Why horses?
Horses are amazing facilitators in the work of human development. These intelligent, sensitive creatures respond to both positive and negative changes in the handler’s behaviour, offering constant feedback and timely rewards or consequences for their actions.
As prey animals, horses treat emotions as information. They have a highly developed ability to sense changes in stance and arousal levels of other herd members – an ability they easily transfer to humans. Horses see through the slightest incongruities of emotion and intention and yet are exceedingly patient and forgiving.
Horses mirror our true feelings, intentions and behaviours. They have highly complex social structures in their herds and respond readily and honestly to challenges in forming sustaining relationships. Horses can teach us to recognise when we are not being authentic or true to ourselves.
Horses can also help us to live more in the present moment. Modern life forces us to spend long periods of time in our heads, planning and thinking instead of noticing what’s going on around us. Horses stay in touch with their bodies, their environment and each other’s feelings from moment to moment. Interacting with them – even just being in their presence – enables us to do the same.
What is Equine Facilitated Learning?
Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) is a form of experiental learning and self-awareness where horses are the teachers. Horses are totally authentic and will mirror our true feelings, emotions, intentions and behaviours. They can teach us how to use our emotions and physical sensations as information to set healthy boundaries and to connect with our authentic self.
EFL provides an opportunity to explore and develop your self-awareness in a safe and quiet environment with horses as your guides. It can help you to enhance your communication skills and deepen your relationships, bringing balance into your whole life – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
EFL can help you learn to balance your ‘head and your heart’, find your true confidence, live in the moment and enjoy a life of joy and peace.
EFL requires no previous experience with horses and involves simply being in their presence and working on the ground with the horse in a safe setting with an experienced facilitator. EFL may or may not proceed to working on horseback.
What is Epona?
At the dawn of the 21st century, horses are breaking out of their roles as beasts of burden, yet they're far from obsolete. As horses are no longer required to work in our fields and carry us to war, they're doing something arguably more important: working on us.
Epona Equestrian Services was founded in 1997 by a group of Arizona based riding instructors, educators and counsellors. In 2001 the organisation became internationally known when Linda Kohonov, one of the founders, published the book The Tao of Equus. Her other books include Riding Between the Worlds and The Way of the Horse: Equine Archetypes for Self Discovery.
It is a unique organisation that specialises in the field of Equine Facilitated Learning and Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy, and now provides workshops and training by facilitators all over the world. www.taoofequus.com