Saskatchewan Equine Center Expands EAL Training Program to Alberta

Visiting an equine facility usually means, riding lessons and horse training, which is what they do, but the folks at Cartier Farms have been doing much more.

The Cartier Equine Center first introduced Equine Assisted Learning to youth in the fall of 2004 while partnering with many schools in and around the Prince Albert area. Since this introduction, the Cartiers have been honored first, with Samuel McLeod Prince Albert Business Award, in 2006 for developing this unique EAL Program designed to address specific needs in youth-at-risk.

In 2007 the Equine Center partnered with the Saskatchewan Horse Federation, launching the first Nationally Recognized Equine Assisted Learning Certification Training Program, internationally acknowledged for their EAL Formula and Curriculum’s innovative approach to behavioural modification while using horses, which has come to be known as the Academy of Equine Assisted Learning.

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In 2008 the Cartier husband and wife team was individually recognized for their equine contributions, Daryl by Western Horseman’s Person of the Year, and Gayle with the Excellence In Leadership Award presented by the Saskatchewan Horse Federation and the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan.

In 2009 the Cartier Equine Center became the focus of a collaborative community-based research project through the University of Saskatoon Faculty of Social Work, University of Regina and University of Calgary to study how horses assist in the healing of First Nation’s youth who abuse solvents.

Now, the Cartier Equine Learning Center’s, Academy of Equine Assisted Learning is expanding to provide their proven EAL training techniques to Calgary, Alberta. “Our goal is to provide certified EAL facilitators across the country,” says Senior EAL Instructor Gayle Cartier, and to meet the growing demand for trained facilitators.

The Prince Albert equine facility has entered into yet another unique partnership agreement with Kari Fulmek, owner and operator of Equine Connection located on the east side of Calgary, Alberta. Fulmek completed the EAL Certified Facilitation Instructor’s Course requirements with the intention of partnering to provide EAL Facilitation Training to interested participants in Western Canada. “Calgary is ideally situated in an area rich with western culture and recreational activities,” says Fulmek, this setting attracts some of the most prestigious companies in the world, lending opportunity to learn how to facilitate EAL, while delivering quality leadership development seminars to a wide variety of groups in the arena.

Fulmek states she is proud to be joining the team of dedicated facilitation training professionals from the Cartier Equine Learning Center, that have been providing a world-class EAL certification program for the past six years. Kari is confident she and The Academy of Equine Assisted Learning, Calgary Campus will be extending the same friendly, warm and supportive learning environment, as Prince Albert provides. The Academy of Equine-Assisted Learning, has had a long tradition of training excellent EAL facilitators who go on to achieve successful careers and become leaders in the equine guided industry. In addition to an extraordinary teaching staff, the Academy of Equine-Assisted Learning, Calgary Campus will be offering an outstanding apprenticeship experience. Kari notes additionally, “we will be providing individualized training and mentoring opportunities.”

Participants enrolled in the EAL Certification Program have the opportunity to pursue their highest aspirations. “Our team teaching rotation style, will take place primarily in a free-standing, indoor arena created as a site which integrates apprenticeship education with EAL experiences.” EAL facilitation will be provided almost exclusively by those enrolled in the apprenticeship program, closely supervised by dedicated professionals.

“I believe that we will be offering a superb training experience and hope that many will consider Calgary EAL as the way to foster their love, passion and excitement for horses and Equine-Assisted Learning” says Fulmek.