The Difference Between EAP and EAL

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is not about horsemanship.  Here we focus not on riding, but on psychology.  A licensed clinical professional is required to participate in order for the activities to be EAP.

EAP involves experiences with horses to enable emotional growth and learning.  EAP can be compared in ways to ropes courses taught by therapists in that the students learn feelings, behaviors, teamwork, and patterns participating in EAP.  EAP also has the added bonus of involving living animals that are both beautiful and powerful which leads to an emotional connection between the horse and individuals involved in therapy with it. EAP often develops the following characteristics:

• Leadership development
• Team-building
• Communication
• Problem solving
• Organizational change
• Decision making

EAL is similar to EAP in several ways, such as the use of horses.  EAL and EAP are often incorrectly interchanged, however EAL deals more with the horsemanship aspect of Equine therapy. EAL is the process, while EAP is the actual program.

EAL and EAP are often used for those who are experiencing the following:

• Personal issues
• Focus problems and Attention Deficit Disorder
• Social anxiety or shyness
• Anxiety
• Trauma
• Anger and acting out
• Grief and loss
• Poor self-esteem
• Substance abuse recovery
• Communication
• Interpersonal relationships
• Stress
• Burnout