How can horses benefit your mental health and improve your wellbeing? Many peer reviewed psychological studies support the findings that horses can help people learn valuable life skills, achieve personal growth, and with the help of licensed mental health professionals can be partners in therapy to build valuable coping skills through life’s challenges.

Not sure what to expect from an EAL session? Check out some example session activities for each of our In-Hand Programs. These sample descriptions provide insight for what happens during the 45-60 minute sessions at ECC.

Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) is an experiential learning approach that involves interactions between people and horses, as well as other equine animals like donkeys and mules. In EAL programs, participants engage in various activities with horses to achieve personal and professional development goals. This type of learning takes place in a controlled environment led by a facilitator who guides participants through various activities such as coaching an equine partner through a series of obstacles, using positive reinforcement techniques to train new behaviors, providing care and grooming, and more. The focus is on the learning and personal development that individuals can build through working with an equine partner, rather than horseback riding or traditional equestrian sport such as jumping.

Equine Assisted Learning, or EAL, is a form of skill-building education where participants work with a facilitator who acts as a guide, teacher, and/or coach, along with an equine partner to set and achieve goals. While EAL can provide positive wellness outcomes, it is not therapy.

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, or EAP, is a form of mental health service provided by a licensed mental health professional along with support from an equine partner and often an equine specialist.

Our approach revolves around unmounted, groundwork activities. Instead of mounting the horses for riding, our programs focus on fostering meaningful connections and interactions with these intelligent animals through a variety of in-hand activities conducted on the ground. Participants gain hands-on experience in learning about horse care, behavior, and handling, developing a comprehensive understanding of equines, in addition to transitive skills that can be applied elsewhere in life such as confidence, communication, and more.