Equine-Assisted Learning/Therapy At Cher-a-Don Teambuilding Adventure Centre (Lalapanzi) We are using horses to help change "at risk" & troubled children/youth's perceptions and learn new life skills

At Cher-a-Don Teambuilding Adventure Centre, previously known as Lalapanzi Adventure Centre, a high percentage of our camps are with troubled kids or youth in conflict with the law.

An introduction to horses and basic riding was first introduced in the camps as an alternative activity, now we offer an equine facilitated learning or therapy at Cher-a-Don (Lalapanzi) Adventure Centre, using horses to change perceptions and learn new life skills.

At Mkulu Kei Horse Trails our horses are raised and trained with a holistic approach. Our training follows an adapted Monty Roberts system, thereby working with nature not against it, communicating with the horse in their language using a body language that both horse and rider understands. We “join up” with the horses, gaining trust, creating a bond and asking permission to ride them.

Mkulu Kei Horse Trails was established in 1998 and with over 70 horses. Having had many first time riders through our stable yard, we are experienced in both teaching riding and working with equines. Having bred most of our horses we know and understand their language, communicating with them on a daily basis.

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See our horses page for more insight into our training and holistic approach to horses. • Our Horses • Our Mares - Therapy Horses • Cher-a-Don Adventure Centre • Photos of Cher-a-Don (Lalapanzi) Centre • Comments from Previous Participants • Cher-a-Don Adventure Volunteers • Photos Working Volunteers at Cher-a-Don Having the mares running at the Lalapanzi farm we thought we would offer an introduction to horses as an alternative team building activity. The idea was to create an awareness of horses, an education to many who would not otherwise be exposed to equines.

The results where outstanding. We realized that the horses and  interacting with horses has the potential to be of great value to our camps especially with the troubled kids and problem adolescents in the form of equine assisted learning. While we educated others about horses, the horses themselves taught the participants and us about the participants enabling us to help them on a more personal level. Horse/human interaction in an environment of fun learning and self discovery and personal development. We have had many "aha" moments happen, when the participant reflected in his or her own words exactly what happened when working with the horses. Without any judgment from the equine the participant had learnt something about themselves.

For most riders, riding the horse is a huge issue of trust-they must be willing to trust the horse before they can be successful. This can bring up issues of trust that students are facing in their lives.

Students who have been unwilling or unable to form positive, healthy relationships in their lives sometimes find their equine partner to be the first successful relationship they have. This relationship can form a model for other relationships, teaching the student skills such as empathy and patience. As in a human relationship, successful riding and horse training require positive, healthy communication. Horses respond best to assertive (assertive but not aggressive) body language, and decisive cues, not the mixed signals that new riders often give. Eventually student riders learn that communication with the horse is two-sided, just as with people, and requires them to pay attention to what their equine partner is saying.

Their observations and awareness had promoted real change from dysfunctional to successful patterns in some troubled kids. In addition, it helped to teach empathy, conflict resolution skills and it increased self-esteem and boosted the participants confidence. Working with the horses can guide students toward the development of essential life skills and teaches social, emotional and behaviorally changes and rediscovering a sense of pride and self-worth. A effective intervention to address the problems of adolescents.

An introduction to horses is now offered to all camp enquiries. It consists of information about horses and why they react the way they do, about their family units and general information. The participants get the chance to brush and feed the horses, basic riding instruction and a ride in the small arena while being lead by one of the other participants. A hugely successful and fun activity, and for those who can ride they are given the opportunity to show off their riding skills. For many years there has been studies on therapeutic riding and the relationship between humans and horses that have led therapists to realizing the potential for healing through the use of horses.

There are many options and many different types of animal assisted therapy. Some animals used are elephants, dolphins, dogs, and cats just to name a few but horses are most commonly used for the unique attributes which they posses.

The use of animals to assist in therapy may go back centuries. There is evidence that horses were used for therapeutic riding in ancient Greek literature. Aescalpius, the first physician and teacher of medicine in ancient Greek put injured warriors on horseback to improve their health and well-being.

England did the same for its injured World War I soldiers. Equine facilitated learning is a form of therapy where participants learn about themselves, other people and interacting with the world.

It's not about teaching riding or horse care skills and the children don't need any previous experience of horses. Much of the equine therapy is facilitated by non-verbal communication skills. Horses, like many other animals, communicate non-verbally. They use body language and often mirror the emotions and behaviors of the participants that surround them. It has been clinically proven that just being in the vicinity of horses changes our brainwave patterns. The horses have a calming effect which helps stop people becoming fixated on negative events or the past thus giving them a positive experience.

Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) is the practice of using horses for emotional growth. Participants in therapy use feelings, behaviors, and patterns to better understand the horse and themselves. The field of using horses for therapy is growing rapidly. It has been proven to be very effective in building confidence, improving communication and giving personal insights to participants involved. EFL has proven to be particularly useful for children with autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and bipolar disorders - all of whom may find it difficult to communicate, interact with other people and carrying out instructions. Individuals with mental and physical disabling conditions such as Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and other learning disabilities.

Even those showing severe anti-social and aggressive behavior become calmer and more communicative.

Problems with goal setting, hyperactivity, mood disorders, depression, Post Dramatic Stress Disorder, grief and loss all benefit from working with horses. Hippo therapy is a treatment used by occupational, physical and speech therapists using horses as a tool to address therapeutic goals such as improving balance, language or coordination by addressing the client's social, motor, communication and sensory needs. A horse's walking action mimics our body action. So, when you put somebody on a horse, in order to keep their balance, they have to move their trunk, arms, shoulders, head and the rest of their body.

Such conditions which can benefit from Hippo Therapy include Cerebral Palsy, spinal cord injuries, head trauma, paralysis, Down Syndrome, Spinal Bifida, Multiple Sclerosis, Dysphasia, Muscular Dystrophy, seizure disorders, and more.

Learning How Equine Works Horses don't pass judgment and only live in the moment, which means they give us honest and immediate feedback. It's these attributes that help to take people out of their comfort zone and that's where all the learning and in many cases the healing can begin. Helping teach the at risk participants to develop self-discipline, patience and the benefits of approaching others with a softer, more gentle approach and participants don't feel they are involved in a therapy session but having fun. The horses are large and often intimidating creatures, but naturally curious and loving which allows participants to gain trust. The horse then gives you immediate feedback about your own actions and body language through mirroring. Horses react as a mirror to the person who's with him. If you are tense and nervous, the horse will mirror this feeling. You learn to act and react appropriately. By involving the horse it created confidence and provided alternative methods of for dealing with intimidating and challenging situations. The horse is a prey animal so he wants to feel safe and is always on the lookout for predators. A horse will become very fearful if he's with someone who's aggressive, noisy, disrespectful or too controlling. On the other hand, if the person makes requests rather than demands the horse will begin to cooperate. He is always looking for a leader. Horses communicate with us and with each other using their body language and a few sounds.

What's really interesting they never miss a thing! Equine Therapy teaches people about themselves and this is why horses are so good to use as therapy for children with attachment problems, empathy deficits or other emotional disturbances.

Equine Assisted Therapy easily reaches out to "at risk" youth and victims of abuse. In every situation, Equine Assisted Therapy succeeds because it offers non-threatening challenges, mirroring the client's own internal processes and can especially help hard to reach clients, those stuck in therapy or in trouble with the law. A child who is given just a little insight into dealing with a horse in the right way can become the natural leader the horse is looking for. The horse in return feels safe and peaceful and will cooperate with what the child asks of him. A horse is looking for simple and clear commands, and a child/youth, with the right encouragement and in the right situation, can carry these out very effectively. Animal-assisted therapy/learning using horses is an effective program for troubled, defiant, and/or rebellious adolescents and teenagers.

The bond teens develop with a horse can help them learn alternative, more appropriate, and more effective ways of dealing with life’s challenges. We use the mares at Lalapanzi Adventure Centre as a tool to promote emotional growth in confused teenagers. A fun form of therapy that all students respond to in one way or another. Horse therapy is used successfully all over the world in treatment programs for struggling teenagers, it helps troubled, at-risk teens overcome problems. Equine therapy is beneficial in helping youth with various problems, including negative relationship and behavioral patterns, which sometimes manifest as anger, control, and distrust; emotional problems, including low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression; and a variety of other issues, including drug abuse and academic underachievement.

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Benefits of Equine-Assisted Therapy/Learning

• Breaks down defensive barriers • Time effective • Challenges students in a non-threatening manner • The horse is a non-judgmental, honest friend • Promotes a motivating learning environment • Builds the therapeutic relationship • Enhances problem-solving skills • Provides immediate cause-and-effect situations • Decreases feelings of hopelessness • Stimulates creativity • Encourages responsibility • Captivates and holds attention • Helps teach empathy • Empowers and gives a sense of control over self • Develops social skills • Teaches better communication skills • Promotes both teamwork and individual leadership • Work Ethic • Personal Responsibility • Confidence • Attitude • Emotional Growth • Relationship Building

Horses seem to bring out a calming effect in those that work with them. This can be an excellent way for these adolescents to learn how to cope with their stress, anxiety, or depression. When a teenager learns how to cope with life they will be successful at anything they pursue in the future.

Why Use Horses? For many reasons. Horses first and foremost are large animals and learning to safely and effectively work around such a large animal requires patience, trust, compassion, awareness, and self-confidence. For some people just that can be quite an accomplishment, just to gain the confidence and over come a fear and touch the horse. Animal-assisted therapy using horses is beneficial in treating at-risk teenagers because of the therapeutic process young people go through as they develop a relationship with a horse. In short, a teen must earn the trust of a horse. To earn this trust, teens must learn to trust themselves and then relate effectively with the horse and communicate.

The horse seems to bridge the gap left in some lives. It re-empowers the participants and builds up their confidence and self esteem.

The introductory to horses program goes beyond just learning about horses it teaches real life skills to the children. Skills taught by the horses themselves, using practical fun session and helps begin to break down barriers and communication blocks and to help people find their potential in themselves. The moment the participants are presented with a horse, students use the same coping mechanisms as they do with other stressful factors in their lives. Therefore, students issues usually rise to the surface much more quickly and the social workers become aware and thus the issues can be dealt with sooner.

A horse is a very gentle animal who takes his job of keeping his herd members safe and all together very seriously. Horses are prey animals, so they are naturally nervous and on guard. The animals are very sensitive and respond to the moods, feelings, attitude, and body language of people. Horses do not respond well to anger, aggression, frustration, manipulation, bullying, or disrespect, which many troubled young people initially try to use in their interaction with a horse. Teens have to develop alternative strategies for relating with a horse than they have used in the past to relate to other people. Horses also have very clear-cut personalities, this can be an effective tool for understanding self and how others relate to self. Perhaps the most important aspect of using horses in therapy is that they are consummately honest creatures. A horse's inability to lie can be invaluable in seeing what a student may be attempting to hide or manipulate. Horses' body language, by which they communicate 99% of their feelings and actions, can reveal a student's real self and gives the facilitators and social workers an insight to the participants true self.

The horse is a prey animal so she wants to feel safe and is always on the lookout for predators. A horse will become very fearful if she's with someone who's aggressive, noisy, disrespectful or too controlling. On the other hand, if the person makes requests rather than demands the horse will begin to cooperate. The horse is always looking for a leader. Horses have the added benefit of being very social creatures, with a strict hierarchy and societal rules that are very similar to human communities. By relating, for example, the pecking order that is found among horses to the pecking orders that exist in various human situations the participants discover new ways of dealing with problems. Once addressed the social workers can address the problems which can be greatly educed or overcome.

A relationship developed with a horse can offer challenges to help overcome fears, build up trust, respect, compassion, develop communication skills, problem solving & coping techniques, self confidence and self esteem. These skills are transferable to many other areas of ordinary day to day life. The introduction to horses helps students learn the value of patience and the need to be focused, connected, and committed. They learn about relationships; how their thoughts, feelings, and actions affect others close to them; and that they need to set aside their personal frustrations so their negative attitude doesn't contaminate their environment. Working with a horse strengthens communication skills, decision-making abilities, and judgmental skills.

The participant is given just a little insight into dealing with a horse in the right way and how to become the natural leader. The horse in return feels safe and peaceful and will cooperate with what the child or rider asks of him.