Building transferable life skills

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With the horse at the core of the learning environment, young people develop a variety of life skills ranging from everyday communication through to team work and understanding responsibility.

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Horses are the best life coaches. They are wise and honest and strong.
 
Horses respond to clear and effective communication, and have the ability to teach us this without even knowing we are studying them. They bestow on us the gift of confidence and self-esteem, deepening our self-awareness and allowing us to find direction in life.
 
They allow us to discover natural talents and strengths we didn’t know we had.

"Without conversation, judgement or confrontation, the environment has been created to allow a life-changing experience."

 

Putting a headcollar on a horse

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Putting a headcollar on a horse might seem a simple task, but in the programme this task teaches the young person far more, developing their ability to approach a situation with care, empathy and confidence.They will learn how to read body language and consider the horse’s comfort.

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Our goal is to ensure these skills are transferable, because we use them every day when treating other people with kindness and respect.

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Understanding horse expressions and behaviour

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Approaching horses and recognising expressions and likely reactions, mimics our everyday skills in social situations. Horses have a natural ability to teach us without even knowing we are learning, helping pupils to develop an understanding of how to assess others around them and respond to them based on another’s personality and mood.

Reading subtle cues in how a horse moves and their facial expressions helps the young person develop an awareness to respond appropriately to others, read verbal and non-verbal communication and have confidence in new environments.

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Making up a feed for a horse

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A wealth of skills we use every day are supported in this activity: integrating literacy skills while reading a feed chart for a designated horse, numeracy skills in using weights and understanding fractions, and understanding the importance of health and nutrition.

Reading and following clear instructions using numbers and tables in a practical environment allows pupils to gain confidence with numeracy, transfer skills to using tables and develop responsibility in caring for themselves and others.