Equine Assisted
Experiential Learning

Equine Assisted
Experiential Learning

Equine-Assisted Learning is a form of experiential learning that involves interactions between humans and horses. It is a therapeutic and educational approach that utilises horses as co-facilitators to promote personal growth, emotional well-being, and learning.

In Equine-Assisted Learning, participants engage in various activities and exercises with horses on the ground (rather than riding them). These activities are designed to address specific goals and objectives, such as developing communication skills, enhancing self-awareness, building trust and confidence, improving leadership abilities, and fostering teamwork.

Horses are highly perceptive animals and have a unique ability to reflect human emotions and behaviors. Through working with horses, participants can gain valuable insights into their own thoughts, emotions, and patterns of behavior. Horses respond to nonverbal cues, body language, and energy, providing immediate and honest feedback to participants’ actions and attitudes.

Equine-Assisted Learning sessions are facilitated by one or more specially trained counsellors. The facilitators guide participants through activities involving horses, help them process their experiences, and draw connections between the lessons learned with the horses and real-life situations.

Equine-Assisted Learning has been shown to be effective in various settings, including personal development, team building, leadership training, therapy for individuals, and educational programs for children and adolescents.

It’s important to note that Equine-Assisted Learning is not the same as therapeutic horseback riding or hippotherapy, which involve riding horses for physical or occupational therapy purposes. Instead, Equine-Assisted Learning focuses on ground-based activities and the therapeutic benefits derived from interacting with horses in a non-riding context.