Our Philosophy
Horses serve as extraordinary instructors in the art of unspoken spatial language, imparting invaluable tools that resonate far beyond the barn. They guide us to understand the delicate nuances of spatial boundaries, providing us with a deeper understanding of personal space and mutual respect.
Herd Mentality
Horses used in the Alma Equine program live together in a pasture. They have formed relationships with each other and with their environment. They have individual personalities and relationships that are ever changing and growing. They have chosen a herd leader. This creates a unique opportunity to learn from them in a herd setting.
Labels
Horses don’t understand or have a need for the value labels of ‘good and bad’ or ‘right and wrong’. They simply respond to what works and what doesn’t work. When communication from their human partners includes fear and anger, horses respond like the prey animals that they are – they attempt to fight or flee. But when our interactions with them are based upon mutual respect, humility, and understanding, horses seek our leadership – they view us as first among equals.
Universal body language
Horses are grounded in the natural world. Their survival frequently depends on being fully in-the-moment and responding rapidly to changes in their immediate environment. As herd animals, this requires the elaborate and instantaneous use of non-verbal communication between themselves.
Peer Pressure
The honesty and sincerity of horses provides a window into what abstract concepts like ‘intent’ and ‘centeredness’ really mean. The directness and immediacy of the human-equine relationship is a powerful experience of what it is to have flexible and resilient boundaries in the face of peer pressure.
“Why does she want to come to me…she’s wild”
One young high school volunteer recently exclaimed. The idea that this inspiring creature from the natural world had a place for him in that world was startling and, quite possibly, life-changing.
Entering into the equine world and gaining an understanding of this herd language can help bring to a more conscious level the universal body cues that we all practice in the presence of others.
Working with teen volunteers
Teenagers need to know that their lives matter. When teens interact with these deceptively vulnerable and sensitive creatures, they may identify with these softer qualities. In the presence of 1200-pound thoroughbreds born and bred to dominate a race track, teens can learn that vulnerability and sensitivity are actually among their own personal strengths. Working with horses can teach them that accepting one’s own nature is fundamental to keeping oneself safe.
