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What Is Equine Assisted Learning?
To put it simply, Equine Assisted Learning is a learner based educational experience with horses. Equine Assisted Learning is an effective approach to human development that encourages individual and team growth.
Participants engage in objectively driven exercises and find themselves learning valuable life skills in a fun and exciting atmosphere while working with horses. Equine Assisted Learning has proven to be effective, powerful, positive, educational, and creative.
B&B Brigade's skills development programs emphasize its BuildingBlock™ curriculum of facilitating life skills through positively reinforced interaction with horses. Exercises are developed to encourage self-confidence through validated, hands-on experiences. Current research has found this experiential form of learning to be most effective.
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"Since 90% of our communication is non-verbal, it is necessary to learn the
art of tuning in to those around us."
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What Can We Learn From Horses?
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We work with horses for many reasons, but first and foremost is the fact that horses are prey animals, which means their senses are highly astute and they consistently react to stimuli. Because they are prey animals, they have a heightened sense of flight behavior that is instinctual to their survival meaning that they are highly sensitive to the stimulus of each participant. They can even hear our heart beat! They will react to our stimulus through changes in their body language and participants must adjust their feelings and behaviors appropriately in order to work successfully with them. This response then offers teachable moments, allowing the individual to develop and learn valuable life skills, in a fun and engaging way.
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Horses are 100% focused on the present. Unlike humans, they don’t dwell in the past or worry about the future. Just being around them can help us to focus, slow down and become present and better attuned to ourselves, our environment and those around us.
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Most people are drawn to horses due to their majestic and noble manner, this engages participants, and keeps them learning. Horses are large and in some cases intimidating, therefore working alongside a 1200+ lb animal, people develop self-esteem and confidence with success.
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Horses level the playing field by assisting groups to learn to work together, they don’t care what you look like, or what you say, only what your intention is. The non-judgmental awareness of the horse allows it to discern between calm or nervous energy. If the individual changes, the horse will respond clearly, the same way, every time. Horses do not lie.
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Understanding how to communicate intention, while motivating and setting boundaries with a 1,000+ lb flight animal, teaches us how to best approach conflict and gain greater respect and cooperation from those around us.
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Horses live in herds which are similar to human life. Therefore, skills developed alongside the horse can be paralleled back to everyday life. Horses demand leadership, which encourages individuals to believe in themselves, and develop leadership skills. Horses are amazing teachers that cannot be fooled.
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Horses have a lot to teach us, but they are also a lot like us. “Herds” to horses are just like “teams” to people. Horses require a leader that they trust and respect, just like we would love to have at home, school, and in the workplace. These parallels give us the ability to understand everything that happens in real life through our programs, so what you learn really sticks!
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