EAP IS a rapidly growing field that is helping adults, children, and families to improve their emotional, behavioral, and mental lives. The focus of EAP is not about recreation or riding horses. Rather, it involves setting up problem-solving activities that involve the horses, mostly in activities that take place on the ground, rather than on horseback. These activities are designed to reveal important insights and require the client or group to apply certain skills. Non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking, problem-solving, leadership, work, responsibility, teamwork, relationships, confidence, and positive attitude are several examples of the tools utilized and developed by EAP. This approach has been compared to therapeutic ropes courses, but it has the added advantage of utilizing living beings which respond to the participants.
EAP uses a team that includes a horse professional who works with a mental health professional. Because of this, even mental health professionals with no horse background can get involved in this work. The reason EAP is gaining popularity in the mental health community is mainly because its success with clients has been so overwhelming.
LIFE'S LITTLE OBSTACLES
One popular group activity is called Life’s Little Obstacles. This involves asking the participants to get a horse to go over a jump placed in the arena. The jump can represent any challenge that the group is facing, such as going to school, or getting a child to school. It doesn’t sound too difficult until the rules of the activity are given: no physically touching the horse, no halters and lead ropes, no bribing, and no verbally talking to each other. The horse provides a great metaphor to working with kids or adults. Each horse has his own distinct personality, and doesn’t always want to do what you are asking him to do. The process of trying to accomplish this goal ends up leading to some pretty intense discussions and insights.
WHY HORSES?
What has recently become more accepted is that horses are masterful at teaching life lessons and making core changes in the way we approach our lives. Herd dynamics become powerful metaphors for leadership, teamwork, non-verbal communication, appropriate boundary setting, and illustrating group and family function. And, for those willing to pause for a moment in the company of these majestic animals, many have found moments of intense peace in an otherwise hectic, often demanding, frustrating, and challenging world. In summary, Equine Assisted Growth, Learning and Education is a short term approach, that affects real and lasting change, allowing the participant to experience the reality of making choices and projecting attitudes. The horses show us a different way of relating with others, our environment and ourselves. Horses teach us awareness, integrity, respect and trust.
