Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) offers an innovative, hands-on approach to leadership development and teamwork training, encouraging self-awareness and effective communication to foster trust and foster collaboration between team members.
Horses are masters at herd dynamics, so their behavior naturally requires them to seek leaders with strong communication abilities who can effectively create positive herd dynamics and teamwork among members of their herd. Leaders who can elicit such responses from horses will create a cohesive energy that encourages cooperation and teamwork within their herds.
1. Be Present
Just like humans, horses are highly attuned to their environment and the people in it, and quickly assess any new person they come in contact with based on how confident and consistent they appear to be. When these traits appear in someone new they usually cooperate immediately.
Horses prefer leaders who focus on the present. They don’t appreciate being led by someone who spends too much time daydreaming or dwelling on past mistakes – they want someone who will keep them safe by leading with confidence and quietly.
Horses’ ability to communicate effectively within their herd allows them to act as effective coaches and mirrors of human behavior, providing coaches and mirrors that serve as coaches or mirrors of our behavior. Working with horses revealed leadership challenges that would otherwise remain hidden through conversations or problem solving techniques; working with horses provided experiential learning which was immediately felt by all involved – providing instantaneous results and transformational experiences.
2. Have a Sense of Humor
Horses may be herd animals, but they’re known for being playful creatures with a sense of humor who love causing mischief and can often find ways to get away with seemingly absurd behavior. Their sense of humor helps make them more cooperative with people.
Laughter provides relief during difficult conversations and deepens social bonds, as well as being associated with higher cognitive and emotional intelligence – including creativity. People who are funnier tend to possess higher levels of both intelligence and creativity – making effective comedians adept at striking a balance between humor that breaks social norms without becoming offensive, and offensive jokes that violate them.
Develop your sense of humor takes practice and empathy. Horses teach us how to read emotions and comprehend perspectives from others around us – essential skills for any leader, especially when things don’t go according to plan.
3. Manage Your Emotions
Horses are highly intuitive animals that respond quickly and sensitively to energy, intentions and actions of others. As barometers for our nonverbal communication, horses provide us with insight into how our behaviors may be impacting relationships with others. Furthermore, horses teach people the importance of setting boundaries with them in order to build trust and respect between each other.
Prey animals such as horses have evolved to respond quickly to new situations with emotion; predators animals must quickly react in order to survive, so horses act swiftly when faced with something different than expected.
Learning how to control your emotions and be cooperative takes humility. Be aware of any times you react negatively towards your horse, and try to understand why this happened; this way you will build empathy – essential components of leadership.
4. Be a Good Listener
Horses use body language to communicate among themselves, as well as depending on other members of their herd for safety. Leaders who can foster a culture of trust and cooperation within their teams will be more capable of inspiriting their teams effectively.
Achieve cooperation from horses by showing them respect and responsibility; similarly for people. Learning how to listen and respond without judgment will create much happier relationships!
Working with horses can teach you invaluable leadership lessons. From learning clear communication techniques and managing emotions to leading an efficient team, horsemanship will give you all of the skills you need for effective leadership. To discover more about equine-assisted leadership development and coaching contact Brooke today.
5. Be Honest
Horses don’t hesitate to tell you the truth when something seems off kilter; instead, they gravitate toward an environment which fosters calmness and consistency that lets their herd flourish safely.
Consumers want to believe their work serves a meaningful purpose and will help them meet their goals. Leaders must be compassionate to their needs while managing emotions appropriately and communicating clearly with employees.
If you are a Pony Mom or Dad unsure whether buying their child their first pony is an investment in their future, I hope this helps explain why doing so should be seen as such an essential learning opportunity for life skills that will serve them when entering the workforce. Honesty is at the foundation of all relationships and key to leading an authentic, joyful existence.
