Education · Equine Assisted Learning
Equine Assisted Learning
Non-ridden, ground-based sessions with our horses and ponies. Horses respond honestly to how a person behaves, which makes them remarkable teachers of confidence, communication and self-regulation.
Format
Ground-based, no riding involved
Session
Around 75 minutes
Groups
1:1 or groups of up to four
Led by
A qualified facilitator throughout
Who it is for
Sessions are shaped around the learner or group, from single referrals to whole-class and staff team work.
- Young people on an alternative provision placement
- Learners with SEN, EHCPs or SEMH needs
- Anxious or school-avoidant young people
- SEND groups and specialist settings
- Adults and supported adult groups
- Staff teams working on communication and trust
What learners gain
Educational
Observation, sequencing, problem solving and instruction-following, with practical equine knowledge and yard skills alongside.
Emotional
Horses mirror how a person is feeling, giving immediate, non-judgemental feedback that supports self-awareness and regulation.
Social
Turn-taking, negotiating a shared task and reading body language, in a group small enough for everyone to be heard.
Practical
Grooming, leading, handling and basic care, building real skills and a sense of usefulness on a working yard.
Confidence
Achieving something with an animal many times your size changes how a young person sees themselves.
Communication
Horses respond to calm, clear intention rather than volume, so learners practise a different way of being heard.
How a session works
- 1
Planning
We talk through goals, needs and any anxieties with the school, family or organisation beforehand.
- 2
Arrival and briefing
A calm welcome, safety briefing and time to watch the horses before going near them.
- 3
Ground exercises
Facilitator-led tasks such as approaching, leading, grooming and navigating obstacles together.
- 4
Reflection
Time to talk about what happened, what the horse responded to and what that means away from the yard.
Our horses and facilities
Sessions run on our 110 acre Leicestershire farm with horses and ponies chosen for their temperament, from Shetlands to full-size horses.
- Enclosed, quiet working areas away from public activity
- Indoor and covered space so sessions run in poor weather
- Experienced, patient equine staff
- Horses matched to the learner's size and confidence
- Accessible routes and on-site facilities
- Can be booked alongside an alternative provision placement
This is education, not a pony ride
Equine assisted learning is a structured educational intervention with agreed goals, a qualified facilitator and reflection built into every session. Nobody rides, and nobody is expected to perform.
Progress is recorded and shared with the referring school, setting or family, and sessions can contribute towards ASDAN evidence where a learner is also with us on an alternative provision placement.
Questions, answered
Is there any riding?+
No. All work is ground-based, which is what makes the sessions accessible to learners of any size, ability or confidence level.
What if a learner is frightened of horses?+
That is a common starting point. Learners can begin by watching from outside the pen and move closer only when they are ready.
How many sessions are needed?+
Some settings book a single session, most see the biggest change over a block of six to twelve weekly sessions.
What does it cost?+
Costs depend on group size and the length of the block. Email us and we will send a quote.
Enquire about a placement
Tell us who the sessions are for and what you would like them to work on, and we will suggest a format and block length.