What is Equine Facilitated Learning? | Equine Facilitated Learning & Wellbeing Coaching

What is EFL?

What is Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL)?

Horses are highly sensitive to the slightest change in the emotions of the others in their herd, which means they can sense inconsistency between our feelings and our actions and help us to recognise when we are not being true to ourselves.

Simple, mindful interactions with them and sometimes even just being in their presence can bring buried patterns of belief and behaviour into conscious awareness. Then we can bring ourselves into balance on all levels of mind, body, emotion and spirit, reconnect with our natural desire to play and explore, let go of our mental chatter and flow with our emotions

Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) involves reflective and active experiences with horses, combined with coaching, theoretical discussion and creative activities. The holistic nature of the work leads many clients to experience deep, profound healing and transformation. My underlying intention is to help you to access your own inner wisdom and to allow it to inform and inspire you so that you can live a more peaceful and fulfilling life.

Closeup image of horses. What is equine facilitated learning? Horses as teachers, counselling, emotional wellness, Somerset, Bath, Bristol.

In a peaceful setting, with sensitivity and integrity, I create an authentic and safe space in which to open up, explore and experiment.

  • Build your confidence and self esteem
  • Tune into yourself and honour your true feelings
  • Overcome anxiety and access inner peace and calm
  • Develop focus and clarity
  • Step out of your story and into your authentic life
  • Communicate clearly and effectively
  • Learn to set clear, consistent and healthy boundaries
  • Reconnect to your sense of purpose and direction
  • Create honest and authentic relationships to yourself, others and your community

We can learn so much from horses, and time spent mindfully in their presence can help to spark ‘aha’ moments in which our theoretical knowledge transmutes into real understanding.

To find out more about Equine Facilitated Learning and how it could help you please contact me to book a free enquiry call.

Will I benefit from EFL?

People from all walks of life can benefit from EFL, but if you feel that you have reached a plateau in your personal journey, you are likely to see major breakthroughs from this type of self enquiry. If you feel stuck in some areas of your life despite being very successful in others, feel drawn to this type of work and are now ready to move forward, then EFL is for you.

rosie withey from behind, affectionately touching a brown horse on the nose near bath uk

EFL may well be a completely new venture for you, and that is perhaps one of the reasons why it can create such major shifts in the way you view your challenges. It encourages you to step into the unknown, to be vulnerable, and to open yourself up to new perspectives. If you make the commitment to practice the skills that you learn and to integrate them into your life you can flow with the lessons that the horses teach you about yourself. Then you will generate much-desired, lasting change

You can experience EFL with me through one of my group workshops, with your own horse, or by organising a bespoke workshop at a mutually convenient venue. One day or ½ day 121 Sessions are also available when they can be arranged for a day prior to one of my workshops.

If you would like to join one of my workshops at Trealy farm near Monmouth then start with my Connect with your authentic self workshop.which provides you with a foundation in my approach. It also qualifies you to apply for the advanced NOW Programme, and is an Eponaquest and Medicine Horse Way introductory workshop. Completion of the NOW Programme gives you the opportunity to apply for EFL apprenticeships, and train to become an Eponaquest or MHW Facilitator of Equine Experiential Learning.

If you would like to experience EFL with your own horse or are interested in organising a bespoke workshop at your own venue, please get in touch.

 

Themes and Questions

Here are a few themes & questions that my coaching approach can help you to explore. Each session will support you to gain deeper self-awareness and incorporate discussion, reflective and interactive time with the horses supported by appropriate theoretical material.
Image of horses grazing. rider training in somerset near bath and bristol

Confidence/Power

Do you have confidence in yourself, your abilities, your relationships, your horse, your work?
How do you cope if you become debilitated by negative self-talk?
What gives you the confidence to stand up for yourself?
What are your unique gifts and talents and how do you acknowledge them?
What is your authentic leadership style?
How might engaging with horses develop your confidence?

Presence/Clarity/Direction

What do you do when you are you stuck and don’t know what’s blocking you?
How can you connect with what is really important in your life?
What gives you the time and space to reflect and find clarity?
What difference does it make to your life when you listen to your gut instincts and trust your intuition?
What emotions are you happy to acknowledge and which ones do you resist?
Are you listening to your heart?
Do you make time in your life to play?
How do you feel when you are clear about your direction/passion/purpose in life?
How can horses help bring you into the present moment?

Boundaries & Relationships

Do you find it difficult to say ‘No’?
How would it feel to set a boundary calmly and clearly when someone oversteps your boundary?
How do you feel when someone doesn’t want to engage with you?
How can you explore mutual respect in relationship with a horse?
How do you sense a lack trust and confidence in your relationships?
How can you develop honest and clear communication?
What helps you to resolve conflict in a relationship?
What do you notice in the relationship with your horse?
How can you build a deeper connection?
image of a happy horse running in a field during an equine facilitated learning session near Bristol uk

Sensitivity – Intuition – Authenticity

How do you view your sensitivity – as a gift or a challenge?
How do you cope when people seem to give you mixed messages? i.e. when you feel they are not who they say they are.
Do you become overwhelmed in social situations and withdraw?
How would your life be different if you could be more present and not disassociate?
How can horses help you develop your ‘sixth sense’?
Do you find yourself adapting to suit everyone else though you yearn to be yourself?
Would you like to feel comfortable in your own skin?
What does it feel like when you are authentic and true to yourself?
What do horses have to teach us about authenticity?

Social & emotional wellbeing

Even though you are part of a lovely family/workplace do you sometimes feel isolated/disconnected and as if you don’t belong?
Are you the ‘black sheep’ in the family?
What does it mean to love and accept yourself as you are?
What would it feel like to be a part of an authentic community?

How would it feel to have less stress and more peace and calm in your life?
How do you respond to your emotions?
Do you know what your emotions are trying to tell you, so that you can respond, rather than suppress them?
What emotions are you happy to acknowledge and which ones do you resist?
How does it feel when you are able to trust your gut instincts?
How do you express joy, fun and creativity in your life?
What do horses have to teach us about going with the flow of our emotions?