Equine Assisted Activities (EAA)

Equine Assisted Activities offer a powerful and optimal approach that has proven to have a significant impact on individuals, youth, families and groups with a variety of mental health and human development needs. EAA programs are designed to partner individuals with horses in order to enhance communication, trust, positive assertiveness and wellness, while also building social skills, self-confidence and self-esteem.

EAA Programs offer a unique approach which:

• Re-patterns and structures new brainstem development

• Offers an effective way for individuals to move toward a path of emotional recovery

• Provides personal exploration, mindfulness, emotional fitness, relationship building and improved communication skills

If you are looking for new challenges and personal growth, our Equine Assisted Activities at the Flying Horse Stable are provided in a physically and emotionally safe environment, providing you with the opportunity to feel the connection with our horses in their natural environment.

Your involvement in horse-centered activities provides an immediate "here and now" interaction with the horses that reflects their individual feelings and behaviors. These interactions are surprisingly similar to issues we all experience in everyday life. After sharing and discussing the thoughts, feelings and experiences "of the moment", you acquire new personal insight and understanding, which lead you to naturally pattern healthy behaviors and a positive life style.

Mutually respectful activities between you and the horse may include observation, handling, grooming, lunging, round pen work and general horse care. Flying Horse Stable also offers a variety of reflective programs such as trail walks or rides, a hero's journey/adventure, the discovery of a horse's energy field, music, journaling and expressive arts.

Your horse human partnership is the focus of EAA activities. You need to learn and apply certain skills in order to develop this partnership with horses. Non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking, problem solving, leadership, taking responsibility, teamwork, confidence and attitude are several examples of the skills which can be developed.  These skills have far reaching applications linked to increased success and personal well-being.

Personal interactive experiences are facilitated by a collaborative team which may include a combination of two or more of the following: a trained counselor, a certified therapeutic riding instructor, a horse professional or trained volunteers. Flying Horse Stable's trained staff and horses are flexible and ready to modify or enhance the session structure and activity choices to flow with changes that may occur in nature or with the individual on any given day.

Mental Health Issues that Benefit from Equine Activities

• Recovery: Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA), post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), or loss

• Interpersonal: self help, stress relief, or communication barriers

• Life coping skills: depression, anxiety, or eating disorders

• Educational areas: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), communication, emotional/learning difficulties, or ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Community needs: delinquency behaviors, volunteer training, or learning independent life skills

EAA promotes change through action and interaction with horses. Individuals show positive growth in:

• Self-Esteem and Confidence
• Social Interaction
• Trust Building
• Leadership
• Boundary Setting
• Mutual Respect
• Responsibility
• Relaxation and Stress Relief
• Anger and Anxiety Management

Eligibility for Equine Assisted Programs

Participants are considered eligible if they are referred by: a county service care provider, physician, psychiatrist, mental health provider, special education teacher or counseling agencies. All participants have a plan including outcome based goals and session length/theme options.

Current offerings include programs relating to:

• Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL)
• Youth in Transition
• Asperger Syndrome and Autism
• Returning Veterans
• Eating Disorders
• AODA

The Flying Horse Stable Programs adhere to the national standards and ethics developed by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH Intl), Equine Facilitated Learning.

Programs take place March - November at the barn, in the round pen, in the outdoor or indoor arena, in the Back 40, or on a reflective trail walk.