EAL & EAP - the differences ........
Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is an effective, experientially based learning modality where the horse (equine) is the fundamental cornerstone to the participant’s learning process. EAL is effective for Team Building & Training Workshops, Pre-marital Workshops, Parenting Workshops, Childrens & Teens Life Skill Workshops (including Leadership Skills and Bullyproofing).
EAL differs from Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) in that EAP is based on psychotherapeutic principles with a psychologist co-facilitating with both the horse and horse specialist, thus process in this field is much deeper on the emotional level. Highly effective in facilitating psychotherapy for individuals (of all ages), couples, parents, parents/children and much more.
Both EAL and EAP are an integral part of Indigo Horse Centre, and are facilitated by qualified proffessionals in the psychotherapy and equine behaviour fields ~~ and of course, not forgetting, our immensely gentle yet powerful co-facilitators..... the horses.
Horse Skills Sessions ........
Our horse skills sessions provide an outlet for children and teens to work with each other and the horses. The aim of these sessions is to provide participants with with experiences and knowledge that will enhance and empower their life skills. We work with individuals as well as age appropriate groups. The emphasis is on having loads of fun whilst learning and interacting in ways that will provide youngsters with skills to take out into everyday life.
Equitherapy........
Riding horses provides many benefits when used as a physical therapy. Core muscle strength, balance, proprioception, hand/eye co-ordination, speach are but a few of the areas of physical benefit.
Sessions are one on one, with assistance if required.
We cater for children aged 3years to 16years.
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OVERALL !
We take the ‘5’ R’s seriously ::: respect for self, respect for others, respect for our environment, responsibility and relationship building. We love to get kids and teens off the couch, off their phones and ipads and into an outdoor environment where they can interact with other living beings both human and horse (and occassionally the 'inhouse' dogs). Maintaining the 5R approach, whilst having loads of fun and learning to ‘be’, is so vitally necessary in the rushed, stressed environment that we find ourselves in. Teaching children and teens horsemanship skills as well as horse care allows a natural path of self empowerment to open up. Specific studies have concluded that horse based activities encourage and enhance life skills such as : communication, empathy, leadership, problem solving, goal setting, self confidence, patience, assertiveness, self awareness and so many more. There’s a sense of achievement that is hard to beat when a child uses patience, problem solving, leadership and most importantly clear and effective communication to achieve a specific goal with the horse they are partnering with, especially more so when one realises that the horse can weigh anything from 200kg upward ! ! Working with horses has been proven to empower people and lends itself to facilitating development of emotional, physical, mental and even the spiritual aspects of ourselves. We offer both individual and group sessions, and adults are not excluded ~~~ after all we’re all just kids at heart.