Ground-based activities with horses offer opportunities for developing focus, emotional regulation, social skills, and self-confidence. Horses are naturally responsive and non-judgmental. Simply being in their company is highly beneficial for anyone struggling with the impulsiveness, attention span, hyperactivity, and other challenges associated with ADHD and similar challenges. Here's a breakdown of specific equine-assisted activities and how they help with ADHD: 1. GROOMING AND CARE How It Helps: Promotes Focus and Mindfulness: Grooming a horse requires attention to detail and sustained focus, helping individuals practice slowing down and concentrating on the task at hand. Encourages Responsibility and Routine: The consistent routine of grooming helps create a predictable and structured environment, which can be especially beneficial for those who thrive on routine. Calming Effect: The physical act of brushing and touching the horse can be soothing, helping to reduce hyperactivity and promote calmness. Why It Works for ADHD: Children and adults with ADHD often benefit from hands-on, tactile activities that engage their senses and require full-body involvement, making grooming an ideal way to channel their energy positively. 2. LEADING AND FOLLOWING EXERCISES How It Helps: Builds Self-Regulation and Impulse Control: Leading a horse requires the person to remain calm and focused. The horse will respond to the leader’s energy, which teaches individuals how to manage their own emotions and reactions. Enhances Communication Skills: These exercises help participants practice giving clear, non-verbal signals and receiving feedback from the horse, improving communication and awareness of how their actions affect others. Develops Leadership Qualities: Leading a horse boosts confidence and self-esteem, as individuals see their ability to influence and guide a large, responsive animal. Why It Works for ADHD: These exercises provide immediate feedback, helping individuals recognise and adjust their behaviour quickly. It’s an engaging way to teach them how to be present, control impulses, and lead confidently.

We all know horses are our best co-facilitators, but if you were a horse in session, which type would you be? No overthinking, just fun! Tell us in the comments: What has a horse taught you about about emotional pacing and consent?

1. Masters of Non-Verbal Feedback Horses rely almost entirely on non-verbal communication in order to survive, to socialise and to maintain harmony in the herd. Research shows that horses read human body language, intention and emotional states with extraordinary sensitivity. When a person (coach or client) interacts with a horse: - Incongruence is reflected instantly. - Presence and groundedness create trust. - Clear energetic boundaries support safety for both species. This parallels findings from medical and leadership training where horses have been shown to improve learners' non-verbal communication and empathy. 2. Horses Reveal Leadership and Coaching Patterns Equine-assisted learning (EAL) research shows strong outcomes in leadership behaviour, emotional intelligence and relational awareness. Through the Horses Connect Model, we understand horses as: - Indicators of relational health - Mirrors of emotional congruence - Partners in co-regulation Common coaching patterns show up clearly in equine sessions: - Directive or forceful → horse resists or disengages - Unclear or hesitant → horse looks confused or wanders - Grounded and relational → horse aligns, connects and follows This supports the Five Golden Rules taught in all Horses Connect programmes:1. Know Yourself, 2. Know Your Horses, 3. Stay in Your Lane, 4. Go with the Flow, 5. Trust the Process. Horses simply show you when you’re not living these rules. Leadership-focused EA programmes have reported increases in confidence, empathy, collaborative problem-solving and communication effectiveness. 3. Embodied Learning and Not Just Theory The Horses Connect Method prioritises experiential learning, grounded in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle and supported by emerging neuroscience. Research confirms that equine-assisted activities promote: - Greater self-awareness - Emotional regulation - Behavioural change - Increased HRV and physiological synchrony between horse and human

It's officially no longer too early to mention that Christmas is coming! If you're looking for a unique gift for a special someone (or yourself) that supports the important work of Horses Connect and has the potential to be life-changing, this self-directed personal development book ticks all those boxes. We have a (very)few copies left in the yard, but it's also available here https://tinyurl.com/horsesconnect This is our annual Winter fundraiser so all support - and shares - greatly appreciated. Our amazing horses and ponies earn their own keep by co-facilitating equine-assisted sessions with the two-legged team members. They get a few well-earned weeks off over December and January - but all their needs still have to be met! Our Winter Fundraiser helps that happen. Rather than run a campaign where we just ask for money, we really wanted to give something back to our supporters. When you buy this book, 100% of the proceeds goes to the Horses Connect equine team - and you might just learn (or gift) something life changing! If you already have the book, please leave a review on Amazon. It really helps visibility.

As personal development coaches, we continually seek grounded, experiential ways to help people build emotional intelligence, self-leadership, and authentic confidence. One approach gaining momentum, and supported by emerging research, is equine-assisted personal development (EAPD). EAPD involves structured, ground-based activities with horses that support growth, awareness, and behaviour change. Most importantly, clients do not need to ride or have any previous horse knowledge.Much of the transformation comes from being with horses; observing, interacting, adjusting, and experiencing real-time biofeedback in a safe relational space. Why Horses? Emotional congruence and real-time feedback Horses are masters of reading non-verbal communication. They don’t respond to our stories or self-presentations. They don’t care about gender, race, religion, political views, status, qualifications wealth or any of the ‘status symbols’ valued by society. Horses naturally tune in to our nervous-system cues, intention, energy, and presence. When a person softens their shoulders, breathes more deeply, becomes clearer in their intention, or shifts from anxiety to grounded confidence, the horse often responds immediately. It might moving toward connection or offer stillness and calm. This instant, embodied feedback loop accelerates self-awareness in a way that talking alone rarely can. Nervous-system regulation and co-regulation Research around heart-rate variability (HRV), vagal tone, and co-regulation shows that horses — naturally attuned to the emotional landscape around them — can support nervous-system settling in humans. Clients often experience: · calmer breathing · softened posture · reduced stress responses · a shift from reactivity to presence Studies from the HeartMath Institute have reported patterns of heart-rhythm synchronisation between calm horses and humans, pointing toward a relational coherence effect where emotional and physiological states stabilise through connection.