Somewhere along the trajectory of capitalism, technology expansion and economy building, we've forgotten what genuinely meaningful learning is all about.
I meet so many entrepreneurs with something truly important to share with the world who fall into the trap of spending thousands of dollars building cookie-cutter, “sage on the stage” style learning programs that don’t feel rewarding to offer and fail to make the return they were promised.
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Worse yet, they make little to no impact - soul-gutting for people whose business is the good work they're here to do.
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I’ve worked in the field of learning and development for more than 20 years. Since moving from the suburbs to a farm in 2015 to work with a herd of horses, I’ve been exploring how to merge instructional design, the science of adult learning and a nature-informed approach to crafting and facilitating meaningful learning. What I offer is small scale, and intimate.
No two entrepreneurs are the same and no two courses are the same. Great learning requires adaptation and also approaches that go further than conventional thinking. The science of adult learning is based on tried and true principles and also new and emerging research that spans fields such as neuroscience, ecology, trauma and more.
Based on this research and my direct experience designing and delivering transformational programs with the horses in-person and online, I follow three core principles in creating learning.
Wild Learning design principles:
1. Expanded Awareness
Learning isn’t just about gaining knowledge—it’s about changing the way we see, feel, and relate to the world. We design experiences that invite presence, reflection, and a deeper sense of connection to the world. It’s not just what’s taught, but how the space is held that transforms learning into practical, insightful action.
2. Social Connection
Every adult learner brings insight and ideas. Our designs create inclusive, interactive environments that recognize the value of life experience. When people feel seen and heard, learning becomes richer. We build intentional space for dialogue, curiosity, and collective meaning-making—because learning is a relational act.
3. Choice-Centred
Adults are self-directed learners. When they’re offered real choices in how to engage—and trust their own intuition about what’s right for them—their learning becomes more relevant, energizing, and meaningful. We create flexible frameworks that empower learners to shape their own path within a supportive, intentional structure.
Why horses?
As much as we’ve been conditioned to relate learning to the brain, true learning is a full person experience - mind, emotions, spirit and body. When we turn it into a mere cognitive process, we strip out so much of what makes it meaningful and impactful. And yet, that’s what Western culture has done. It’s clear that it’s not working well. Most people I talk with share stories of learning experiences that are dry, boring and even mind numbing.
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To design transformationally, we need a different type of creativity - one that is deeply relational. For me, facilitating with the horses is a deep source of instruction and inspiration.
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When I became certified in Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) and began facilitating with the herd of horses I live with, I saw dramatic differences in the experience and outcome for the participants (for the horses too, but that’s another story). People felt the learning in their body, their hearts opened to a fuller range of emotions that stirred something much deeper in them, and they experienced a connection with life that was inspiring to witness.
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Horses have a natural curiosity for not just physical things but also for the inner life of others - especially humans. When they are supported in living as part of a thriving herd (which sadly the vast majority are not), they live highly regulated lives and their deep intelligence developed over the last 55 million years comes shining through. They feel things in us and reflect them back without judgement or the need to be affirmed, leaving space for us to reflect and be curious with them.
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In my experience when those of us who design and facilitate learning are influenced by this way of relating, we too can create embodied experiences that go much deeper (and are more fun and rewarding to deliver) than the simple topic-driven type stuff that we’re so deeply conditioned to design.
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Here’s the cool thing - you don’t need to love horses, or even work directly with them, to learn these principles. The herd and I do all the translating for you.
