How many of you are familiar with learning from horses? Probably not many, but it is a great form of training. It was recently featured on NPR much to my surprise. They were at a program in upstate New York. The lead in was “A new way to train corporate executives and it involves horses!”
Horses have an amazing ability to act a mirror for us. You can’t lie to the horse! I use horses to teach soft skills such as communication, leadership, problem solving, and team building. It is a great alternative for those companies who have tried the more traditional approach of the ropes course or other outdoor activities. Each activity with the horse can be directly related back to what is happening in the workplace which is an advantage over the other approaches.
All of the programs have one person who is the human facilitator and the other is a horse facilitator. I am very fortunate to have Paulajean O’Neill as the horse facilitator. She has years of experience with horses and training. Her horses have also demonstrated that they are excellent EAL teachers. The work also does not involve riding. A major difference with my program is the emphasis on safety. While many programs allow the horse to be “at liberty” (not having a halter or lead rope on), all of our activities are done with the horse under control. This in no way has a negative impact on the outcomes.
So, if you ever want to try something new and challenge yourself a little, try learning from the horse.
A teacher just waiting for you!
EAL, what a fantastic idea! I have been riding all my
life, used to foxhunt and ride in shows. It is certainly
true that horses are honest to a fault.
I am glad to hear that you keep horses always under
control on a lead during your EAL sessions. What any
horse trainer, experienced rider or veterinarian will
tell you is that horses can always be unpredictable.
The main reason that statistics show that there is a
lot of danger of injuries with horses is for that reason.
People tend to forget, get casual, and break the hard
and fast safety rules with horses, then accidents occur.
Good for you for sticking to proven safety procedures
and staying away from the newer, touchy-feely-horse
can run free and love us nonsense.
EAL is a blast! I have never ridden a horse or been around horses in general, and I felt totally safe with Joan and Paulajean around.