EAPD Certification

What horses need to hear from us is what many of us would like to hear from ourselves, and each other. They need us to have a calm, focused assurance. They need us to be consistent. They need us to be assertive yet non-threatening. They need us to be both strong and compassionate. In short, horses need us to be our best selves.
Chris Irwin - ”Horses Don’t Lie“

A certified Equine-Assisted Personal Development Facilitator has mastered the powers of awareness: self-awareness for what they are ”emoting“ in their body language, consistent in-the-moment awareness for the emotions coming from the horse, and ongoing awareness for the emotional condition and needs of the human student(s) they are facilitating in a transformational EAPD experience. Developing this level of awareness is a journey in one’s own personal growth.

Expanding your communications horizons

Although we can all ”talk up a storm,“ it is body language that reveals how we interpret intent behind our words — both consciously and subconsciously. To develop, then, a conscious, even acute, mastery of reading body language in any being correctly — horse (prey), human (predator) — and learn to distinguish the differences — can improve one’s ”knowingness“ about our ”read“ on someone tremendously. The first goal in EAPD is for the facilitator to be able to demonstrate an understanding of equine body language that accurately diagnoses a horse’s behaviour in order to apply it appropriately to our own. Certified facilitators in EAPD must learn to see past the anthropomorphic illusions in the relationship between people and horses in order to ”know“ the reality of the true nature of horses and integrate the lessons they are here to teach us.

Personal accountability - Recognizing cause and effect

An EAPD practitioner has demonstrated the ability to recognize the cause and effect between the inherent passive/aggressive ”predator“ nature and body language of people and how the human (predator) approach to horses (prey) is most often the catalyst that causes the ”undesirable“ nature in ”prey“ animals that people want to ”train“, change, modify or ”fix.“ Our own accountability for those things that need to change brings what is perceived as external to an internal source. ”Be the change you wish to see in the world“ (The Dalai Lama) then takes on a whole new dimension in personal growth, both in ourselves and those we wish to assist.

Empathy means walking a mile in their hooves

Beyond ”sympathy“ for the horse and it’s plight in the modern world, a facilitator of EAPD must rise above his or her own issues as a ”wounded healer,“ and must first ”heal thyself“ before they are ready to develop the balance needed to accept and be at peace with the ”tough love“ needs of horses. Establishing personal boundaries is synonymous with respect from a horse’s perspective, and often requires confidence, courage and assertiveness from a human. We cannot LOVE horses into liking us. Nor can we bribe or bully them. A human can know what it feels like to be a prey (victimized), but prey will never know what it’s like to be a predator (there is always something out there lurking in the shadows ready to pounce). We must therefore play according to their rules, treating them as another horse would treat them, and earn their trust and respect accordingly.

Horses are not dogs

Turning off our instinctual predator language that works like a charm with dogs, cats and other humans (but wreaks havoc on prey animals) is critical to the success of an EAPD facilitator. A horse’s nature is fundamentally opposite to our own. In order to know them and understand them, we must learn their language — not project dog/human behaviours and thoughts onto them. From there we will know when it is in their best interest to receive sensitivity or assertiveness from a person and to what extent or degree. Awareness must be balanced with focus, and patience balanced with decisiveness in a ”leader“ of horse-human interaction. A facilitator must be able to stay in the moment to evaluate whether the oft-changing needs of a horse requires boundaries at one moment or receptivity the next in order to ”change“ for the better and discover its greater potential. Once we have assimilated this ability into the core of who we are, only then can we take it successfully to the human arena to facilitate lasting change with others.

Practical & Fundamental Exercises For Certification In EAPD

Not only can working with horses restore you to your deepest self and cultivate what’s best in it, these wonderful animals can change your attitude to the world around you. Horses have a fundamentally different worldview from us. In many ways, how they see the world and relate to their fellow horses is the opposite of how humans see our environment. Because of this, horses have worked out different ways to get along in the world and with other horses. I believe that we have a lot to learn from their answers. I believe that becoming more horse-like in our awareness of the world and how we achieve our place in it, will make us more complete human beings who work and relate well with others, yet know how to stand our ground.
Chris Irwin - ”Horses Don’t Lie“

The Round Pen

This is the penultimate exercise in walking the talk of ”the Lion lying down with the lamb.“ It is an enormously powerful exercise for change when accomplished with integrity, skill and balance. And an enormously ho-hum letdown on all levels when attempted by people with limited equine fluency and fluidity. An EAPD facilitator must be able to demonstrate with ”free work“ in the round pen (meaning ”no strings attached“ to the horse) an ability to work with the body language and psychology between horses and humans that clearly develops a willing, unconditional bond with horses. Horses the facilitator has never seen or worked with before. Horses with ”issues“ the same way people have ”issues.“ The truth is, these prey animals are no metaphor for your clients. They ARE your clients. They are wary, fearful, angry, sullen, stubborn, defiant, misunderstood beings who bring their own defense mechanisms to the dysfunction in their lives — just like children, students, employees, women or men placed in a subordinate position. Any person who feels ”at the effect“ of another person knows what its like to be a horse. They are all ”at the effect“ of their human owners/handlers/riders. And so it is up to you, the facilitator, to read the horse - to understand them, feel them and know exactly what they need in order for them to work through their issues so that they willingly bow to you as their ”shepherd.“ You haven’t bribed them, bullied them or enabled them into it. Instead you’ve given them what they need most: caring enough to learn their language to know where they were coming from and why, and to assist them in cathartically exorcising their demons with patience and consistent awareness in an assertive but non-threatening manner, leaving them feeling safe and protected by one proven worthy. Think ”Good Will Hunting“ and you will know what horses have been going through — and what it takes for them to willingly come around. And just as no change comes easily when working with humans, so too these horses in a round pen exercise by definition will not be ”easy“ and compliant. Such would have no benefit to truth in what it really means to facilitate ”change.“ The horses in EAPD sessions will only change when they truly respect, trust and admire the actions and leadership qualities of the facilitator in the round pen. The same holds true for humans.

In-Hand

Having a horse willingly following your lead in a round pen, however, is just the first step. One cathartic release does not a healed being make! It is now important that a horse see you can maintain such consistency of appropriate body language with them when working with them ”attached“ — i.e. in the halter, on the lead rope — thereby peeling back yet another layer of possible resistance with finesse rather than force. Specific exercises ”In-Hand“ must be mastered by the EAPD practitioner to again assure competency of diagnostics at the level of cause, and to keep reinforcing to the horse they you can be counted on and depended upon to always be aware of them and their needs and to do what is best for them. The EAPD practitioner must be able to lead horses of ”average“ temperament and demonstrate an ability to use body language, psychology, and contact between hand and horse in order to establish true willingness and focus in horses who are understandably attention-deficit and/or of average ”difficulty“ — i.e. horses ”acting up“ and becoming ”out of hand“ while being lead in halter. Again the transference becomes easily clear — it is one thing to be a ”friend,“ quite another to be their chosen ”leader.“

Lunge:

This next level of working with horses allows for more freedom of movement, but requires exacting body language on the part of the human to facilitate a ”way“ of movement that feels good and balanced to the horse. In other words, lunging a horse inappropriately results in a negative experience and even injury to the horse, whereas a horse facilitated in moving with self-carriage and truly bent from inside to out on the lunge line ”feels good“ and enjoys the athleticism of the movement. Knowing they are attached to the human lunging them via the lunge line, the horse makes the leap and equates ”feeling good“ with being in the company of this particular human. In addition, it instills more and more confidence in a horse’s willingness to ”try“ something it may have instinctively refused due to this continued level of trust and respect. A very powerful skill to perform as well as teach, EAPD practitioners must be able to diagnose, at the level of cause, why and how people create horses that refuse to lunge or inadvertently demonstrate ”undesirable behavior issues“ while being lunged. The EAPD facilitator must demonstrate an ability to affect change on the lunge line that results in angry horses becoming visibly content, frightened horses becoming calm and confident, distracted horses becoming focused, and sullen horses becoming enthusiastic. Once achieved, transference to human scenarios is explored and integrated into an appropriate format for specific EAPD practices.

The 4 Directions Of EAPD

To teach a horse to be calm, responsive, trusting and brave, you must first acquire those qualities yourself. You can’t just appear to be confident and in control. You must let go of your masks and conflicts and fears and simply BE confident and in control. Everything we can teach a horse, we can teach ourselves. And you may discover that when a horse sees you relaxed, balanced and centered, so does everyone else. In and out of the horse arena.
Chris Irwin - ”Horses Don’t Lie“

There will be many creative variations on the themes of the 3 basic exercises of round pen work, in hand and work on the lunge-line. However, as the practical work is practiced with the horses there will also be ongoing discussions, group ”think tanks“ and role-playing throughout an EAPD workshop that focus on developing direct transference of the myriad of life skills that need to be developed while working with the horses and humans. As facilitators of EAPD become proficient in the 3 fundamental groundwork exercises with horses we then explore the direct and indirect, both the metaphorical and literal applications, to how the self-discovery and self-realization of developing an empathetic position of leadership with horses applies in the following 4 general directions that are available for certification in EAPD.

Certification In Eapd Is Available In The Following Categories:

While these 4 basic directions in EAPD often crossover and the difference between, for example, corporate and personal development or, perhaps, psychotherapy and metaphysics might become blurred, there must be a clear distinction drawn between different approaches with the horses and the appropriate transference of information as it relates to different clients. An EAPD facilitator as a personal development coach may have the competency to integrate horses into a personal development workshop designed to assist people in ”discovering their horsepower“ by facilitating clients in experiencing first-hand the personal empowerment they can realize as they create changes in themselves first in order to motivate changes for the better in the horses. This is the ”feel good“ side of EAPD. It is important to realize, however, that it is very likely such sessions may inadvertently open the Pandora’s box of human emotions on an individual basis — be it with team building, family coaching, spiritual awakening or mental health. EAPD facilitators, even if not licensed mental health workers, need to be aware that they are dabbling in this arena nonetheless, and take responsibility for their ability to be of service to the client they have just facilitated into having an emotional melt-down in the round pen.

On the other hand, a licensed clinical therapist needs to recognize the balance required to facilitate lasting change in their clients and thus enhance their academic, ”left brain“ approach with the real-life experiential base in order to ”speak the same language“ that connects the transfer of the exercises into the life experiences of a troubled teenager, a client who is more metaphysically or spiritually oriented, or perhaps a corporate executive. Blending the two will allow EAPD facilitators to have a broad foundation to draw upon when working with different types of individuals in different types of setting and situations.

Horses compete with each other while keeping the welfare of the herd in mind. Horses know they have to stick together to survive. So the loser of a battle is not vanquished. In a way, the loser is strengthened because he now has an ally more powerful than himself to rely on. The herd is also strengthened, as the chain of authority is clarified, and those most fit to lead will naturally rise to the top without the loss of any members. It is competition, serious competition, but it’s non-destructive.
Chris Irwin — ”Horses Don’t Lie“

Perhaps the EAPD facilitator is indeed solidly competent in working with the horses but he or she still has obvious personal issues (i.e. smoking, overweight, etc.) that cannot be ”hidden“ from the clients. This facilitator, while fundamentally competent with ”average“ horses and perhaps qualified as a therapist with a degree in mental health, jeopardizes their credibility or legitimacy with many of the clients who set in their minds that anyone who is going to give them advice better be ”walking their own talk.“ Especially if such clients place a high priority on personal discipline and physical health and are now exploring and seeking to enhance their own growth through EAPD as a path for their inner-work. Certain students/clients will not be open and receptive to coaching from a facilitator who, no matter how academically qualified as a therapist, does not, from the perception of the client, respect the body as the temple of the soul with at least the same degree of respect and dedication as the student. This is most apparent with personal coaching for athletes, corporate ”A“ type executives who spend their lunches on the treadmill, or troubled youth who are inherently fit for their age and see too many ”adults“ as slovenly hypocrites who do not walk their own talk. No matter how adept we are with the horses, or how academically qualified we are as therapists, how can we ”healers“ talk to troubled teens about accountability when they can’t possibly see past our own self-destructive tendencies?

This can be a bitter pill to swallow, but is reality nonetheless. Just as the horses test us for worthiness, so too will humans looking for a leader to lead them. It is only half of the equation that all practitioners of EAPD must learn how to work in an empathetically and user-friendly manner with the horses that truly identifies the actions and reactions between people and horses at the level of cause. The other half of the EAPD equation is for facilitators to be the role model, be the shining example of everything they endeavor their clients achieve. Then they must develop the appropriate communication skills with these clients, the ”person to person“ coaching and/or ”therapy“ skills that vary from client to client, and the appropriate transfer of the work with the horses into the very real everyday lives of a wide variety of clients. This therefore requires that the 4 ”root“ directions of EAPD must branch outward into the following 8 areas that encompass ”the same exercises“ with the horses but with different transfer/applications depending on the demographic and specific background and experiences of the client. These areas are:

The greatest lesson horses have to teach us is how to balance the two sides of our competitive nature. If we can think like predators and feel like prey, we would live less destructive, more productive lives, and yet retain and nurture the spark and crackle that makes the human adventure worth experiencing.

Goal-oriented, A-to-B-behavior is key to predator consciousness. We are hunters/achievers after all. Our predatorial mind is linear. We focus our attention on our ”prey“ and move directly towards it, concentrating on that goal and shutting out everything around us. But if a predator thinks like an arrow headed towards a target, prey tend to think like the circles spreading out around the bull’s eye. They are not into focus; they are into awareness. They are evaluating and interpreting all three hundred-sixty degrees around them all the time. They have to be. Their very survival depends upon it.
Chris Irwin - ”Horses Don’t Lie“

There is tremendous opportunity for crossover between the 8 distinct avenues in EAPD. However, there are areas that simply do not cross. For instance, you can be an atheist and practice EAPD in counseling with at risk youth and perhaps corporate, if your resume lends itself to the field of business. However, a male atheist, no matter how adept he is with the horses, is not likely to connect his transfer of the exercises with a metaphysical, spiritually devoted woman. Obviously a man should not be conducting womens-only workshops and women should not be conducting mens-only workshops. You do not necessarily need to be a licensed mental health worker to facilitate EAPD with at-risk youth but, then again, some competency in psychology would only be an asset when smoldering issues rise to the surface in your clients. On the other hand, you may have your doctorate in psychology but that doesn’t mean that a disenfranchised teenager respects and trusts how you carry yourself if you’re physically ”weak“ or obviously unfit. Of course, at a corporate team building retreat you will find both men and women, and they may or may not reveal if they are spiritually oriented, but asking a CEO to meditate on the how the Goddess is speaking to him or her through the horse is probably not going to engender results.

I’ll use the horse industry as an analogy to finalize this point. While it is true that a horse is a horse is a horse, it is also true that very few dressage riders feel they have anything to learn from a cowboy, very few jockeys want to listen to jumpers, and on and on go the infinite separations and preconceptions that unfortunately leave people divided and close-minded and consequently limit our ability to learn together and from each other.