Riding Magazine - FINAL Spring 2021 - v7 (002)

Gina Marchese fitting a saddle. Gina is also an ARIA Level 3 Stable Manager, and works alongside Kristen Marcus at CHAPS in Sheridan, Wyoming.
number. The CHAPS Barn Manager is quite in tune with the horse’s
needs and will let the instructors and ED know her recommendations
for that horse. It is imperative that your horse person knows the
horses intimately so you know when there is a problem.
It took two years to figure out each horse’s maximum value for the
week, but now it is figured out and provides a great framework for
how much the horses can do in a week. For the first two years, CHAPS
staff kept track of the ratings for each horse as well as thoroughly
documented dates for negative behaviors, lameness, burnout, etc. In
doing so, the staff were able to see a pattern for a threshold for each
horse and that became his/her max value. As horses age or receive
diagnoses or are put into new programs, the rating scale is adjusted.
The rating scale stays fluid so it accurately represents the daily life
and meets the needs of the horse first.
To personalize your own system, think about what your horse is used
to, how he or she behaves and take into consideration every aspect of
your horse’s daily life. Everything has the potential to be a stressor
and it only takes one to be the tipping point into a bad behavior.
Please feel free to contact CHAPS for more information or to help
with questions. Kristen can be reached at info@chapswyo.org or at
307-673-6161.
Kristen Marcus was born and raised a Wyoming cowgirl. She
grew up on a 200-acre ranch and learned at a very young age
that agriculture was her passion. Her family raised cattle,
horses and pigs as well as certified weed-free hay.
Kristen attended Central Wyoming College in Riverton,
WY to receive an A.S. in Equine Science. She then moved to
Stillwater, OK to attend Oklahoma State University and received
her B.S. in Animal Science (emphasis on equine nutrition
& management), Masters of Agriculture in Animal
Science and then a Masters of Science in Agricultural
Communications.
Kristen is a Certified Riding Instructor through ARIA and
holds Level 2 in both English and Western. She holds a Level
3 Stable Management Certification from ARIA and is also
a Certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning
from PATH International, and is a trained equine chiropractor.
Kristen is the Executive Director for Children, Horses
and Adults in PartnerShip (CHAPS) Equine Assisted Therapy
in Sheridan, WY. In addition to her administrative duties,
she is the instructor for the mental health programs working
with veterans.
For more on their programs, please visit www.chapswyo.org
Spring 2021 | Riding Instructor 19