Equine-inspired
The Courage Herd and our practice of equine facilitated learning
Knowing the earth like few others
The equine friends we live with, who we call The Courage Herd, includes great diversity and, like all healthy communities, is constantly growing and changing. The herd currently includes five horses, a miniature donkey, and four sheep who live together in harmony outside 24/7.
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Horses are one of a handful of animals alive today that have been on earth the longest - over 55 million years. Their connection with humans has been a short blip in that history and yet has had a powerful impact on their ability to thrive and use the ever-evolving intelligence that has guided them for so long. In the West, since their usefulness as war horses and farm implements has largely ended, they often suffer from misunderstanding and the need to be “productive” in a capitalist system.
As long-time classically trained equestrian riders, for many years we followed engrained practices in horse care. We loved our horse friends, we just didn't realize that our way of caring for them lacked one essential ingredient: choice. We didn't realize that many things we'd been taught about modern horse care were simply not true about their essential nature and were often detrimental to their well-being.
When we moved to the farm we made a promise to Echo, who had been in our family already for years, and the others who joined us that we would work to understand and respect their choices and seek to learn from them. We also promised them the freedom to discover what being a herd means to them.
We had no idea the wild ride this promise would take us all on. They’ve shown us that “herd” is very different from a group of horses thrown together. They constantly challenge our entrenched colonialist beliefs, asking us to show up and do things in ways we are often uncomfortable with. Every single day, for over 2,900 days, this journey with The Courage Herd has been some combination of heart-break, confusion, mystery and inspiration.
Over the past 9 years, like the forest, the herd has changed a lot. Some have died and new ones have arrived - some filled with youthful joy, others deeply traumatized. With every coming and going they have extended the thread of aliveness they share and reshaped and grown in ways that were unimaginable to us.
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The field of equine facilitated learning (EFL) varies a lot and is largely unregulated. For some it involves the horse providing therapy to humans, often in situations where the horse is ridden or a person with a disability is supported while sitting on their back. In other cases the horse is used as a tool to facilitate non-ridden exercises with individuals or groups leading them by a halter and lead rope. Horses also support psychotherapists in counselling work. The approaches and styles used in EFL are constantly growing.
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Following the herd's lead
Our own approach to EFL is based on the work of a pioneer in the field, Linda Kohanov, and the work of Wendy Golding (an early student of Linda's) who developed the FEEL certification in Canada (Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning). At the heart of the FEEL approach is the central tenant of the human and horse working as facilitation partners. Our particular approach continues to change and evolve as the herd grows in their complexity and sophistication. It does not involve riding and does not require that participants have horse experience. It also involves sheep ... but that's another story.
The herd works at liberty, as a team, relating to each person and group and sharing their experience through the subtle language of their bodies, senses and felt energy. It's a process that often brings more questions than answers and invites our heart, senses and soul back to life.
​The herd's gift to us and those who join us both in-person and online, is to share in the profoundly peaceful space of aliveness they tend to every day. As we often say, “everything and no-thing is going on all the time”. To be present in our bodies, in a safe space where all beings are seen as kin, and consciously regarded and respected for who they are, is a life-opening, life-altering and life-affirming experience.
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It's essential to wild learning.
