Animal scientist Katrina Merkies will be using horses to help teach leadership skills in a new program she will be introducing at the Kemptville campus of University of Guelph.
Although similar programs do exist, Merkies believes LEAD is unique because as a university program, researchers plan to integrate empirical research on how humans affect horses, as well as how horses affect humans. So far, feedback received for LEAD has been overwhelming.
The program, called Leadership Through Equine-Assisted Personal Discovery, or LEAD, will start in May. Merkies will be working with acclaimed horse trainer and author, Chris Irwin. Several mental health professionals are on board as well.
The program is currently geared towards teens because “being a teenager is oftentimes a difficult period in a person’s life – transitioning from a child to an adult,” according to Merkies.
Horses will be used as a facilitator for personal discovery and awareness while developing leadership skills amongst these teens.
Eventually, she hopes to branch out the program to include youths at risk, including abuse victims, and those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders.
But why horses?
“They are very attuned to body language,” Merkies said.
She explained that we constantly send unintentional messages through body language, and that horses are very good at picking up on these cues.
“[Horses] act as a mirror for what a person is truly feeling, or maybe what they’re trying to repress.”
Merkies said she plans to use this ability to help students learn leadership through social interaction. For example, students will learn creativity, co-operation and teamwork.
Although students won’t necessarily have any experience with horses and might feel intimidated at first by the size of the animal, horses are animals students can learn to control.
“In some instances, it gives control to a person who feels they might be losing control in their life,” Merkies said.
Merkies said she believes the program will “absolutely” be a success.
Others seem to agree that the program will work.
“A lot of people learn differently, and some really benefit from the hands-on approach,” said Stacey Locke, a second-year English major at University of Guelph. She added that she would be interested in trying a course like LEAD.
“That would be really interesting. I think it would be useful. It’s always good to approach new ways of learning.”