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Equine-Assisted Learning

Facilitation of experiential learning  incorporating equines promotes the development of life skills for educational, professional or personal goals.

EQUINE-ASSISTED LEARNING (EAL) is the broad area of learning incorporating equines. Specially trained or certified professionals may offer three distinct nontherapy, EAL services: equine-assisted learning in education, equine-assisted learning in organizations, and equine-assisted learning in personal development. Whether as individuals or in teams, qualified professionals possess appropriate training, experience, and skill to facilitate EAL activities that provide an environment integrating equine-human interaction, supported by a planned learning experience, to meet identified goals for the participant. EAL participants are exposed to activities that can promote the discovery of critical life skills such as healthy decision making and problem solving, creative and critical thinking, self-awareness and empathy, communication and interpersonal skills, and coping with emotions and stress.

PATH Intl. offers training for learning professionals to effectively and safely leverage experiential learning activities incorporating mounted and unmounted equine interactions and the broader equine environment to optimize a learner’s experience.

The Fundamentals of Equine-Assisted Learning Online Course

A collaboration between PATH Intl. and Strides to Success, a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center, the Fundamentals of Equine-Assisted Learning course is designed to provide guided education on the primary skills, known as core competencies, required to successfully and optimally facilitate EAL sessions. The 13-week facilitated online course is comprised of pre-recorded lectures, activities, equine challenges, handouts and comprehension quizzes. Participants will need weekly access to equines and are expected to progress through the course at the pace of one module per week, dedicating a minimum of three to five hours each week in order to keep up with the pace of the course.

Course participants must be 18 years of age or older to complete this course.

This course should be approached as being equivalent to an intensive, college-level course. 

Price for PATH Intl. members: $425

Price for non-members: $499

Upcoming Courses:
2027 Course Dates Coming Soon

NOTE: This course is the first step in completing the PATH Intl. Equine-Assisted Learning Certificate program. Completion of the online course and certificate program does not constitute a certification in EAL. Individuals who complete the certificate program, however, become eligible to pursue PATH Intl. Equine-Assisted Learning Facilitator microcredentials in one or all of the EAL specialties. The specialties include education, personal development, organizations, and mounted EAL.

 

How can I sign up for the PATH Intl. Fundamentals of EAL online course?

Please fill out the form below to be added to our registration notification list. We will then reach out with a purchase link once registration has opened for your course of interest

Register Here!
IMPORTANT REFUND POLICY UPDATE:
Individuals who withdraw before or during the first week of course will receive a full refund. A 50% refund may be given for withdrawal during the second week of course. No refunds will be given for withdrawal during or after the third week of the course.

What is the “PATH Intl. Fundamentals of EAL” online course?

What can I expect from this course?

The Fundamentals of Equine-Assisted Learning course is comprised of 13 modules of guided education on the primary skills, known as core competencies, required to successfully and optimally facilitate EAL sessions.

Each course is facilitated by dedicated faculty members over a 13-week period. The faculty do regular check-ins to make sure that participants are moving through the course at a pace of one module per week and will also prompt discussion among the group.

Course participants will also be enrolled in the EAL Course group on PATH Intl.’s Member Connections platform, through which they are encouraged to network and discuss their EAL activities/programs.

After the completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

  1. Facilitate a general EAL session alone if also a certified equine specialist, or with a certified equine specialist as a co-facilitator, such as a PATH Intl. ESMHL.
  2. Identify appropriate participants and equine for participation in an EAL session.
  3. Design an EAL session using the COASTER model.
  4. Safely and effectively facilitate an EAL session using the COASTER model.
  5. Demonstrate the strategies for the safety of both the client and the equine in an EAL session.
  6. Understand the scope of practice for an EAL professional and when/how to refer a participant to a mental health professional.

Completion of the online course will result in the learner receiving a course completion certificate. The learner can then complete their documentation of 60 clock hours of EAL facilitation sessions, for the Fundamentals of EAL Certificate Program. After the completion of the items above, certificate holders become eligible to pursue the PATH Intl. Equine-assisted Learning Facilitator microcredentials. More information about the microcredentials can be found here.

Course Expectations:

Participants are expected to progress through the course at the pace of one module per week, dedicating a minimum of three to five hours each week in order to keep up with the pace of the course — two hours to watch the recorded lectures and one to three additional hours to complete the weekly assignments.

Weekly access to equines is required. Many modules include “Equine Challenge” assignments that require conducting various types of activities with an equine partner to complete. As the course progresses, participants will also need to incorporate one to three other people in their equine challenges to apply concepts taught in the course.
Several modules include online discussions among the cohort as part of the module assignments. Timely, interactive participation is essential for all course participants to be able to fulfill the requirements to complete discussion assignments on time

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