Anxiety and Mood 

Equine Assisted Learning is a hands-on educational program that uses the interactions and developing relationships between horses and humans in an environment of learning and self-discovery. It is designed to promote personal growth by providing insights and opportunities to develop social, life, academic, or professional skills in a fun and supportive environment.  

Each week the participants explore a new theme through the eyes of their horse. Examples are; making good decisions, reading body language, managing risk, setting boundaries & respecting personal space, teamwork & leadership, negotiating environmental sensory stressors, understanding social cues. Each lesson begins with an introduction to the skills that will be explored, how the horses will help, and what students need to understand about the horses before they begin. With staff guidance the student interacts and work with their horse. They continually observe their horse's responses and behaviors as feedback and validation on what they are doing 

 Horses clearly communicate what they are thinking and get confused when people don't do the same. Survival instincts have made them experts at reading intent, including our subconscious ones. Their feedback can help us become more centered and focused when interacting with them. Equines don't bluff, pretend, have hidden motives or use innuendos. Their innate ability to communicate purely and consistently provides us with honest feedback to our use of body language and helps us to be clear and thoughtful in our social cues. This creates a perfect scenario as we explore our own social behaviors and the feedback the horses provide us.  Horses as herd animals provide a useable metaphor for our own society, including: leadership/teamwork, family, workplace, and classroom interactions. As the participant develop a bond with their horse, it is natural for them to want to be able to address their horse's needs, concerns, and comfort levels. This promotes empathy and respect. When a person provides clear communication and leadership, horses respond with a willingness to partner with them and follow. Participants can apply the skills developed while teaming with horses, to working with other people. 

Each session will generally include some of the following activities, depending on the type of program:

• spending time observing horses and their behavior

• grooming and brushing a horse

• offering food or treats

• leading a horse on a walk inside an enclosed area

• guiding a horse through an obstacle course or along a trail

Why these activities? There are a few reasons:

• Basic, repetitive acts of grooming can help soothe you and promote feelings of calm.

• Walking can improve your mood, so simply leading the horse may help ease anxiety.

• Feeding and caring for the horse can help you form a bond.

At all times, your instructor will stay with you and offer guidance as you interact with the horse. They may ask questions about your observations and offer support with exploring any uncomfortable feelings — or helpful insights — that surface during the experience.

Equine-assisted self learning can take a very different shape from person to person, based on the model used.

Some of the people I work with simply appreciate being outdoors and having the horses there to make a more comfortable talk and release setting, others use the horses very intentionally, building a connection and relationship with the horse to address issues of trust, trauma, or anxiety.