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.
