Preparing Horses for EAL/EAP versus Traditional Training

Traditional training is about controlling the horse's behavior, EAL/EAP is about controlling our own

There is a big difference between traditional training and preparing a horse for Equine Assisted Learning and Therapeutic Services. While traditional training seeks to control the horse’s behavior, horses in the role of facilitating sessions need to be able to show up authentically and communicate honestly, without fear of negative consequences for their behavior. At the same time, these horses need to be safe and dependable, especially around people who may be vulnerable and inexperienced. 

While clients in EAL and EAP programs aren’t there to become expert horse handlers or riders, the professionals leading the session need solid skills that they can model to clients. Their horses need to trust them, to look to them for safety, and partner willingly, without coercion. An ideal model of horsemanship for these programs focuses on co-regulation, fostering relaxation and connection, and clear communication through movement, energy, and body language. This isn’t about teaching horses to perform tasks or desensitizing them to stimuli, it is about building a consensual relationship between sentient beings who can support each other through their interactions. 

Heart Centered Horsemanship offers a model that is based on these pillars. This approach includes becoming aware of how we show up and creating a safe space for ourselves and our horses, giving the horses a reason to connect, and communicating in a language they already understand. It does not depend on increased pressure or using treats. It does not include desensitizing horses to potential threats by conditioning the nervous system to not respond. It is not about shaping the horse’s behavior, but rather having meaningful conversations in which our horses feel seen, heard, and understood. This model begins with how we greet our horses and can blossom into harmonious riding in which the horses become an extension of the body. Whether on the ground or riding, this approach is about co-creating with our horses, which is an open ended journey that allows for the possibilities of what we have not yet discovered.