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Equine Experiential Learning Initiative

The intent of the Equine Experiential Learning Initiative is to cultivate advocacy on behalf of horses, stimulate volunteerism and inspire a lifelong commitment to horse welfare.

Engaging people to embrace and witness the impact of horses to empower, teach and heal will enlarge the base of equine advocates and raise awareness of the important role of horses in our lives. The future of horses in America lies in the hands of their advocates.

Take the first step!

The human-equine relationship is threaded throughout the fabric of our history. Humanity has been able to spread far and wide on the backs of horses -- but the carnage of horses at the hands of humans is also well documented. Sadly, horses are still faced with the same challenges, continuing to put their future welfare in jeopardy.

The Horse: Commodity or Partner? is a free online learning experience to give you a deeper understanding of the positive impact of the horse-human bond in the past and present -- and facts for you to become an effective advocate to protect America's horses now and in the future.

The Horse: Commodity or Partner?
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The EQUUS Foundation would like to express its appreciation to Dr. Terri Champney for helping to develop the Equine Experiential Learning Initiative and the Leonard I. Gilman Horses & Humans Grant. About Dr. Terri Champney >

For horses to remain an important part of American life and have a viable future, a paradigm shift in the perception of how people partner with horses is needed.

Based on current demographic and economic trends in the United States, the long-term future and welfare of horses could be in jeopardy. Public access and involvement with horses, and education about horses, especially among young people, is declining. The expense and time required for competition is becoming unrealistic for most people.

326 million

Population of the United States

84%

294 million of the U.S. population live in cities of 50,000 or more

.006%

2 million of the U.S. population
owns horses

An updated human-horse model, based on different collaborative relationships between horses and humans, offers a more realistic plan for access to horses by people unable to experience the magic of horses through the traditional means of ownership and competition. Equine Assisted Services (EAS) offer one of the the best models of a modern human-horse interaction, with horses helping humans in new innovative ways. EAS refers to various services in which credentialed professionals incorporate horses and other equines to improve the well-being of people. Three areas of EAS have been identified: Therapy, Learning and Horsemanship. These services are further defined in the EQUUS Foundation Guidelines for Conducting Equine-Assisted Services. This type of human-animal experience may be more appealing, and certainly more realistic, for many of today's urban and suburban youth.