Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) utilizes horses as part of a therapy team. The other members of the team are a licensed mental health professional and an equine specialist professional. While EAP sessions are designed to address personal issues, EAL sessions focus on education, learning and skill development as defined either by a group or an individual.

Some of the areas that can be addressed with EAL are:

• improving communication
• improving teamwork and group cohesion 
• increasing productivity
• resiliency training
• conflict resolution

EAL sessions can be arranged for individuals and couples but are most often used by discrete groups to work on specific issues. Some groups who benefit from EAL are fire fighters, police officers, emts, and warriors. EAL is also being used by corporations for team building and conflict resolution.

Sessions can be anywhere from an hour long to half or full‐day workshops for groups.

Here is a short story, courtesy of colleagues from Israel -

Mary’s story

Mary, a director with a large government agency, was leading Cody.  Each step of the way she checked in to be sure Cody was coming with her, she praised him for his progress and felt great about their relationship – right until she walked into the side of the barn…

Mary was so focused on Cody that she forgot to check on where they were going.  Mary had a huge epiphany – her team wasn’t achieving their goals and were constantly asking her for direction – she was doing her best to support and encourage them but the results were not there – she was so focused on supporting her team she had forgotton how to guide them.

Mary learned that she and Cody could traverse a complex obstacle course together when she stopped constantly reassuring her horse.  She discovered that every time she checked in on Cody he interpreted that as a lack of confidence and she learned when she set reasonable boundaries and lead by example she  never ran into a wall again!

A few months after the session Mary emailed us to tell us that not only was her team performing better but she had been promoted and she was sure that the short walk with Cody was the key to her success.

 
Photos courtesy of EAGALA.

To schedule a session or workshop please contact us at (855) TRR-­4YOU.