How to Stay at the Top of Your Game as a Coach and Facilitator
As equine-assisted coaches and facilitators, we also need to become adept jugglers – managing the competing demands of working with clients, building our business and caring for our horses. It may feel like an impossible task to keep on top of the latest research, information and resources on top of everything else, yet we must do that as well in order to stay at the top of our game.
Leading-edge education
This is one of the primary reasons why people across the world choose to work with E3A – or Equine Experiential Education Association, to give us our full title. Our sole focus is helping facilitators to create transformational experiences with their clients and one of the ways we do this is through leading-edge education. We work with individuals and organizations across the world to understand the latest thinking and practice in equine-assisted therapy and learning, and to assimilate this into exciting and accessible programs for our clients.
Global forefront
Our annual conference is a particularly effective way for facilitators to build knowledge and expertise as it brings together keynote speakers at the forefront of global equine-assisted learning and research for a dynamic and thought-provoking program of talks and exhibitions.
This year’s conference theme is The Next Frontier, reflecting the rapidly changing world we are living in. While this brings many personal and professional challenges, it also offers exciting opportunities for those working in the field of personal development and it is no accident that the coaching industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, estimated to reach $20bn USD by 2022.
Conference aims
From October 14-16 2021, at the White Stallion Ranch in Tucson AZ, our speakers will share their passion and insights and, in their different ways, each one will offer delegates a greater understanding of themselves, their horses and their clients. We have selected topics that are underpinned by research and evidence-based studies and that bring together the latest understanding about neuroscience, human health and wellbeing, as well as horse welfare. You can attend in person at our Arizona ranch by registering on line at our website (https://e3assoc.org/conference-2021/) and can also opt to purchase selected presentation videos from our on line store after the conference. Our aim is to allow facilitators from all over the world to participate and have access to valuable information.
Some of the highlight presentations this year include:
Merril Morse: A Facilitator’s Horsemanship – This exhibition, a mix of demonstration and participation, will explore how the use of Natural Horsemanship techniques (at liberty, in-hand and under saddle) in facilitation can improve facilitator interaction, leading to better outcomes for clients.
Tracy Weber: Conscious Use of Self – One of the human behaviors that gets in the way of building authentic relationships is being on autopilot instead of being conscious and self-aware. This engaging introduction to the use of self in partnership with horses is based on the work of Organizational Development expert, Dr Michael Broom.
Debbie Busby: Evaluating and Assuring the mental and emotional welfare of the horse in EAL settings – This lecture, backed up by virtual workshops in breakout groups, looks at the evidence base for assuring the horse’s emotional and mental welfare in equine-assisted learning settings.
Sue Binks: The Power of Presence – This interactive and thought-provoking session draws on unique doctoral research into the practice of facilitation and explores key findings, such as the importance of presence and psychological safety and how our mental models influence our practice.
