Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)
What is it?
EAL is an innovative form of experiential learning where clients develop new insight and learn new skills via relational experiences with horses.
EAL can assist in personal development and developing leadership skills in teams and individuals.
EAL is a fast-growing modality across Australia as well as internationally.
In EAL, clients are offered ‘safe’ (physical and emotional) experiences with horses for the purpose of exploring self-experience in relationship, building self-awareness, building awareness of patterns or habits that are no longer serving clients well, developing social and emotional skills, and addressing learning goals clients have identified.
- Holding space
- Build social and emotional resiliency skills
- Regulate the nervous system
- Empathy and relationship skills
- Reducing stress
- Promoting movement and activity
- Understanding power dynamics
- Stepping into relationship
- Improve social skills including awareness, intuition and communication
- Learn how to set boundaries
- Meaningful connection
- Distress tolerance
- Build confidence and self-esteem
- Proven scientific benefits of mindfulness
- Problem solving
- Connections with nature
What does this look like?
- Observation of herd dynamics
- Meeting with horses at liberty
- Lead-line experiences including touching, grooming and leading
- Liberty leading
- Led-mounted/riding
- Creative experiences with horses
Why Horses?
Horses are beautiful, intelligent, sensitive and strong beings who can evoke strong feelings in clients in the learning process.
Calm and healthy horses can assist in co-regulating a client’s nervous system, can model healthy living and expression of feelings as well as offering non judgemental safety and trust. Horses can offer unique biofeedback and hold clients in a way traditional coaching environments cannot. The natural environment can also contribute positively to learning and healthy living outcomes for clients.
They never lie and they hold up a mirror to show us who we are in our most authentic form so that we can learn, grow and thrive.
Personal Sessions:
Ground - 1hr - $100
Mounted - 1hr - $125
Horse Wisdom Program - 6 x 2hr sessions - $1000 (50% deposit on booking)
Corporate Development
Build professional resilience in your team through a unique and challenging experiential learning opportunity.
Learn how to navigate professional challenges through negotiation, influence and impact by increasing your leadership and communication skills in a non-confrontational environment.
Get out of the boardroom and be guided by the wisdom of the wild. Horses depend on their herd for survival and learn self-management principles from a young age to ensure their continued existence. Horses are powerful, intelligent, and strong beings who can evoke strong feelings in participants in the learning process. Calm and healthy horses can assist in co-regulating a participant’s nervous system, can model healthy and productive relationships and expression of feelings as well as offering non judgemental safety and trust. Horses can offer unique biofeedback and in a way traditional coaching environments cannot. The natural environment can also contribute positively to learning and healthy living outcomes.
Through a series of unique activities, designed with your workplaces specific needs in mind, each member of your team will develop their inherent skills and gain confidence in their leadership capabilities.
Groups (10 people max) - $600/hr
Individuals - $150/hr
Contact us for packing options. Catering is available.
Retreats
Rewilding at the Ranch Retreats are two and half day events co-facilitated by Stevi and Maelani Mills of Equine Ananda.
Maelani is certified in equine assisted learning and is also a fully qualified yoga instructor with the ability to offer the horse and yoga modality.
Retreats are held Friday evening through to mid-afternoon Sunday.
Friday sessions begin with a meet and greet dinner and one ½ hour opening session.
Saturdays and Sundays are filled with various activities such as;
- Equine assisted learning
- Horse Wisdom Program
- Horse and yoga
- Meditation
- Nature walks
- Journalling
- Self-Discovery
- Guest presenters (based on themes)
- Catered lunches and dinners
- Other add-ons that can be offered in consultation with Stevi and Maelani
Each retreat is planned around specific themes that will be outlined in the upcoming events.
Accommodation options are available on enquiry.
Full Day Workshops
One day personal development workshops. Themes vary but may include self-awareness, confidence, life balance, communication, relationship exploration, etc.
Maximum 12 participants per workshop.
- Equine assisted learning
- Horse Wisdom Program
- Horse and yoga (co-facilitated with Maelani Mills of Equine Ananda)
- Meditation
- Nature walks
- Journalling
- Self-Discovery
- Guest presenters (based on themes)
- Catered lunches and dinners
- Other add-ons that can be offered in consultation with Stevi and Maelani
Horsemanship Clinics
Our horsemanship clinics are based on our A, B, C’s.... Awareness, Boundaries and Connection.
Clinics are designed to teach you how to understand your horse’s behaviour, learn to read their body language, grow your knowledge of groundwork skills, increase confidence in yourself and your horse as well as increasing your horse’s confidence in you.
Ridden work focuses on timing and feel, achieving softness and balance, and learning how to become a better leader for your horse.
We will also offer clinics with guest clinicians from across Australia and around the world. Check out our upcoming events for details on what will be running soon.
On offer;
- Working Cattle Horse
- Cutting
- Reining
- Campdrafting
- Liberty
- And more!
If you have suggestions for clinicians you would like to learn from or are a clinician yourself looking for a space to host, contact us and we are happy to discuss options with you.
Horse Training
We take a limited number of horses each year for colt starting or retraining. Contact us for more details and to discuss your specific needs.
All of our horses are started and trained by us for specific disciplines and we have both been involved in starting horses from a young age.
Fees are $500/week ~ 2 weeks will be required as a deposit up front.
Lessons
Each horse and rider will be assessed individually. We will look at what you as a rider need and what your horse needs and work specifically to help you build connection through ground work and ridden work.
Per hour: $50
