Trauma-Informed Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL)

In an Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) setting, an experiential approach integrates equine-human interaction that is guided by a planned learning experience to meet the identified goals or desires of the participant(s). Additionally, equine-assisted psychotherapy incorporates horses into the therapeutic process. As participants engage in activities such as grooming, feeding, and leading a horse while being supervised by a mental health professional or equine specialist, our goals include helping our students to develop skills such as emotional regulation, self-confidence, and responsibility. But, the overarching desire for any of our students, staff, and guests when working with our horses is to give each of them a chance to grow a trusting relationship with our horses and other animals. It’s through these trust-based relationships with the horses, who are ultimately prey animals and feel the same emotional responses as we do, that we want to display God’s life principles.

Care Farming & Animal Husbandry

In addition to Equine Facilitated Learning, Wheatfield Academy students participate in care farming and animal husbandry. Care farming is the use of farming practices for the stated purpose of providing or promoting healing, mental health, social, or educational care services. As an extension of what we aim to accomplish with our horses, we also offer opportunities for everyone on our campus to work with their hands and hearts to gain an understanding of the needs of others through our care farm and livestock management programming. To be able to provide for goats and chickens requires self-sacrifice because each of these animals require our assistance to not only survive but to thrive. It is through this practice of aiding another living creature that students, and our guests, find a growing compassion, empathy, and sense of responsibility in themselves for the lives of others. And, from a clinical standpoint, studies have shown that working with farm animals decreases anxiety and depression.