What is Equine Assisted Therapy?

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning are similar. Both involve experiential learning from activities done with a horse or horses. The activities, how you approach the tasks, and what surfaces for you in the process becomes a metaphor for other areas of your life. The learning is in the here and now, therefore experiential learning is lasting. The experiences with the horses can be used to:

Discover new things about yourself
Increase trust in yourself and others
Develop new strategies
Enhance emotional flexibility
Understand relationships in your life
Increase self esteem
Enhance team building

Specially trained certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning professionals take you through a process with the horses and facilitate the lessons you are learning.

How does Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning work?

You don't ride the horses.
You do activities with the horses that bring about enhanced self knowledge.
They give you immediate feedback about yourself by mirroring your emotions and your behavior.
You learn to react differently.
And the changes you make are lasting.

Why use horses?

Horses are big. Horses are curious. Horses can be intimidating. Horses are playful. Horses respond immediately. Horses challenge us to be authentic. Horses don't lie and can tell when we do. Horses know if you mean what you say. Horses challenge us to be our best.

Whatever your issues are, they surface with a horse!

What is Equine Assisted Therapy useful for?

There are a variety of areas that can be addressed by Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning, including:

Personal issues
Focus problems and Attention Deficit Disorder
Social anxiety or shyness
Anxiety
Trauma
Anger and acting out
Grief and loss
Poor self-esteem
Communication
Interpersonal relationships
Stress
Burnout

Want to see Equine Assisted Therapy in action?

Video: EAGALA in Practice (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning)
Video: EAGALA in Practice - Part 2