Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) is an approach to learning based upon the relationship between a human and a horse, that promotes the development of life skills related to academic achievement, personal growth and exploration.

Horses are great learning partners because, as prey animals, they can read our body language quickly and assess our trustworthiness. A horses’s survival depends on what is happening around him/her. So, horses are highly attuned to their environment and to people’s feelings and emotions. And, they are able to give feedback instantly.

Horses can be mirrors for us by reflecting our emotions back to us. Every movement of a horse-a twitch of an ear, a flicker of a nostril, the swish of a tail-is a way of communicating. And every gesture a person makes with a horse-a look, a breath, a movement of a hand-is a message. There is ‘an immense world’ and the possibility of a profound connection in developing an intimate partnership with a horse.

Horses live in the present moment and bring themselves into relationship authentically. Because they are highly attuned to human emotions, they challenge us to stay congruent with our feelings when relating with them. And, in return, they offer us non-judgmental and honest feedback, and teach us to be more aware of the connections between our mind, body and emotions through our breath and body sensations. This allows us the opportunity to make contact with ourselves and our environment and relate to others in a different way. A growing body of research suggests that the unique human-horse connection improves the physical and mental health of both species.