General: During sessions, minimal physical contact and strict disinfection protocols will be adhered to. All efforts will be made to minimize the number of individuals on property at any given time. Clients and volunteers will be scheduled so as to avoid overlap and prevent extended periods on property. As per the client and volunteer surveys; any individual who has tested positive for COVID – 19, has been in direct contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID – 19, has travelled outside the State of WY in the last 14 days or has exhibited symptoms of COVID – 19 including but not limited to cough, shortness of breath, fever and chills in the last 14 days will not be allowed on property. All staff will practice social distancing and adhere to CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of the virus to the best of their abilities and as the facility allows (
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html).Client screening: A risk assessment worksheet will be completed for all currently enrolled clients. The worksheet will be completed by the Instructor and client (or legal guardian). Upon completion of the risk assessment worksheet, the Executive Director will review the worksheet and approve or deny the client’s participation at CHAPS and the client (or legal guardian) will agree to the potential risks. The approved client will then be provided with a new contract stating the modified trimester dates, an adjusted payment plan, a medical history release stating that they are, to the best of their knowledge, negative for COVID – 19, and a copy of the COVID – 19 Operating Procedures document. A denied client will be required to wait until CHAPS is no longer operating under the COVID – 19 Protocol to resume participation. Should a client be denied full participation at CHAPS they may request a modified lesson plan to minimize or eliminate the potential risk of contracting COVID - 19 posed to CHAPS staff and volunteers. Client Restrictions: Clients will arrive no earlier than ten minutes before their scheduled lesson. They must remain in their vehicle until their Instructor comes to get them. The client will be escorted to and from the arena by the Instructor. The client will be restricted to riding/driving activities only. They will not be allowed to participate in the catching, haltering, grooming, tacking/harnessing, or untacking/unharnessing of their horse. This is to limit the exposure of the horse and equipment to staff only. Only one additional individual will be allowed in the viewing area to support the client. Any other family members, support staff or other will be required to stay in their vehicle at all times. Vehicles will not be kept running as the fumes and loud music/radio are a distraction and danger to the horses and clients. The viewing individual will be escorted to the viewing area by staff and will be asked to disinfect their hands after leaving their vehicle and before exiting the viewing area.2Volunteer Duties: All participating volunteers will be required to fill out the COVID risk assessment before they can participate in any activity at CHAPS. Volunteers will be restricted to only the duties performed in the arena (leading and side walking). While under the COVID -19 Protocol; volunteers will not be allowed to catch, halter, groom, tack/harness or untack/unharness. This is to limit the exposure of the horse and equipment to staff only.1. Volunteers will be asked to wait in their vehicle until ten minutes before the lesson.2. Volunteers will be asked to disinfect their hands upon exiting their vehicle, before coming into contact with the client or horse and equipment (leader/header - lead rope, side walker/ABW - tack/harness).3. Volunteers will enter the Arena from the parking lot thru the gate located at the west end of the Indoor Arena.4. Volunteers will provide aid to the client from the back or side as much as possible. The goal is to avoid standing directly in front of the client as much as possible.5. Volunteers will leave through the gate at the west end of the arena immediately after the Instructor takes control of the lesson horse. Volunteer hours will be tracked electronically and from a remote site, the clip board will not be used. It will be the responsibility of the volunteer coordinators to track when a volunteer comes onto and leaves the property at any given time. Volunteers will be required to wear a mask anytime they are in the arena. All volunteers must watch the video on how to properly wear a mask and it will be noted in their file they have watched it.Instructors:1. Instructors will be responsible for catching, grooming and tacking/harnessing the horse before the lesson.2. Once done, the Instructor will lead the horse into the arena where the volunteer will be waiting.3. The Instructor will escort the client into the arena from the parking lot through the gate located at the west end of the arena after disinfecting the client’s hands (if applicable based on the client).4. Instructors will teach and provide aid to the client from the back or side as much as possible. The goal is to avoid standing directly in front of the client as much as possible.5. After the completion of the lesson the Instructor will escort the client back to their vehicle through the gate at the west end of the arena.6. The Instructor will return to the arena to take control of the lesson horse from the volunteer and return to the barn for untacking/unharnessing, brush down and turn out. All tack and grooming supplies will be moved to the back of the barn by the garden (during good weather) or into Stall #3 (during poor weather) where it will be disinfected and returned to the tack room at the end of the day. No grooming tools or tack will be used consecutively without first being disinfected (reins, helmets, driving gloves, etc.). No lesson horse will be used in two lessons back to back, they must be allowed time for turnout (UV disinfection). Masks must be worn by all volunteers and clients. Staff will wear them except when teaching in excess of 6 feet away.3Instructors will need to disinfect with hand sanitizer between each lesson. Instructors should use hand sanitizer:• Before pulling out tack and grooming supplies• Before catching the lesson horse• After handing off the lesson horse to the volunteer and before coming into contact with the client• After escorting the client to their vehicle and before taking back control of the lesson horse from the volunteer• After turning the horse out• After moving tack to the designated disinfection areaTack: All grooming tools, tack, helmets, driving gloves and halters/lead ropes will be disinfected at the end of each lesson day.• A disinfectant spray can be used on saddle pads, driving gloves, helmets, headstalls, halters/lead ropes and cross ties.• Disinfectant wipes can be used on reins, cinches/girths, saddles, bareback pads.• A bleach bath or spray sanitizer can be used for the grooming tools.• Any props or toys used during the lesson will need to be taken to the disinfection area and cleaned before being used in another lesson. Ground poles, cavalettis, ring stands, the bridge, etc. will need to be sprayed down with disinfectant before being put away. Facility: All staff will participate in end of day disinfection of the main barn area• Gates: into barn (west end), into arena (west end), into viewing area• Sliding doors: into arena, west and east end of Indoor arena, west and east ends of main barn• Door into Instructor’s Office, chain pull on both sides of Arena double doors• Groom stall/saddle stall doors, Stall #3 door when being used as disinfection area for tack• Light switches/pulls: Indoor arena, Instructor’s Office, Main barn• Common areas: Cross ties Saddle racks, White table, Writing utensils, Office chairs and counter, refrigerator and microwave handles Broom closet clip Handles on muck forks, muck shovel, brooms Handles on muck carts Sure Hands Lift Sling, winch control, stool, cone These COVID-19 Operating Procedures are subject to change as the situation progresses, and regulations and state orders change. As the Operating Procedures change, CHAPS will provide an updated version of this document to all pertinent individuals. The Port-a-potty is available for everyone. It should be used sparingly and when used, the handles and seat must be wiped down with sanitizer. It will also be cleaned at the end of each day.
