Noted author and animal behaviorist Dr. Temple Grandin will be the keynote speaker at the Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference. Grandin, who spoke at the NCHA Super Stakes, is internationally recognized for her insight on working with and handling livestock. • Photo by Katie Marchetti.

Dr. Temple Grandin to Headline Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference

Expert animal behaviorist Dr. Temple Grandin will be the featured speaker at the Certified Horsemanship Association’s International Conference.

The animal science professor at Colorado State University will be the keynote during the group’s award’s banquet on Sept. 30 in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Grandin, who is autistic, is a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior. She has spent her career consulting on both livestock handling equipment design and animal welfare. Today, half the cattle in the United States are handled in facilities she designed.

In addition, she has shared insights into her personal experience with autism and is the inventor of the “hug box” device, which is used to calm those on the autism spectrum.

Grandin recently lent her expertise to the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA), which requested that she evaluate the cattle and cattle-holding facilities at Will Rogers Coliseum in order to assist the organization in handling the animals in a calm, controlled manner.

She was complimentary of the setup – noting that the cattle at the Super Stakes did not exhibit signs of stress – and offered advice on how officials could assist the animals in adjusting to their new surroundings at the Coliseum.

Tickets for her appearance at the Certified Horsemanship Association’s International are $95 for non-conference participants who wish to attend the banquet to hear Grandin speak. Or, for $195, they can attend the full day of educational sessions and other equine-related programming.

The CHA International Conference will include sessions from riding instructors, top veterinarians, horse trainers, farriers, equine behaviorists, and other equine professionals. Mounted workshops will give participants the chance to learn from the back of a horse while the audience learns from live demonstrations. For more information on the CHA International Conference or to register, visit http://CHAInstructors.com/conference

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