What is Equine Assisted Learning?
To put it simply, Equine Assisted Learning is a learner-based educational experience with horses. More specifically, it is an effective approach to human development that encourages individual and team growth. Participants engage in objectively driven exercises and find themselves learning valuable life skills in a fun and exciting atmosphere while working with horses. Equine Assisted Learning has proven to be effective, powerful, positive, educational, and creative. Freedom Center Life Skill’s program emphasizes its curriculum of objectively driven exercises and facilitating like skills through positively reinforced interaction with horses. Exercises are developed to encourage self-esteem and self-confidence through validated, hands-on experiences. Current research has found this experiential form of learning to be most effective as the person learning will retain the newly required skill.
Why Horses?
Firstly, they are a prey animal. This means their senses are highly astute. They can hear our heart beat and they will react to the slightest changes within the team.
Secondly, they are just like us - sort of. Horses have a lot to teach us, but they are also a lot like us. Herds to horses are teams to people. Horses require a leader that they trust and respect, just like we would love to have in the workplace. These parallels give us the ability to parallel everything that happens to real life so that what you learn really sticks!
​
Lastly, horses are tough and steadfast dance partners. Horses consistently react to stimuli provided by participants. Some of the joys associated with working around horses are – they don’t judge but they constantly assess. Their feedback is honest and instant. Learning to listen to what horses have to say is powerful and can sometimes spur the answer to individual change. By including horses in specially designed educational exercises, equine-assisted facilitators have greatly multiplied the participant’s rate to self-discovery.
​
There is no pushing around these teachers. Our participants will have to step up. If a horse does not have a leader, they will become the leader.
The Team
The team is equipped with five horses and a facilitator.
Carina Gerber
Owner & Equine Assisted Facilitator
-
Certified Equine Assisted Facilitator
-
Diploma in Counselling & Human Services
-
Certified Educational Assistant
Hello! My name is Carina Gerber (Mack). Welcome to Freedom Center Life Skills. I am so excited to be able to offer this service!
​
Horses have always been my passion and helping people has been my goal. After working for a few years as an Educational Assistant, I met many children and youth that I thought could benefit from a life skills program.
I started to do some research and came upon Equine Assisted Learning (EAL).
I never thought that a job with horses would be possible, this was to good to be true! So as of October, 2021 I received my EAL Facilitator Certification.
EAL provides me the ability to not only spend every day with my horses, but I get to help people at the same time! Growing up with horses for the majority of my life, I was able to learn, to grow, and to heal in ways that therapy and school could not have done. Horses react immediately to ever changing human stimulus and therefore can change you and reveal parts of you, you never even knew existed.
​
Therefore, I am so excited to be able to offer people that same opportunity: to learn, to grow, and to heal in ways that YOU could have never thought imaginable.
So welcome, your teachers await!
Dee
Equine Assisted Teacher
Dee is the boss of the herd, meaning she makes the decisions and puts the other horses in their place. Because of her strong leadership tendencies, Dee requires a strong, confident leader in a person for her to feel safe. Working with Dee teaches us the importance of being the leader in your own life.
​
Holly
Equine Assisted Teacher
Holly often gets pushed aside by her pasture mates as her gentle nature does not have her fighting for first. She understands the role she plays in the herd. But do not let that fool you because she is easily the toughest and most stubborn of the bunch. Holly is good at teaching patience.
Sisco
Equine Assisted Teacher
Sisco is a favourite around the farm as her colouring is quite unique! She is what we call a blue roan. Her coat in the summer gets so shiny she almost looks blue. Sisco is great with our younger crowd as she is patient and kind, and wants to please.
Gypsy
Equine Assisted Teacher
Gypsy is the tallest horse here at the Freedom Center standing over 16hh. She is not startled or phased by anything that comes her way. She is incredibly calm and reliable. Although she can fool you, because she does like to make her own decisions and if you are not paying attention she may just go wherever she decides too.
Barry
Equine Assisted Teacher
Barry is the baby of the herd. He is curious about new people and things that cross his path. We always have to be watching our surroundings with Barry around because he may just try and taste your jacket or what shampoo you put in your hair. He is a sensitive, but extroverted character and we love his quirky personality.
​
