With no expectations, projections or ulterior motives, horses provide a unique opportunity for adolescents to move beyond their normal defense mechanisms. The human equine-guided educator and the horse together provide the experiential landscape aimed at increasing self-reflection, self-knowledge and self-responsibility.HORSE SENSE for TEENS™ Equine Guided Exercises encourage teens to:

•Declare, shape and sharpen a goal for the future. •Regain self-esteem and self-confidence. •Practice setting boundaries. •Trust intuitive knowing. •Develop and honor the authentic self. •Improve communication skills (verbal and non-verbal). •Deepen trust and respect for self and others.

Just as a horse trusts the lead mare in a natural herd to set the direction and speed, so, too, do they expect a human handler to be a confident, authentic leader. The horse does not listen to our words in determining it's willingness to trust, nor is it convinced of our competency by looking at our smiling faces. If a person speaks or acts differently from what s/he is actually feeling, a horse will sense this incongruence energetically, interpret it as "not-safe" and react accordingly.

Making a personal declaration one-on-one next to a horse, participants experience an immediate reflection of their energy that both challenges them to be fully present and rewards authenticity unambiguously and viscerally. To put it bluntly, you can't finagle your way around a 1,200 pound teacher.