Sunflower Equine Assisted Learning Center
Sunflower Farm is pleased to announce that Dr. Odom became a Certified Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator in November, 2023 through Dreamwinds Equine Assisted Learning Centre in Tryon, North Carolina. The Dreamwinds training center was born from the Cartier Academy of Equine Assisted Learning, Canada, whose Building Block Learning Series offers the first standardized educational equine-assisted learning format. Undergirded by educational research and the philosophy that experiential learning, rather than mere transmission of information, is the natural way of learning, the Cartier system utilizes horses from which new learning insights emerge as the learner reflects upon the experience. Sunflower Farm is excited to be able to offer these programs with reservations being taken starting March 1, 2024.
What is Equine Assisted Learning?
Equine Assisted Learning is a “learner-based educational experience with horses.” Participants in objectively driven exercises discover they are learning valuable life skills in a fun and exciting environment with horses. Applicable to many venues from individual personal development to corporate team-building, equine assisted learning can develop self-awareness, boost self-confidence, contribute to the growth of social-emotional skills, allow people to connect with horses, and provide for learning life skills such as relationship-building, problem solving, teamwork and communication, and leadership. Learning may take place on a social, emotional, behavioral, and spiritual level.
Equine Assisted Learning is conducted totally on the ground; there is no riding component, and even those without any horse experience find they discover new insights through working with the horses. Equine Assisted Learning is NOT therapeutic riding, hippo-therapy, or equine psychotherapy. It is a facilitated discovery of life-changing skills and development through interacting with horses in an objective exercise environment. The Cartier system offered at Sunflower Farm is the first internationally recognized, research documented, and standardized form of delivering this type of facilitated learning with a proven ability to positively impact behavior, using horses.
Why horses?
Horses are extremely sensitive creatures, aware of their surroundings and quick to react. Horses, for mere survival, are herd oriented, looking for strong leadership, with a willingness to follow once they trust. They are team oriented, working together for the safety and strength of the herd. Because body language is a primary form of communication among horses, they are astute readers of body language and have the intuitive ability to identify messages humans unknowingly send when approaching and interacting with them and their other teammates during the exercises. Horses can’t lie, and they respond to stimuli in the moment, not over-thinking a situation. Because of this “in the moment” honesty and responsiveness, horses are able to reflect back to humans their own body language, inner conflicts, moods and emotions. Horses demand the development of an honest relationship built on respect and trust. The participants discover that if they make changes in their behavior, the horse will respond. Equine Assisted Learning can be empowering to participants as they learn about themselves while also learning to communicate with horses.
Please contact Dr. Odom for more information and to schedule an EAL experience for your family, company, church group, or school or classroom.
