"Horses respond to us with all of the honesty, fairness and intuition of a seasoned teacher. They invite us to step out of our day-to-day lives and live in the moment with them. And if we care to see, they show us ourselves through their eyes."
Maria Lee - Founder of EAF
Equine Assisted Development
Equestrian Arts Foundation offers this experiential learning program in which horses facilitate personal growth along with certified EAD facilitators and horse professionals who have specialized training in the field of Equine Assisted Development.
Under the guidance of our team, clients participate in proven interactive exercises with our horses to foster emotional, psychological, spiritual and social growth. The exercises consist of clients interacting with the horses in various ways while attempting to accomplish a goal. During these interactions feelings, behaviors and patterns emerge which offer numerous analogies to every aspect of life.
The intensity of the interactions with these powerful, dynamic animals provides limitless material for processing and self-realization. These exercises allow clients opportunities to practice healthy, productive life skills in a mentally and emotionally safe environment and the confidence to take those skills back to all areas of their life.
Every one of our clients is treated as an individual. Each session is carefully planned to match the needs, personal qualities, and goals of the client. As a result of our program, clients develop confidence, empathy, responsibility, leadership, non-verbal communication, creative problem solving and a greater understanding of themselves and their relationships.
Services Offered Under This Program
Adult Team Building & Leadership Training
This service is offered in the form of whole and half day workshops or short session outings. These are equine experiential learning sessions designed to improve self-knowledge, team work, goal setting, confidence, verbal and non-verbal communication, healthy conflict resolution, creative problem solving and relationship building.
The Adult Team Building & Leadership Training is a service designed especially for adults striving for excellence! These workshops are perfect for corporate teams, families or social groups. The activities and processing sessions are geared toward the adult world and the responsibilities and challenges of that environment.
Youth Team Building & Leadership Training
Sessions in which the relationship and interactions between the horses and children are used to identify behaviors and feelings common to the other relationships and situations in the children's lives. These are used to explore and develop healthy life skills and decision making. These may be individual sessions or a series of sessions.
This service highlights all of the same skills as it's adult version. However, we understand the need for a difference of approach with children and teenagers. The parallels drawn in the experiential exercises will have a different feel to them, and the facilitators who will be leading the sessions have backgrounds focused on the youth community.
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
Sessions in which a certified equine specialist and a licensed therapist together develop and implement a therapeutic program of equine assisted psychotherapy as a treatment intervention for children, adults, and families. Activities with the horses are designed to bring up therapeutic issues and provide opportunities for resolution.
Clinical Studies have shown that equine assisted learning can have a positive impact on individuals with depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, grief/loss/divorce, abandonment issues, addiction, eating disorders, abuse, relationship problems and communication needs. Our services are available to benefit individuals and groups facing these issues. Although EAF does not keep a licensed therapist on staff, we do partner with therapists from social service organizations, school systems and private practice to make our service available to those already in treatment.