EQUINE ASSISTED LEARING APPRENTICESHIP
Reflections on Phase 1
JENNY BERHOW
NOVEMBER 15, 2005
When I started this apprenticeship I really had no idea what to expect. This whole field of Equine Assisted Learning is still kind of uncharted territory – which I find exciting and intimidating. I learned a lot about the possibilities of work in this area but most of all I learned things about myself. I feel that the key to moving up and out into the world, weather it be personally or professionally, begins with knowing yourself. This process has caused me to reflect on the past, answer questions of the present and set intentions for the future. I know myself better now and that has led me closer to moving up and out into the world as an Equine Assisted Educator.
Studying EAL has led me to feel like there is an interconnected weaving of my life experience, education, personality and soul that will bring me full circle in pursuing a career where horses help humans help themselves. I believe I took this road a long time ago but am just realizing the name of the road and where it will end up. Horse wisdom was a gift that has always been a part of my life – I may not have been able to put words or reason to the feeling but I just always knew horses made things better. Helping people was an obvious passion as I chose to study psychology and seem to have an aura that attracts people in need of listening or crisis management. I have hopes of being the link between horse and human to find clarity in feelings, decisions and intentions so that others may experience how horse wisdom make things better .
The most important thing I have come to realize in the past few months is the importance of body in this work - listening to what you are feeling in your body, naming it, giving it credit and doing something about it. What I have taken for granted in my work with horses is that you have to acknowledge what you feel – be it scared, sad, mad or happy. You cannot fool a horse with a facade, and that concept is foreign to most people. That is a basic element which is really a priceless treasure horses teach humans. People live in their heads and sometimes have no respect for what their bodies are telling them. I think this is one core teaching that EAL is about, a foundational mounting block if you will – something you can start with and come back to.
A long time ago I came up with a name for my future farm, Freeborn Farm. I really had no idea how much that name would embody my future. I just liked the name because it reminded me of a song my grandma used to sing to me as a child – “born free as free as you can be” is all I remember. That always made me feel good when she sang those words, so I came up with “Freeborn” as a barn name. Now that I think about what that might mean after studying EAL and human nature, it suggests we are all born free – that society, family and social cues inhibit things that might otherwise come naturally. This all comes back to the simplicity of intuition and listening to your body. People often feel pressure from outside forces to ignore or dismiss cues, subtle or not, if those cues go against the grain of some perceived expectation. I have come to the conclusion that Freeborn is going to be the slogan of my business, barn, farm or whatever may come.
My interest in team building and leadership has grown during this apprenticeship. The opportunity to assist with both Flint Hills and Catholic Health Initiatives leadership/team building training in Owatonna was a really great experience. I had two great teachers, actually six including four equine counterparts, that showed me the importance of planning, going with the flow and still being very present to read situations as you never really know where an activity may lead. As an assistant I was able to see how people responded to EAL in leadership/team building training and it was amazing. I actually saw people getting grounded – a sense of tranquility, ease and understanding came with just being in the moment in that environment. The exercises seemed to provide some interesting insights for people to take back to the workplace. They gained clarity on who had what type of leadership styles and how that played a part in the team. I feel that if more people who worked together had an experience like those two teams did in Owatonna, people would be more satisfied with their job and probably in turn would produce better work.
I recently read an article in Newsweek called Leadership for the 21st Century – When Women Lead and it really hit home to all the points EAL emphasizes. My favorite quote was actually from Oprah Winfrey when she said “you cannot move freely, speak freely, act freely, be free unless you are comfortable with yourself. All the women leaders I have met lead with a greater sense of intuition than men. I am almost completely intuitive. The only time I’ve made a bad business decision is when I didn’t follow my instinct.” I loved this line because EAL in leadership is about bringing forth the leader within by knowing and having confidence in yourself, and that comes from trusting intuition. If horses can be a vehicle for learning to listen to yourself, then they can be wheels for becoming an effective leader.
In conclusion I have learned that becoming an Equine Guided Educator is the right path to follow. It is a perfect blend of all the things I am passionate about in life. I listened to my intuition when entering this apprenticeship in hopes of finding a clearer purpose. My intuition proved right, I learned that work in this field makes a positive impact on peoples lives – and that is living purposefully.
