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Nancy A. Winkelman
NARHA Certified
Instructor
Advanced Level
Program Director
Fulfilling a life-long passion
for horses and riding, Nancy began working in therapeutic riding in 1986. She
trained under a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association
(NARHA) Master Level Instructor. Nancy has achieved her Advanced Level
Certification from NARHA and subsequently trained many volunteers. Nancy
has served on the NARHA Conference committee. In addition to her hours of
teaching therapeutic riding, she also coordinates the riding schedules for
each of our program participants throughout the year.
Nancy has a vast understanding of the process in which therapeutic riding
can stimulate participants to great achievements. And her enthusiasm for
participants, horses and foremost, safety, is evidenced by the program's
success.
Nancy attended the University of Illinois - Chicago and is certified in
CPR as well as First Aid. She previously worked with Friends of
Handicapped Riders for ten years. She was an instrumental member of the
Friends for Therapeutic Equine Activities founding committee, and had been
a devoted employee of FTEA since its inception in 1996.
Carrie Bunge
NARHA Certified Instructor
Registered Level
Carrie has always had a passion for horses and riding. She began riding at
a local lesson barn and became involved in Pony Club, which issues
achievement ratings D through A. Carrie is proud to have obtained a Pony
Club B rating, before she aged-out of the program. Carrie began teaching
riding lessons at a local farm, and has particular interest in the dressage
and jumping disciplines. She has owned several horses through the years and
currently owns and trains her own horses. Carrie enjoys competing in
dressage and three day events. In addition to riding instruction, she has
been employed as a veterinary technician.
Carrie has taught both children and adults, and her patience is steady and
confidence building. Her understanding of the horse human relationship
allows her students to achieve their milestones at their pace and with
great self-satisfaction.
Carrie graduated from the College of DuPage with an Associates of Arts in
Business. Carrie joined the staff of Friends for Therapeutic Equine
Activities in 2004 after volunteering throughout the year.
Mary Alice Butler
NARHA Certified Instructor
Registered Level
Mary Alice began riding at the age of 5 in the Utah mountains at her family's cabin. Many a lazy day was spent on the trails going from one lake to another, stopping to fish along the way.
She began a whole new kind of riding when the family moved to McLean, Virginia as she started high school. She turned in her western saddle for an English one, bought her first horse and began riding the Virginia hills instead of the Unita Mountains.
Mary Alice is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a degree in Recreational Therapy. She is licensed as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. She has worked with handicapped adults and youth in a group home setting as well as other locations. She is also the mother of six great children.
She began volunteering with FTEA when she and her family first moved to Chicago in January of 2005. She soon wanted to pursue her certification and become an instructor. Under the mentoring of Susanne Ruebesamen this dream was realized and in October of 2006 Mary Alice achieved her NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) certification. She has been teaching for FTEA and loving every minute.
Heather Short
NARHA Certified Instructor
Registered Level
Hello! My name is Heather Short. I earned my NARHA Registered Level Instructor certification in August 2007. I graduated from St. Mary-of-the Woods College, December 2006, with a B.S. in Equine Studies with an emphasis on therapeutic horseback riding. I had the privilege to do a 3-month instructor internship at Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Washington from January 2007– March 2007.
I currently live in Crete, Illinois, which is about an hour commute to FTEA. I’ve been riding since I was 12. I was on my college’s Western pleasure team and have taken Dressage lessons, but my strongest seat is in Western.
For me, there is nothing better than when I see one of my riders learning and experiencing something new in their lessons. I like making lessons fun and at the same time a learning experience. When I see a rider learn a new term, conquer a fear or insecurity, working hard on an area of riding, and progressing in their riding ability, it makes me excited to be a part of this amazing experience of therapeutic riding.
Jessica Foos
Instructor in Training
Jessica first came to FTEA in summer of 2006 with experience working with both equines
and individuals with disabilities. Jessica grew up around horses and participated in casual
riding growing up. As a teenager, she worked on a ranch in Wapiti, WY caring for the horses
and partaking in long trail rides in the Rocky Mountains. Jessica has been working with
individuals with physical and developmental disabilities for over eight years. She has worked
as a Habilitation Therapist, Teacher’s Aid, and In-Home Support Specialist along with being an
Instructor here at FTEA. She has specialized training in ABA therapy, Play ABA, Introduction to
Autism, Visual Strategies, Communicative Functions of Behavior, Parent’s Perspective, Discrete Trail,
and TEACCH.
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