How the horses of the Awareness Key herd can help you

Children and adults can benefit from essential skills for a confident, empathetic and happy future using the power and innate sensitivity of horses in a fun, dynamic and physical way.

Life’s external influences can become internal, so we need to learn how to manage modern day pressures. Technology, daily anxiety and mental health are all issues that are coming increasingly more talked about and understood.This year’s Sport Relief campaign spoke of one in four people experiencing some form of mental health problem, and now the collision between online and the real world is especially prevalent.

Equine facilitated learning (EFL) helps neutralise negatives and discomfort in your life. This in turn helps your relationship with yourself, your horse – both at home and in competition – and your colleagues, friends and family. Horse ownership involves juggling all the challenges of modern day life with the added hard work and time involved with horses!

What is equine facilitated learning (EFL)?

EFL is a proven, scientific way of exploring your thoughts and actions from a horse’s reaction towards you.  It uses the horse’s brain structure, and is immediate and honest. This frank feedback helps you understand how your beliefs, behaviours, postures and moods have a significant impact on the way you see the world and on the way the world sees you.

How will EFL help you?

Equine facilitated learning allows you to make the best of yourself. Studies show that working with horses in this manner decreases blood pressure, lowers stress levels and reduces feelings of tension. Working in this specific way improves your feelings of self-esteem, empowerment, patience and trust.

Why horses?

Horses are very sociable herd animals who enjoy interacting with humans. They also have an innate ability to read body language in a gentle, unbiased and non-judgemental way. Working with the herd at The Awareness Key will help you become aware of subconscious actions and behaviours, enabling you to take control and quieten your mind. Young people learn to help themselves before their load becomes too much to manage.

What happens in an Awareness Key session?

There’s no requirement to ride or to have any equine knowledge. In fact, the horses don’t even need to be handled. Each session uses equine-linked activities, combined with traditional psychotherapy techniques, and a bespoke program is devised specifically for you.

An adult session lasts for one and a half hours, and a young person session for one hour. Results have been seen after just three sessions but, on average, a personal programme is six to eight sessions.