the entirety of the lesson. It is preferable for participants to provide their own helmets, but in the case they cannot, helmets will be left out with nametags for individual use. Upon lesson completion, helmets should be left in the designated bin to be disinfected. Helmets will not be used more than one time per day.
In the lounge, participants should sit/stand at the marked locations and wait for their instructor in order to exit the lounge. High Hopes staff will tack, warm up, and head horses as necessary for each lesson. Upon lesson completion, High Hopes staff will escort participants back to the lounge and assist their exit back through the front sliding doors. Family members/caregivers/staff may pick up riders under the portico.
Phase Three- Start date to depend on State of Connecticut Guidelines
During Phase Three, leaders and participants (who do not possess significant risk factors and who are comfortable) who utilize a leader during mounted lessons may return. It is highly likely that assigned lesson days/times, horses, and potentially instructors will change due to efforts to minimize the number of people in the facility and to allow time for disinfecting between participants.
Leaders will enter the facility through the dutch door near Aladdin’s stall with their masks on. Prior to touching any item, volunteers must disinfect their hands with the provided sanitizer and have their temperature taken with the provided thermometer. In the event multiple volunteers arrive at once, they should not congregate in close proximity- in these cases please stand on the marked areas. Volunteer name badges for first time returning volunteers and the daily schedule will be available immediately after hand washing at a table nearby. To minimize risk, leaders will turn in, groom, and tack the horses they are leading then will untack, groom, and turn out. In the event they are not available to do so, High Hopes staff will. Unless entirely unavoidable, leaders will volunteer in one class only. Volunteers should log their hours through the website at
https://highhopestr.org/volunteers/current-volunteers/volunteer-hours-log/
and should bring their name badges home. Leaders will not enter the building unless necessary to use the restroom.
Participants must enter through the sliding front door and go immediately to the lounge to disinfect their hands and have their temperature taken prior to the lesson start. A High Hopes staff member will greet and supervise all participants in the lounge to ensure adherence to protocols. Except in emergency situations, family members/caregivers/staff may not enter the building/barn for the entirety of the lesson. It is preferable for participants to provide their own helmets, but in the case they cannot, helmets will be left out with nametags for individual use. Upon lesson completion, helmets should be left in the designated bin to be disinfected.
Helmets will not be used more than one time per day.
In the lounge, participants should sit/stand at the marked locations and wait for their instructor in order to exit the lounge. Upon lesson completion, High Hopes staff will escort participants back to the lounge and assist their exit back through the front sliding doors. Family members/caregivers/staff may pick up riders under the portico.
Phase Four – Start date to depend on State of Connecticut Guidelines
During Phase Four, sidewalkers, carriage driving headers, ELP coaches, drivers, ELP participants, and participants who utilize a sidewalker during mounted lessons may return. It is possible that assigned lesson days/times, horses, and potentially instructors will change due to efforts to minimize the number of people in the facility and to allow time for disinfecting between participants.
Volunteers will enter the facility through the dutch door near Aladdin’s stall. Prior to touching any item, volunteers must disinfect their hands with the provided sanitizer and have their temperature taken with the provided thermometer. In the event multiple volunteers arrive at once, they should not congregate in close proximity- in these cases please stand on the marked areas. Volunteer name badges for first time returning volunteers and the daily schedule will be available immediately after hand washing at a table nearby. To minimize risk while waiting for their participants, volunteers should not congregate in close proximity- they will wait for their participants in the marked area. High Hopes staff will escort participants to their volunteers.
Unless entirely unavoidable, volunteers will volunteer in one class only. Volunteers mark their volunteer hours through the website at
https://highhopestr.org/volunteers/current- volunteers/volunteer-hours-log/
and should bring name badges home. Volunteers will not enter the building unless necessary to use the restroom.
Participants must enter through the sliding front door and go immediately to the lounge to disinfect their hands and have their temperature taken prior to the lesson start. A High Hopes staff member will greet and supervise all participants in the lounge to ensure adherence to protocols. Except in emergency situations, family members/caregivers/staff may not enter the building/barn for the entirety of the lesson. It is preferable for participants to provide their own helmets, but in the case they cannot, helmets will be left out with nametags for individual use. Upon lesson completion, helmets should be left in the designated bin to be disinfected prior to their next use.
In the lounge, participants should sit/stand at the marked locations and wait for their instructor in order to exit the lounge. Upon lesson completion, High Hopes staff will escort participants back to the lounge and assist their exit back through the front sliding doors. Family members/caregivers/staff may pick up riders under the portico.
Phase Five – Start date to depend on State of Connecticut Guidelines
During Phase Five, all volunteers and participants who are comfortable to do so may return to High Hopes. Barn volunteers and leaders will enter the facility through the dutch doors near Aladdins stall. Hand sanitizer/washing is mandatory immediately upon entrance. Leader and barn volunteer name badges and the daily schedule will be available immediately after hand washing at a table nearby. Volunteers may enter the building to use the restroom and log their volunteer hours at the end of their shift.
Office volunteers, sidewalkers, and participants must enter through the sliding front door and immediately disinfect their hands prior to touching anything. Two or less family members/caregivers/staff may accompany the participant into the building. Family members or sidewalkers may assist the participant in putting their helmet on. Wherever possible, helmets will be used no more than two times per day. In the lounge, participants should sit/stand at the marked locations with their sidewalkers and wait for their instructor in order to exit the lounge.
During the lesson, family members/caregivers/staff may observe from the lounge or outside the outdoor arena. Upon lesson completion, sidewalkers will escort participants back to the lounge.
Though we appreciate the social aspect of coming to High Hopes, we respectfully request that visitors not congregate to socialize inside the lounge or other indoor common areas before or after lessons.