Equine Assisted Learning
Almost all of the activities take place on the ground. The learning and skill-building occur through the interaction between the student and the horse. When both student and horse are on the ground, the horse is free to give feedback without restriction. It is an equal playing field for all. The lessons of Cowboy Poetry are centered on relationship-building with the horse, rather than teaching horsemanship or technique.
Lazy Horse Ranch offers a strenth-based program for schools designed as an innovative and creative solution to address school's greatest challenges. "Cowboy Poetry" is an exciting and innovatice curriculum that is wrapped around academic standards, developmental assets and character education skills that make learning fun and learners successful. Utilizing an Equine Assisted Learning model, our program teaches character education skills that are based on academic standards and developmental assets. Our experienced staff implement the curriculum in collaboration with the shcool's teachers and mentors, working specifically with at-risk students or those with special needs.
The program can be executed either at the Lazy Horse Ranch, on the school campus, or at a satellite facility convenient to the school.
Featured character education skills in our school programs include:
* Understand and offer respect
* Strengthen communication
* Comprehend honesty and accountability
* Enhance problem-solving and dcecision- making skills
* Increase focus and critical thinking
* Develop relationships and teamwork
* Learn healthy ways to cope with anger
* Manage impulse control
* Recognize social cues and how to respond to them
* Assert appropriate boundaries
* Enhance positive behavior response
Elementary through high school students experiencing the following symptoms may be appropriate for our school programs:
* Involvement with the court system
* ADD/ADHD
* ODD/disruptive behaviors
* Truancy
* Anger management issues
* Learning impaired
* Developmentally delayed
* Transition and adjustment issues
* Expulsion or suspension
* Poor/failing grades
* Emotionally/behaviorally challenged
* Disengaged
* Special learning styles/"gifted" or "excelled"
