Equine Assisted Team Building Activities

What is it?

You may be wondering what Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is. EAL is a research grounded, experiential approach that goes beyond traditional leadership programs. At BraveHearts, your team completes authentic team-building activities with feedback from trained equine therapists. Horses have a natural ability to teach the following skills:

• Critical thinking
• Clear communication
• Social skills

These are all essential skills which will lead you and your team to success. EAL creates a group setting which allows conflict resolution in a non-judgmental environment, ensuring everyone’s viewpoint is heard and respected. Horses are naturally empathetic and can help many people identify non-verbal body language which may create conflicts.

What to Expect

Have no prior experience with horses? Don’t worry! Our workshop requires no riding. Instead, all team-building activities take place on the ground while interacting with horses. Certified facilitators supervise all of our activities. 

Don’t be surprised if you notice parallels between group dynamics in the workplace and your experiences in the arena. Participants often find themselves working through interpersonal issues which affect teammates and co-workers. You may choose to work on one or more of the following areas:

• Understanding non-verbal communication breakdowns
• Working proactively through challenges
• Developing and/or improving active listening
• Maintaining clear communication
• Building cohesion, rapport, and trust
• Setting goals

Amount of time to complete: 1.5 to 3 hours

Where: Outdoor arena and/or Activity Shelter – Weather permitting

Cost: Dependent on number of participants and amount of time.

Who Can Participate in Team-Building Activities?

Team-building activities provide benefits to people from diverse walks of life!  Our team-building activities are designed for any group who wishes to strengthen relationships in a positive way or create stronger interpersonal skills. Please remember this is not an exhaustive list. Don’t hesitate to contact us!

• 4-H Groups                       
• Youth Groups
• Homeschoolers
• Sports Teams
• Leadership Teams
• Business Teams
• School Teams

Key Benefits for businesses

• A report conducted by Salesforce found that “employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work.” Engaging, motivating team-building activities can help your company see an overall increase in the quality of your employee contribution. Happy, successful employees contribute to a positive workplace atmosphere, which in turn translates into quality work and happy customers.
• Team-building activities can save you money! We all know unmotivated workers can create a toxic, unhealthy atmosphere in a workplace. But did you know it can also cost your company money? The Engagement Institute found that “disengaged employees cost U.S. companies up to $550 billion a year.” Why not invest in team-building activities which can save your company money? 
• Investing in your employees can also build a positive reputation for your company. The American Psychological Association found in a report that as much as 89% of employees who benefited from “well-being initiatives” were more willing to “recommend their company as a good place to work.” 
• Many companies now embrace a company culture which emphasizes a healthy balance of life and work for their employees. The team-building activities offered through our non-profit can help foster this goal. In fact, an Aflac summary reported “61% of employees agree that they have made healthier lifestyle choices because of their company’s wellness program.” Your commitment to a wellness program can manifest real changes in your employees’ personal lives.

Beheshti, Naz. “10 Timely Statistics About the Connection Between Employee Engagement and Wellness.” Forbes. Jan 16, 2019. Forbes Article