LEARNING COMPONENTS

Our training and lesson plans are designed to reinforce the 16 Components of Learning which make up the basic curriculum for Equine-Experience.

1. SUPPORT ANGER MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Anger is an emotion that can interfere with all aspects of our lives if one does not learn how to deal with such strong emotions in a healthy way. There are many therapeutic tools available that assist in teaching new skills and positive ways to direct anger. In the programs developed by the foundation, efforts have been made to move away from clinical responses and simply provide activities and support that promote the appropriate expression of feelings. Should a participant become angry and choose an inappropriate expression of that anger, a horse may become agitated, fearful or aggressive. Such an incident provides opportunities for staff to talk about how the manner we express our selves affects others in a way that does not negate the feeling, but provides more and better ways to express that feeling. By nature, horses are gentle creatures. Our experience has been, that when participants are around the horses, they too tend to become more relaxed with noted changes in overall manner.

2. DEVELOP SELF ESTEEM

In an outdoor setting, there are many ways for people to feel good about themselves. The foundation believes that poor self-esteem is actually the bases for all other expressions of emotion that may exist. Working with horses is an ideal way for people to learn new skills, and see results immediately. When participants first get involved, they may be fearful of getting hurt, doing the wrong thing or simply feel too negative about themselves to believe that the horse may actually like them. Once a bond is developed, time is spent grooming, feeding and riding participants begin the feel that the horses provide a safe haven.

3. ESTABLISH TRUST

Trusting, especially for those who have been emotionally and or physically hurt, can be very difficult. The equine experience provides an opportunity for individuals to rebuild a sense of trust as they learn to work with the horses, learn to ride using balancing techniques and begin to feel a sense of accomplishment as they move through the program at all the varying levels. From our experience in our current program, we have seen participants begin feeling insecure and or somewhat frightened. Over time we have seen these people grow and develop new communication skills, a renewed self-confidence and in some cases a new direction for their lives.

4. PRACTRICE PATIENCE

Patience is truly a virtue in so many areas of life. Many of us find it difficult to be patient with ourselves or with others. Working with horses provides an environment that aids in the development of a patient personality. Livestock have a tendency to move at their own pace and in their own way. This pace tends to rub off on the humans around them. We live in a hectic world with a great many pressures. Those who survive have learned to slow down, take life one-step at a time and allow their lives to unfold in a natural order.

5. IMPROVE SELF-CONFIDENCE

To succeed at anything, we must have the idea that we can succeed. Many times we see young people come into the Equine Experience program feeling that they cannot do anything well. When one lacks self-confidence, then succeeding in life will be very difficult. The Equine Experience program provides opportunities for participants to set goals, work towards accomplishing those goals and thus realize that they can succeed at a given task. The mere fact that a youngster comes to the program with no background in horses and over the span of several weeks is able to catch a horse in the field, bring it into the barn, prepare it for riding and mount without assistance is, in itself, a major self confidence booster. The staff then sets up additional opportunities to set additional goals and provides positive re enforcement with participants to help them realize their true potential.

6. PROMOTE TEAMWORK

It is very difficult to go down the road of life without having to work with others at some point along the way. The Equine Experience program is, by design, an opportunity to help participants learn to work as a team member. An individual and a horse are very much a team. The human member of the team must learn to communicate with the equine member of the team to accomplish the task of riding, for example. Individuals are paired up to clean the barn and must learn to do their part while waiting for other members of the team to complete their task. Good teamwork is actually the result of being patient with all members of the team, having the self-confidence to know that you as an individual can accomplish your part of the team task and trust that all team members will accomplish their piece of the larger task so that the team as a whole will be successful.

7. HELPING EACH CHILD FIND HIS OR HER PLACE IN THE NATURAL WORLD

We are all different and we all must find our place in the world in which we live. The Equine Experience program has been designed to introduce participants to many things that can help them find their place in the world around them. Often times youngsters come to the program feeling that they are in the way, that no one understands them and that they don't understand themselves. Working through the program introduces these young people to a world of opportunity that may help them sort out who they really are and where they wish to go. We have seen shy youngsters bloom and come into their own after learning to work with the horses. Some will become part of the horse industry and others will simply look back on the experience and know that a part of who they have become is due to the time spent on a farm, working with Gods creatures and learning how to relate to others. With Equine Experience all youngsters are equal and all have the opportunity to take from the program the parts that help them along the way.

8. ENCOURAGE PROBLEM SOLVING

The Equine Experience format provides many opportunities for youngsters to problem solve. Staff is available to assist and to provide the tools needed to solve problems, but encourage the participants to use skills learned in the program to work out issues that arise. At times, participants may need to enlist others in their group to solve a problem, which provides teamwork opportunities. Good problem solvers go far in life and the Equine Experience format can help develop the type of thinking skills that can lead to improved problem solving techniques.

9. LEARN TO RESPECT BOUNDARIES

Setting boundaries and working within those boundaries is an idea that is difficult for many young people today. There are horses that also have trouble staying out of others spaces. This issue is addressed within the Equine Experience curriculum by helping participants teach the horses to respect the space of others and in so doing makes it possible for staff to address the importance of boundary setting for people.

10. SUPPORT RESISTENCE TO PEER PRESSURE

One of the most difficult things for young people to cope with is peer pressure. How peer pressure is handled can either make us feel good about ourselves or it can get us into a great deal of trouble. The Equine Experience program gives young people tools to work with that can make it easier to respond appropriately to peer pressure. When people feel that they have a positive thing going for them, they are less likely to fall to the pressures their peers place on them.

11. OPEN DOORS TO VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

The horse industry in this country is a $13 billion-dollar industry, employing over 3 million people. The Equine Experience program introduces participants to the various vocational areas that are related to the horse industry in general. When interest is shown in a particular area, staff can then explore that area of interest with participants to help them decide if this is really something they wish to pursue.

12. DEVELOP RESPONSIBILITY

Taking care of any living thing is a responsibility. Horses in particular require a definite sense of responsibility from their caregivers as they do not do well out of their set routine. If they are being housed in a barn, they cannot get to grass or water. Horses can dehydrate quickly and become very ill in a relatively short period of time. The Equine Experience program addresses the need to have a sense of personal responsibility in all areas of life and deals specifically with the consequences when responsibility is not taken.

13. SPONSOR TOLERANCE

Being able to tolerate people, places or things that are not within our comfort zone is a must to survive in our fast paced modern world. Working with animals is a great setting to help teach the concept of tolerance. Many times we can not change the behavior of certain horses, in particular and thus have to develop a mind set to work around the behavior with out becoming angry or frustrated. This concept is then translated to other areas of life and coupled with the many other components of the program participants can begin to realize what tolerance really means.

14. DEVELOP CONSISTENT RESPONSES

Horses require consistency to know what is expected of them. The Equine Experience program teaches the correct responses to deal effectively with horses in many different circumstances. Once taught the correct responses, participants can then see what outcomes are reached by using the correct responses and what happens when an incorrect response is used.

15. IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS

To accomplish anything successfully one must be organized and stay organized. The Equine Experience incorporates organizational skills into everything that is done. Participants learn how to organize the tack room for easy access, they learn to organize records that are used to track information about the farm and horses, they learn how to organize their time so that all the work can be accomplished as planned. Staff work with participants to fine tune their skills and show was to better use the time available.

16. ENJOY HORSES AND NATURE TO RELIEVE STRESS

There is nothing more relaxing than to watch horses graze and move around in the field. There is a sense of peace around farm animals and that sense is easily transferred to those of us who are fortunate enough to be around them. Ir has been known for many years that being out with nature is the best possible healer in times of trouble. Program participants have been observed coming into a session agitated and fretful and by the end of the session noticeably more low key and settled.