Equine Assisted Leadership Development

By Michelle Storup

​Equine Assisted Leadership Development (EALD) is a form of Equine Assisted Learning (EAL). Leadership Development is relevant to every occupation at every level. It is the process of improving the ability of individuals and organizations to get the changes they're looking for. The basis of leadership is about influencing others, not about position. As coaches, horses (equine) are partnered with human companions and become co-facilitators in teaching authentic power with purpose and evaluating the legitimacy of a leader. 

Equines are large and powerful non-human animals, they provide instant and direct non-verbal feedback to humans. Horses have the ability to provide a higher sense of self-awareness in communication, connection, and leadership to human companions. I will explore why and how horses are utilized, as well as critique the treatment of horses in EALD.

​WHY WORK WITH HORSES?

To date, there hasn't been any academic research conducted to determine whether or not collaborating with horses to learn leadership competencies is any more effective than other types of leadership methods. However, according to Equestrian Michelle Atterby: 
"There is more evidence and research to support the importance of our emotional intelligence (the ability to recognize our own emotions and those of others) and of how our sensations inform us through our bodies, our sensate intelligence (the ability to influence one's perceived emotional state). This is how horses teach leadership". 

The Stanford Red Barn Leadership Program works with horses because they're expert adapters, collaborators, and organizers. In their herds, leadership positions are given to the most competent members rather than the physically strongest. Furthermore, horses have highly developed spatial awareness (the ability to be aware of oneself in space), allowing them to perceive and immediately react to things that enter their environment by using their sight, hearing, sense of smell and other kinesthetic sensibilities (movement sense). Due to their willingness to express emotion, horses are an effective partner for humans to reconnect with their authentic selves. 

​HOW DO HORSES ACCOMPLISH THIS?

Because horses are prey animals, they rely heavily on non-verbal communication. They become confused and agitated when there is incongruence between verbal and non-verbal cues. Even among humans, most of our communication is in the non-verbal range. Our body language can have a profound effect on how we feel about ourselves, how we affect other people, and how we are being perceived in conversations. When humans present with incongruence, horses instinctively react, reflecting the person's internal emotional state regardless of outward expression. 

​In addition, horses have an ability to recognize and identify internal frustration and conflict immediately. Horses are barometers to gauge their human partner's internal energy. They mirror human emotion. Likewise, horses will only respond to leaders they trust and respect, they have no hidden agendas. If your words and actions don't match, horses simply walk away. 

​WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM?

​The learning objective is personal growth and professional development. Individuals and teams are partnered with certified equine coaches and trained horses to learn, hands-on, how one approaches building relationships and gaining leadership. EALD is considered a form of experiential learning. People learn to act and react to a horse's behavior. According to those who manage these programs, the new skills that are developed can be transferred into the workplace and into the home. 

​Another learning objective is to develop insight and awareness of our equine partners and an understanding their herd culture and dynamics. In like manner, an article from Equine Wellness Magazine states that a troubled corporate team can flourish when they can truly “know they’re heard and “know their herd”.

​WHAT ARE THE HUMAN BENEFITS?

​A research pioneer in the field of EALD is Lisaa Pohl, MA. In addition to being a board member a EA3, she documents in her study at the Center for Leadership Development at the University of Kentucky, the human benefits focusing on the integration of the four realms of human experience - the mind, the emotions, the spirit and the body. It allows humans to develop four fundamental leadership competencies (leadership skills and behaviors that contribute to superior performance): awareness, feedback, taking action and somatic intelligence (the art and practice of mindfulness). Other leadership competencies that emerge from focusing on these four fundamentals are: integrity, congruency (where the words, emotions, and actions align), consistency, trust, service, vision, intention, patience, self-confidence, clear communication, trust, adaptability, empathy, team building, collaboration, responsibility, respect and many more. 

Likewise, Linda Kohanov, a pioneer in the field of EALD, chronicles her findings in her  book The Five Roles of a Master Herder. She explored "the way of the horse" and the fluid interplay of interspecies communities and writes down her model for socially intelligent leadership and useful tools for developing collaborative leadership, managing change, and the benefits of experiential learning by studying the non-predatory power of horses. 

​HOW ARE HORSES TREATED?

Fundamentally, EALD is for human needs, but some might disagree. From the perspective of those profiting from the use of these horses being utilized in EALD, horses are benefiting from methods used during the interaction. Then again, what information is available is only provided by the industry, and we're taking their word for it.  Nevertheless, from the horses' perspective, this matter is disconcerting. Open Stabling gives horses the freedom to live in a herd and go indoors or outdoors. Natural Horsemanship is a philosophy where horses do not learn through fear or pain but, lacks concrete rules of definition. Liberty Training develops a true connection between human and horse. Collectively, these methods use gentle and non-aggressive techniques rather than the severe bit, bridle and beatings of conventicle practice. There are no saddles, no horseback riding and it's the horses' choice to engage in these methods. 

​Whereas the Humane Society has general horse health care guidelines, they are only considerations. There's no required documentation of injury to a horse or evaluation of a horses' feed regimen, including monitoring drinking water temperature that is critical for digestion. There's no required horse health care nor cold weather nutrition. There are no required frequent assessments of physical and environmental conditions that are necessary to maintain a horses' optimum body condition. There's no required wellness programs and preventative measures that include complete blood count and blood chemistry panels to rule out any underlying conditions that add stress to a horse. 

In contrast, an article by the American Association of Equine Practitioners notes, "A wellness program should have vaccinations, de-wormers, dentistry and nutritional consultation as the cornerstone procedures." This article also states, "it is even more critical to plan for parasite control, schedule fecal examinations, and set up environmental control measures" in addition to "scheduling preventative and corrective dental procedures".

Furthermore, the EAL Network has adopted Equine Canada's Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct that uses specific language regarding the welfare of the horse. Be that as it may, there are no studies in the United States to assess the horses' treatment. Still, there are six recognized EAL programs setting standards (E3A, PATH, EAGALA, EPONA, EGEA, EAHAE), yet there is no monitoring. In reality, very few have set horse specific standards of treatment.

REFERENCES
T. (2015, January 16). Equine facilitated leadership | Michelle Atterby | TEDxBrentwoodCollegeSchool. Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Stanford Red Barn Leadership Program. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Vint, E. (2016, September 14). Horses As A Leadership Example. Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Providing The Best in Equine Experiential Education. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Pohl, Lissa, MA. (2015) Equine Guided Leadership Education: Leveraging Somatic Intelligence in Learning Leadership Competencies. Center for Leadership Development, University of Kentucky. link
About Linda Kohanov. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
N. (2016, July 19). Linda Kohanov talks about THE FIVE ROLES OF A MASTER HERDER. Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Liberty Training. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Horse Care Guidelines. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
(n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Horse School | International Governing Body - Equine Connection. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
(n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Providing The Best in Equine Experiential Education. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Home. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Eagala is the global standard. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Home. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
Equine Guided Education Association. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link
EAHAE International (former: European) Association for Horse Assisted Education. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2018, from link

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Author Bio

​Michelle Storup is a transitional student at Minnesota State Mankato majoring in Graphic Design. Michelle shares her family home, in gratitude, with her children and with multiple non-human companion animals.