Workshops

What is Equine Assisted Learning?

Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is an experiential learning program that teaches essential life skills such as communication, compassion, teamwork and leadership through group activities with horses. Through hands on experiential learning it is an effective approach to human development that encourages individual and team growth. Participants engage in objectively driven exercises and find themselves learning valuable leadership and life skills in a fun and exciting atmosphere while working with horses - without venturing into Equine Therapy. EAL has proven to be an effective, powerful, positive, educational, and creative development program with horses. Our program emphasizes Cartier Farms BuildingBlock™ style curriculum of facilitating life skills through positively reinforced interaction with horses.

 

EAL can benefit everyone. No riding or previous horse experience is required, in fact all exercises are done with hooves and feet on the ground.

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Why choose Hearts and Hooves Farm?

Passion to help people and the desire to give back to equines is at the core of Hearts of Hooves. We are dedicated to offering mutually beneficial, unique, therapeutic and life changing experiences created by the horse-human connection. At Hearts and Hooves giving back to our horse teachers is what sets us apart. Not only do we offer programs that create positive change in humans through empowerment, and self development, but we also offer programs at the farm to give back to our horses through bodywork and education.

 

Hearts and Hooves delivers a Certified Program of Equine Assisted Learning and upholds the Cartier Farms EAL Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. The EAL BuildingBlock™ curriculum is provided by certified or trained facilitators with a working knowledge of horse nature and behaviour, the horse-human connection and the key components of life and leadership skills.

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Why horses?

Horses are prey animals and therefore are incredibly aware of their surroundings in order to stay alive. They are very intuitive and are able to feel and mirror what is happening for the human in front of them, they can even assess your breathing and heartbeat. Horses only live in the moment, therefore they are free from judgement and can provide immediate feedback. In a horse’s world, the boundaries are clear and easy to understand. Horses look for strong leadership and are willing to follow once they understand and trust. If we provide contradictory behavior they start to question and challenge our ability to lead.

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Our facilitators observe and listen to then non-verbal communication of the horses and have the ability to walk participants through to finding life altering change. The participants, in this hands on approach to learning, have exhibited an increase of retention and understanding of the valuable skills learned. By including horses in specially designed educational exercises and experiences, EAL facilitators greatly multiply the participant’s rate of success to self-discovery. The facilitation process is designed to draw out the human vs horse dynamic and individual vs group interaction. 

 

Horses can’t overthink a participant’s motive and horses can’t manipulate behaviour. But by their intuitive nature and innate sensitivity, horses can provide facilitators with a window into the participant’s personality, strengths and struggles. 

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