While riding is a fantastic way to de-stress while building a bond with your horse, the definition of good horsemanship is expanding to encompass activities that regard horses as more than just riding partners. Not only is groundwork a vital part of good horsemanship, it’s also the key to forming a stronger connection between you and your horse, resulting in a happy, healthy, stress-free partnership that allows you to get the most out of your time at the barn.
“The horse community is learning and developing and growing so much, and it’s also learning that working with horses is not all about riding anymore,” says registered Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) practitioner and Veterinary Technician Mélyssa Léveillé. “There’s a lot of showing, and that’s great, but people are now asking how they can do more. How can we connect with horses more?”
Léveillé first became interested in how to use EAL to connect to her own horses at the beginning of the pandemic, when her struggles with post-partum depression and anxiety left her feeling alone and discouraged. Working with and learning about horses allowed her to manage her stress, regain confidence, and rediscover her own well-being. She learned how powerful a healthy partnership with horses can be. “The horses,” she says, “Are our biggest teachers. [They] can help anyone who’s willing to try.”