Our approach to Equine-Assisted Interventions (EAI) emphasizes the interaction between participants and horses, encouraging reflection on the experiences during the activities. By valuing context, reflection, and the functional aspects of learning, EAIs provide participants not only with problem-solving skills but also with self-awareness, self-knowledge, and the capacity for transformation and personal growth. We integrate experiential learning theory, creating an environment conducive to personal development, where the dynamic between action and reflection is essential. This process allows participants to transform themselves and their surroundings progressively and meaningfully.

 

Professionals working with EAI possess in-depth knowledge of equine behavior, including their non-verbal communication, facial expressions, body language, and stress signals. By understanding the natural instincts of horses and how they interact with each other, humans, and their environment, facilitators can adapt activities to promote meaningful therapeutic outcomes.

Observing patterns in horse behavior also helps facilitators identify opportunities to foster participants’ self-awareness and adjust activities, ensuring the well-being of both horses and participants.

 

The deep understanding of equine ethology held by our team members is essential to the success of equine-assisted interventions. By integrating this knowledge into practices, professionals create meaningful therapeutic experiences that promote participants’ emotional, social, and physical well-being while ensuring care and respect for the horses involved.

 

Horses naturally reflect the client’s emotions and behavioral patterns, providing immediate non-verbal feedback that reveals unconscious aspects and behavioral tendencies. This dynamic facilitates awareness and transformation, allowing clients to explore and process underlying emotional issues and habitual behaviors.

Moreover, horses act as intermediaries in the relationship between the therapist and the client, facilitating communication, encouraging emotional expression, and providing a safe space to explore personal issues. They play an active role in the proposed therapeutic dynamics, creating a non-judgmental emotional connection and enabling clients to explore and transform their challenges safely.

 

In summary, the horse plays a fundamental role in the therapeutic dynamic, offering a unique and effective approach to personal development. Their natural characteristics, sensitivity, and authenticity make them valuable therapeutic partners that significantly enrich the therapeutic process.

 

At Almagre, we offer a comprehensive and interdisciplinary therapeutic approach aimed at promoting participants’ emotional well-being, personal growth, and resilience.

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Our Ground-Based Approach:

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• Accessibility: The main advantage of the ground-based approach is its accessibility, as it does not require riding skills, making it suitable for people of all ages, from children to the elderly.

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• Safety and Confidence: Working on the ground creates a safe environment where participants feel more relaxed and at ease, fostering trust and relaxation during therapy.

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• Creativity and Enjoyment: Ground activities allow clients to explore their creativity and provide moments of enjoyment, facilitating communication and positive interaction, especially in group settings.

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• Psychological Exploration: Ground-based work enables participants to explore defense mechanisms, behavioral patterns, and deep psychological issues in a safe, non-threatening way. The horse, as a “transitional object,” serves as a bridge between the client and the therapeutic team. During interactions with the horse, unresolved aspects of the client’s personality emerge on various levels: psycho-physical development, autonomy, independence, self-esteem, self-confidence, self-efficacy, and emotional self-regulation.

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Experiential Learning in Equine-Assisted Interventions

 

Experiential learning in equine-assisted interventions offers a unique and distinct approach compared to conventional psychotherapy for several reasons:

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1. Hands-On Experience: Learning occurs through direct interaction and experiences with horses. This hands-on approach allows participants to learn through practice, responding to real-life situations immediately.

2. Connection with Nature: The natural environment and contact with horses foster a unique connection with nature, encouraging introspection, relaxation, and a sense of well-being, enriching the therapeutic process beyond the confines of traditional indoor settings.

3. Non-Verbal Feedback from Horses: Horses are highly sensitive to human emotions and behavior, providing immediate non-verbal feedback during therapy sessions. This feedback enhances self-awareness, identifies behavioral patterns, and explores underlying emotional issues in a unique and meaningful way.

4. Experiential Metaphors: Interactions with horses generate powerful experiential metaphors, helping participants understand and address their challenges in a tangible and symbolic way. These metaphors can be creatively integrated into the therapeutic process, providing profound and lasting insights.

Experiential learning in equine-assisted interventions combines direct interactions with horses, connection with nature, non-verbal feedback, and experiential metaphors. These unique elements complement and enhance conventional psychotherapies, offering participants a transformative therapeutic experience.

 

Chantal Feron

Clinical Psychologist and Coach registered with the Portuguese Psychologists’ Association (license no. 013236)