The Academy for Inspiring Inclusion

Taking the Reins - Equine Facilitated Learning

Equine Facilitated Learning

Inclusion, communication, relationship building, skills development … this project has it all in abundance!

The success of ’Taking the Reins’ shines through the eyes of over 160 children who have benefitted from being involved with ponies and horses on our innovative programme this year.

Equine Facilitated Learning, still unique in the UK, aims to improve the lives of children through a fusion of fun, education and therapy. Taking the Reins is an extraordinarily happy place to be and in the words of children who attend “heaven”, “my special safe place” and “the place I always want to be”.

We particularly welcome disabled and disadvantaged children and young people from 2-18 years old. We have worked with children that have been through loss and other experiences of early childhood trauma and all have benefitted from working “hands on” with horses that enjoy all the cuddles they can get.

The children and young people learn how to safely approach a horse and are shown how to communicate with these powerful, majestic animals and achieve positive outcomes by building a two way trusting partnership. This helps children and young people to understand and become aware of how their own behaviour, posture, movement, energy, stance and voice are important aspects of communication and relationship building. The care and welfare of the herd is also a big feature of this project with discussions about safety, nutrition, exercise, relaxation and happiness.

The journey continues with learning about mutual respect through grooming, leading, lunging and many more activities, including loose schooling with the horse in a round pen and learning to take leadership with their chosen horse. All of these sessions are designed to build foundations for strong, positive relationships, allowing children to grow in confidence and self-esteem.

Individual achievements are recognised and celebrated throughout the courses ensuring that this is a positive experience for every young person. We have found that for many children Equine Facilitated Learning is extremely empowering, in lives where they have little or no control of what happens to them, learning to work with an animal provides a unique experience. The informal and inclusive environment provided by the Taking the Reins team encourages children to be expressive, confident, passionate and most of all happy. This unique experience is both lasting and valuable.

Although our stables are based in Warwickshire, our horses do travel to various locations so that the experience of bonding with beautiful, intelligent and loving horses can be shared with children anywhere.

We have also for the first time this year run this experience with adults and are considering developing it as a corporate experience for businesses that would benefit from building communication and relationship-building skills.

Our work through Taking the Reins is sustained only through fundraising, if you feel you would like to support this project please see how to donate to Circles Network

What is Equine Facilitated Learning

Circles Network has a very clear understanding about what helps and hinders people's personal development. There are many things that make a difference and by far the most important are:

Communication
Relationships
Self esteem

Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) provides for giant leaps and progress in all three aspects.

An EFL session involves working with a horse or pony on the ground, developing trust, control, communication and a one-to-one relationship. The learning takes place in a round pen which provides an enclosed, safe area where the person and their selected horse or pony can spend time working together and create a bond.

Results can occur very quickly as the young person begins to recognise the importance of their body postures, gestures, breathing and voice. Once they can use these skills effectively the horse will respond and then the relationship can truly develop.

For a child, young person or adult who typically controls very little of their own environment EFL is very empowering. Self awareness and increased self esteem build quickly and our specialist facilitators carefully work at a suitable pace to help the individual develop richer skills and qualities.

Our Taking the Reins programme aims, over a number of sessions, to develop the skills and attributes needed for a young person to ‘take the reins’ and to learn to work with a long line with a horse single handed in the round pen.

Making a difference for Carla

Carla is a young woman with a severe form of epilepsy and she approached Circles Network wanting to volunteer. As she has never been employed her goal was to find part-time voluntary work with animals.Carla was nervous and shy and had spent many years unable to explore her gifts and skills. Carla’s lack of communication with her peers had affected her self-esteem and social life and she had no close friends. Carla found meeting new people, speaking on the phone and exploring new avenues overwhelming.Carla enrolled on our Equine Facilitated Learning project and completed a ten week course with a trained facilitator, it changed her life. We helped Carla work on her communication skills; she learned how to be more assertive and confident with the horses showing a really caring nature. Carla showed a thorough attitude towards her goals and established an excellent journal folder recording her feelings and emotions. Carla has become a valued member of our team of volunteers. In her personal life, this programme has given Carla the confidence to make friends with other young people and to go out socially. She has gone to live pop concerts in London and Birmingham and stayed away overnight.

Our Taking the Reins facilitators support children and young people with a wide range of challenges in life.