What is Equine Assisted Learning?

Equine-assisted learning (EAL) is a way of interacting and communicating with horses that brings change to the person.
The process of EAL helps people realize where healing and change need to take place. Horses are highly sensitive to human emotion; they act as a mirror reflecting the handler's emotion and behavior, therefore, providing non-judgmental and unbiased feedback to the client. Over time, a relationship can be built between a person and a horse.
What do you do during an EAL session?
During an EAL session, the participant and horse will engage in activities such as walking, grooming, role-playing, mirroring, role-reversal, etc. The participant will then discuss the emotions and feelings they felt while participating in the activity.
The process of EAL helps people realize where healing and change need to take place. Horses are highly sensitive to human emotion; they act as a mirror reflecting the handler's emotion and behavior, therefore, providing non-judgmental and unbiased feedback to the client. Over time, a relationship can be built between a person and a horse.
What do you do during an EAL session?
During an EAL session, the participant and horse will engage in activities such as walking, grooming, role-playing, mirroring, role-reversal, etc. The participant will then discuss the emotions and feelings they felt while participating in the activity.
What is the Difference between Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Assisted Therapy?
Equine Assisted Learning and Mental Health
Depression and Anxiety
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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Spiritual Healing
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References:
- Adams, C., Arratoon, C., Boucher, J., Cartier, G., Chalmers, D., Dell, C. A., Dell, D., Dryka, D., Duncan, R., Dunn, K., Hopkins, C., Longclaws, L., MacKinnon, T., Sauve, E., Spence, S., & Wuttunee, M. (2015). The helping horse: How equine assisted learning contributes to the wellbeing of first nations youth in treatment for volatile substance misuse. Human-animal interaction bulletin, 1(1), 52–75.
- Arnon, S., Fisher, P. W., Pickover, A., Lowell, A., Turner, J. B., Hilburn, A., Jacob-McVey, J., Malajian, B. E., Farber, D. G., Hamilton, J. F., Hamilton, A., Markowitz, J. C., & Neria Y. (2020). Equine-assisted therapy for Veterans with PTSD: Manual development and preliminary findings. Military Medicine, 185(5/6), e557–e564. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usz444
- Coffin, J. (2019). The Nguudu Barnidimanmanha project-improving social and emotional wellbeing in aboriginal youth through equine assisted learning. Front. Public Health 7:278. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00278
- Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Canada. (2022). https://ealcanada.com/
- Fisher, P. W., Lazarov, A., Lowell, A., Arnon, S., Turner, J. B., Bergman, M., Ryba, M., Such, S., Marohasy, C., Zhu, X., Suarez-Jimenez, B., Markowitz, J. C., & Neria, Y. (2021). Equine-assisted therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder among military veterans: An open trial. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 82(5), e1-e8. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.21m14005
- Frederick, K.E., Ivey Hatz, J. & Lanning, B. (2015). Not just horsing around: The impact of equine-assisted learning on levels of hope and depression in at-risk adolescents. Community Mental Health J 51, 809–817. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9836-x
- Obarzanek, L. (2019). The use of equine-assisted programs for nontraditional undergraduate clinical pediatric experiences. Teaching and learning in nursing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2020.01.002
- O’Malley, D. (2021, May 18). Equine assisted learning in action [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUKiu8f1sos
- McKissock, B. (2016, March 21). What is equine assisted learning and therapy? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd3Az0VviVU
- Shelef, A., Brafman, D., Rosing, T., Weizman, A., Stryjer, R., & Barak, Y. (2019). Equine assisted therapy for patients with post traumatic stress disorder: A case series study. Military Medicine, 184(9/10), 394–399. https://doi-org/10.1093/milmed/usz036
- Sudekum, K., Baggerly, T., Baggerly, J. (2019). Equine-assisted mental health interventions: Harnessing solutions to common problems. https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=MrJqDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT12&dq=equine+assisted+learning+a+depression&ots=pndTG3-sAB&sig=kLPQDP81F_1ieSgawn4JJCV5ab8#v=onepage&q=equine%20assisted%20learning%20a%20depression &f= false
- Wilson, K., Buultjens, M., Monfries, M., & Karimi, L. (2017). Equine-assisted psychotherapy for adolescents experiencing depression and/or anxiety: A therapist’s perspective. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 22(1), 16–33. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1359104515572379