EQUINE FACILITATED LEARNING
The Montana Project develops life skills through both theory and practical sessions. Certificated courses are available on request. Through our work, we have seen major, life changing improvements in communication, confidence, relationships, teamwork, responsibility and personal achievement in young people.
The Montana Project aims to help young people to:
- accept responsibility
- deal with frustration and anger
- develop patience and understanding of themselves and others
- experience humility and empathy
- improve self worth, self belief and confidence
- engage with mindfulness
The task of catching a horse may seem fairly simple and straight forward. At the Montana Project, our young people develop an understanding and knowledge of what the horses require from them to enable this to be successful - correct body language, confidence, empathy and care, are all required for the horse to accept the human without fear or worry.
Why Horses?
‘Horses change lives. By just simply being themselves, using all that they have and that nature has given to them, they help people evolve into more than they ever thought possible, they allow self development in a positive and consistent way. They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls, they give us hope.'
Horses are prey animals and have a heightened sense of flight behaviour that is instinctual to their survival. Because of this, horses are sensitive to the stimulus of each participant. They react to the stimulus through body language and participants must adjust their feelings and behaviours appropriately in order to work successfully with the animal.
Utilising objectively driven exercises involving the horses, participants learn critical life skills and develop a heightened self-awareness that has parallels to their everyday lives. Self-awareness can reveal patterns of negative behaviour and gives participants the opportunity to think in a new way, while improving non-verbal body language that may be negatively impacting them in their everyday life.
Powerful yet gentle, perceptive yet without any judgment – horses can help at-risk young people gain knowledge about their inner demons and their inherent strengths. A horse does not care if you have behaved poorly in school, been in jail or if you are unpopular or have a learning disability, they only care about what you exhibit in the moment: how you make them feel. Horses are incapable of lying, cheating and manipulating. This alone sets a good example to young people - they soon realise that it is counterproductive to cheat, manipulate, or lie while engaged in activities with a horse.
The horse provides an unconditional, non-judgmental and honest platform that is fundamental to helping young people develop with confidence.
The Montana Project is committed to embodying these skills with young people who are hard to reach, and hard to place.
