Equine Facilitated Learning
&
Therapy
What is Equine Facilitated Learning & Therapy?
Equine Facilitated Learning & Therapy is where horses help people with a wide range of debilitating emotional and mental health problems to experience themselves differently. It involves working with horses from the ground and engaging in activities such as bonding, grooming, leading, and completing obstacle courses.
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What is particularly powerful about Equine Facilitated Learning & Therapy is the participant doesn't need to 'talk' through or find the 'right' words for their circumstance. As a counsellor, I find this particularly beneficial for clients who find it challenging to express themselves verbally or when conventional talking based therapies haven't worked for them.
Research also shows that children can only articulate their feelings 7 % of the time, therefore Equine Facilitated Learning & Therapy will give young people another option when seeking support.
How does it work?
Horses are acutely aware of their surroundings and the ‘energy’ given off by a person and other herd members. Horses reflect and mirror, in the moment, how others experience you. Horses will only willingly interact with those whose thoughts, behaviours and actions are all aligned with what they are truly feeling.
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As up to 93% of communication is delivered non-verbally, horses will read our body language and energy and respond directly to this. They will respond in a way that highlights both positive and negative behaviours and actions you are probably unaware of. It is from being made aware of this we then have the power and ability to make the necessary changes to invite more positive outcomes.
Horses can also positively influence our mood and behaviour by creating a calm and peaceful atmosphere, away from the daily pressures and stresses we might be experiencing.
What is the difference between Equine Facilitated Learning and Equine Facilitated Therapy?
Equine Facilitated Learning is more to do with learning and developing skills such as becoming more assertive, developing leadership skills and setting boundaries.
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Equine Facilitated Therapy requires a trained mental health professional such as a counsellor or psychotherapist. It involves exploring issues and emotions in greater depth. This might include things like unresolved issues that you are unable to move on from or how you have made sense of a traumatic experience.
Who would benefit from Equine Facilitated Learning & Therapy?
Children
Depending on the individual, counselling theories may be used alongside work with the horses.
Equine Facilitated Therapy can support:
Abuse victims
ADHD
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Behavioural issues
Bullying victims
Bullies
Disabilities
School refusal
Selective Mutism
SEMH
Adults
A combination of counselling and work with the horses are used in conjuction to explore various issues. This may include exploring:
Childhood trauma
Inner and outside conflict
Inner body work
Inner child work
Thoughts & emotional responses
Triggers
Parts work
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Mental Health
Anxiety
Behavioural and emotional
Depression
Dissociation
PTSD
Self-esteem & confidence
Self-harm
Trauma
Skills & benefits of Equine Facilitated Therapy
Cognitive engagement
Confidence & assertiveness
Communication
Developing leadership skills
Developing & forming healthy relationships
Emotional bonding
Emotional intelligence
Increased awareness
Motor skills enhancement
Responding rather than reacting
Regulation of emotions
Respect
Self-esteem
Self-awareness
Sensory stimulation
Setting boundaries
Social skills
Meet the team...
Smartie
Archie
