About Equine Facilitated Leadership
Horsepower Equine Facilitated Leadership sessions partner tweens and teens with horses to develop their personal leadership, learn natural horsemanship training, practice mindfulness, and have fun as they learn to connect, communicate, and work with horses through unique and challenging groundwork exercises.
Below are core aspects of Equine Facilitated Leadership sessions:
Connection & Self-Regulation
Horses hearts are 4-5 size the times of human hearts and scientific research shows that the frequency of their heart rates positively influences our bodies. Time spent with horses raises our Heart Rate Variability, an indicator that correlates to increased regulation in our nervous systems, higher immunity, and reduced depression and anxiety. The therapeutic aspects of time with horses combine with the joys of connection and building relationship to calm, balance, and inspire. It is a powerful antidote to the stressors and isolation present at this time.
Powerful Leadership
Groundwork exercises require participants to be creative, innovative, and to cultivate their somatic intelligence, which is made up of combined mental, bodily, and emotional intelligences. Through the process of developing somatic intelligence, participants learn to embody new ways of leading that rest on a foundation of trust and respect and inspire attitudes of willing, curious collaboration in others.
Building Relationships
Grooming activities often set the foundation for sessions and support building close relationships with each equine partner. Grooming becomes a mindful practice of learning to listen deeply to and attune to the horse and his or her personality, needs, wishes, and levels of safety. Participants practice listening to the horses and helping to provide the care and leadership that allows each horse to feel safe, respected, and cared for.
Communication & Teamwork
Working with the horses on the ground, we move through a variety of exercises with and without lead ropes that allow participants to become powerful nonverbal communicators, hold a steady and impactful presence, and form a connected, aligned team with their equine partner. As participants move through the ground work exercises, the horses offer immediate feedback that facilitates real-time adjustments in their leadership and communication.
Play
Participants move through a variety of exercises that bring about a spirit of curiosity and play in themselves and their equine companions. Each horse has its own unique personality and quirks and they are all great teachers on silliness, laughter, and how not to take things all to seriously. Play and laughter are so essential in balancing out stress and helping participants connect to their creativity and inspiration in and outside of the arena.
Antidote of Nature
Wildsong Ranch is 55 acre ranch-retreat facility that has beautiful walking paths, ponds, and sitting areas in which we spend time being with the horses and connecting to the natural world. This calm, engaged time in nature helps participants to find new inner and outer space away from all of the layers of home and school life. These places of refuge, space, and inner safety support the cultivation of well being and reserves of strength within our participants.
Wisdom of the herd
55 million years of wisdom are present in the survival, resilience, and thriving of horses, whose social orders, embodied sensory capacities, and versatility have made them one of the most successful mammals on the planet. Participants learn powerful lessons from time spent with the 20-horse herd about animal instincts, the innate intelligences of horse bodies, and the unique herd leadership structure. In turn, participants draw their own observations about their own bodies, instincts, and innate intelligences that enable them to be resilient and to thrive.
Program Information
Equine Facilitated Leadership sessions and programs are available to tweens (9-12) and teens (13-17) and are customized around areas meaningful to to participants. No horse experience is needed and all work takes place on the ground.
*Sessions may be available for children younger than age 9 pending a consultation with the parent surrounding child needs and goals for the session
We also have ongoing programs in natural horsemanship and leadership with horses that prioritize accessibility (on the ground and on horseback for some) accessible for kids, tweens, and teens ages 5-13 through out partner project, Bridging Unicorns. Read more here.
Duration and Intake Process
Sessions are 1.25 and 1.5 hours long and are customized to suit participant desires and needs established during the initial intake process with the participant and/or their parents via an online questionnaire. Custom extended sessions are available upon request.
Session Details
We meet at our equestrian facility in Longmont, CO, Wildsong Ranch, and begin our session with safety education with the horses. After time spent observing and connecting to the herd as a whole, we partner with 1-5 horses depending on session exercises and practice in the outdoor arena and on rainy days in the indoor arena. We move through fun, insightful equine-facilitated learning exercises on the ground that deepen participants leadership skills, horsemanship skills, and how they relate to themselves, others, and horses.
For those interested, sessions combine exploration with the horses along with other modes of inquiry and expression including mindfulness, movement, and the creative arts.
Sessions, Custom Programs, & Courses
Whether participants take part in a one-off session, custom program, or a course, all participants begin with an Introduction to EFL session. Introductory sessions are holistic equine facilitated leadership sessions that focus on foundational knowledge and skills around horses and horsemanship.
Intro to EFL Details:
Introduction to EFL sessions are 1.5 hours.
$210 - 1 participant
$140 - Per participant for 2 participants
Scholarships and sliding scale are available for select participants.
Please contact us to learn more.
After completing the Introduction to EFL session, participants and their parents can choose between the following:
Individual Sessions
1.5 hours
1 Participant - $190
2 Participants - $110 per participant
1.25 hours (Ongoing sessions)
1 Participant - $175
2 Participants - $100 per participant
*1.5h Sessions are generally recommended for 2 participant groups
For participants who take part in occasional sessions we work with a particular theme established at the beginning of the session through progressive exercises.
Ongoing sessions can be discounted as part of a package bundle.
Custom Programs
4 & 8 Week Programs
1-2 Sessions per week
Discounted price per session
We custom create programs around areas meaningful to participants. Each session will be a unique exploration of overarching themes and goals in leadership and in horsemanship that we work with over time. Take home practices and reflection processes are a central part of custom programs.
Reach out below to request information on individual sessions, custom programs, and our course curriculums and details:
Scholarships
We welcome you to inquire here about partial scholarships are available for select participants.
FAQ
How do leadership sessions and groundwork compare to riding?
Groundwork exercises are the foundation of training and connection with horses in the horsemanship world. Good riding technique and the ability to cultivate a strong, trusting relationship with a horse is a product of successful groundwork. If participants are interested in riding, we always recommend learning a foundation in groundwork training and personal leadership with horses, as it enables levels of connection, attunement, relationship, and horsemanship technique to be created that can then be translated into great horseback riding skills. Lessons with our onsite trainer can be added into packages at an additional cost. If interested, please express your interest in this add on option when you reach out to us.
Why work with horses?
There are a variety of reasons why working with horses is a powerful therapeutic and educational experience. Below are a few key aspects:
Horses live in herds and help youth to learn the personal leadership and social skills that enable them to better interact with others.
As animals of prey, horses have highly developed senses, responding to even subtle emotions that impact their wellbeing. Working with horses enables participants to gain greater emotional intelligence, cultivating the skills to read and sense their own inner worlds as well as the states, needs, and emotions of others
Scientific research proves that horses help us to to regulate our physical, mental, and emotional states. As a result, spending time reduces stress levels and helps participants to build resilience and cope with challenge with greater ease.
Horses are incredible teachers, providing real-time feedback with an immediacy of action that allows participants to know themselves better and become more self-aware.
Is it best to sign up for a single session, custom program, or course?
All options offer great opportunities for your child to have fun while developing their horsemanship skills and personal leadership. Introduction to EFL and one-off sessions are fun, impactful ways for your tween or teen to dive into their leadership skills and connect to horses in powerful and memorable ways. Greater frequency and specified areas of development provided by custom programs and our courses enable exploring and deepening into your child’s development and education over a longer span, leading to increased retainment and shifts in mental and emotional well being. The choice of which option is most appropriate depends on a variety of factors and is addressed in our intake process.
What is the dress code?
Weather and temperatures can vary throughout the day and recommend participants dress in layers, wearing long pants, a jacket, and a hat. Sturdy, closed-toe shoes are required. We recommend sneakers or boots that are ok to get dirty.
Does my child need horse experience?
No horse experience is necessary (in fact, often less is better!) and all activities take place on the ground. We work with a wonderful herd of horses that are well handled, good-natured, and specifically chosen for their suitability for these kinds of activities. We go through a thorough safety lesson and take care to ensure participants feel safe throughout the program.
About the Facilitator
Bridgit Wald is the founder and lead facilitator of EquusLibere and finds great meaning and passion in sharing the transformative power of equine leadership work with youth. EquusLibere programs are informed by her lifelong studies in various horsemanship disciplines alongside mentorship in a variety equine facilitated learning methodologies including EQUUS facilitated learning, EAGALA, and E3A. She is a certified coach through Soluluna Coaching, certified Experiential Facilitator through Training Wheels Inc., and certified Youth Leadership Facilitator through Youth Lead Inc. In addition to youth leadership work, Bridgit is a coach and organizational development consultant and works with domestic and international corporations. She holds a B.A from McGill University in Montreal, QC. You can learn more about Bridgit here.
Benefits
Through participating in Equine Facilitated Leadership sessions, participants…
Develop coping skills that enable resilience in the face of challenge
Develop non-verbal awareness and communication skills
Cultivate internal and external environments of trust and safety
Deepen their capacity to self-regulate
Learn how to lead with intention and access their intuitive self
Learn to build trust and cooperation as the foundation of leadership excellence
Learn how to channel emotions and energy into purposeful action
Develop innovative and creative ways to solve new challenges
Learn mindfulness tools that enhance presence and listening capacities (& more!)