Equine Assisted Experiential Learning and Coaching
“Horses are especially faithful companions. They don't argue, but listen. They can heal bruised souls. A horse is the best medication for sadness. Their joy is contagious.”
From Happiness is a Horse, by Christiane Slawik
Do you want more balance, confidence, improved communication, or to rekindle your passion for life? At Stepping Stone Farms, our horse and human co-facilitators can help guide you there through individual or group equine assisted learning (EAL) sessions.
Why horses?
Horses are highly perceptive and they are always honest. As prey and herd animals, horses are acutely aware of our emotional, mental and energetic states. They naturally perceive this information and immediately reflect it back to us, helping us to see ourselves more clearly.
Horses are unbiased and non-judgmental. Horses see us and accept us exactly as we are, without judgment or bias. They challenge us to step up in a non-threatening way.
Horses live in the present moment. Unlike humans, who are easily distracted by their own thoughts and emotions (What am I having for dinner tonight? Do these people think I’m weird?), horses live in the moment and can be with EAL participants 100%. They are excellent listeners.
What can I expect during an EAL session?
Before your session, we will ask that you fill out a new client intake form, followed by a brief discovery session over the phone with one of our E3A certified facilitators. This will help us develop a solid understanding of your goals and develop a plan to help you move forward in your life.
During your EAL session, the facilitators will invite you to participate in activities on the ground with one or more of our horse partners. After the horse activities, our facilitators will guide you through a debriefing conversation to help you integrate and transform your experiences with the horses into personal breakthroughs and measurable action steps towards reaching your goals.
EAL is not horsemanship and it is not horseback riding. All work with the horses is performed on the ground. You do not need to have any horse experience whatsoever to participate in or benefit from an EAL session.
Is Equine Assisted Learning and Coaching the same as Equine Assisted Therapy?
No. While both modalities offer powerful benefits, there are important differences.
In Equine Assisted Learning and Coaching, the activities and debriefing conversation are focused on what is currently happening in participants’ lives, and discovering how they can shift their thoughts, perceptions and beliefs to achieve better results in the future. In a coaching session, the participant is the expert of their own lives, and the facilitator or coach asks powerful questions to help them discover their own solutions.
The EAL facilitators at Stepping Stone Farms have successfully completed E3A’s (Equine Experiential Education Association) training and certification.
In Equine Assisted Therapy, the work is focused on helping the client heal from past experiences and trauma.
Does this really work?
Yes! Our horse partners naturally and intuitively facilitate human healing, personal growth, and the development of important life skills, including assertiveness, trust, healthy boundaries, willing partnership and emotional intelligence.
Learn more about the science behind Equine Assisted Learning and Coaching.
Heart to Heart: A Quantitative Approach to Measuring the Emotional Bond between Horses and Humans
Let’s get started!
Email us at lia@steppingstonefarms.org.