Eligibility
MESA participants must have be recommended to the program by a teacher, counselor, therapist, or doctor. MESA currently serves children of Sublette County, WY and LaBarge who are between the ages of 3 and 21.
Precautions and Contraindications for Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies
Please consider thoughtfully this brief list of conditions that may exclude individuals from participating in EAAT Activities provided by MESA. The severity of the Precautions will determine whether or not an individual can participate safely. Contraindicaitons will prevent any person from participating in the MESA program.
Please visit with the MESA director if you have any concerns.
PRECAUTIONS:
- Challenging behaviors
- Fatigue levels
- Medical equipment
- Paralysis below T-6
- Spinal Curvature, fixation/fusion
- Poor balance
- Seizures
- Certain Medications
- Sensory limitations
- Severity of Allergies
CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Lack of physician’s release for EAAT
- Inability to communicate pain
- Poor head control
- Children under 3 years old
- Weight over 200 lbs.
- Females with indwelling catheters
- Complete spinal cord injury above T-6
- Persistent primitive reflexes
- Low skin integrity on weight bearing surfaces
- Atlantoaxial Instability
- Insufficient spinal mobility to accommodate the movement of the equine
- Larger individuals who are unable to sit unassisted on a flat surface without a back rest
