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E3A September 2026 Member Meeting

Topic: Finding Purpose in the Arena - Incorporating Horses into Recovery Work

Presenter:  Pam Salem

Date:  Wed, September16, 2026

Time:  7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT

Free to E3A members

Pam Salem will share her journey from E3A founding member and experienced equine specialist to facilitating equine-assisted experiences for people in recovery. After years of primarily working alongside therapists, Pam stepped into the recovery field with little prior experience in addiction treatment—and discovered a powerful new sense of purpose in the work.

Drawing from her sixteen-year experience facilitating more than 14,000 people in the Equine Interaction Experience at English Mountain Recovery, Pam will discuss how horses can support clients navigating recovery, what she has found especially beneficial for this population, and what she learned while adapting her skills to a new setting. Her story offers encouragement and practical insight for equine-assisted practitioners who may be interested in serving people in recovery but are unsure how to begin, as well as “stay in their lane.”

Pam will also reflect on her long history in the equine-assisted field and share why she created EquineAssistedCareers.com as a legacy project designed to help others explore opportunities and pathways within equine-assisted services.

She will share some resources that were helpful to her in the recovery realm and answer any questions at the end.

Presenter Bio:

Pam Salem is a certified Equine Experiential Educator who was a regional VP for the former TN Horse Council for 15+ years, who is “owned by horses” since 1956, and who believes that “horses being horses help humans be better humans.” In addition to co-facilitating equine assisted programs with a licensed therapist since 2000, Pam has a B.S. in Education, 40 yrs of hands-on horse experience as a competitor (Pony Club, horse shows, and competitive trail) and breeder of Arabian & Anglo Arabian sport horses. At age 17 years she had 4000+ hours in the saddle and was chosen as one of four team members for their first Pony Club rally when the Tennessee Valley Pony Club was founded in Knoxville, TN. She and her horse Queen’s Buccaneer (aka Jasper) won the Jr Working Hunter Championship at the Knoxville Charity Horse Show. She raised Anglo-Arabian sport horses for 20 years. One of her colts won a Class A Hunter Pleasure class in a field of fourteen. Another colt, purchased by an Olympic endurance rider, won a hundred-mile endurance race for him. Since 1972, she has co-owned and operated a hospitality linen and contract furnishings business: Salem Hospitality Inc.

In 2005 she created Equine Assisted Assets™ to support the field with guidance, inspiration and resources. Pam is known for her ability as a catalyst, bringing together a variety of different people to enhance each others expertise. Pam believes in an eclectic approach to training in human/equine interaction so she can have more tools in her toolbox to best serve her clients, including 20 plus years of training with a number oforganizations in the field including (but not limited to): EAGALA, PATH, and Natural Lifemanship; certification in the work of Zivorad Salvinsky.