Q&A with Brianne Hingley, of Force Action In Development

You have a most fascinating career. How did you find this, especially since you did not start out as a horse person?
I started out as a hobby horse person, getting a horse for my little girl about 11 years ago. Funnily enough, this whole program was planted in my head by someone who had no idea what it was! So, I decided to investigate the whole process, got certified and never looked back.

You are a Certified EAL Assistant Instructor/Certified EAL Facilitator. What does this mean exactly?
As a facilitator, I manage every single program from start to finish to help participants meet a specific objective. This can be any number of skills that we use in life, such as communication, focus and negotiation. As an assistant instructor, I help others learn how to become facilitators and help them in a variety of ways to have their own clients and help their communities.

You went through training to become an Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator. Do the horses have to go through training as well?
I work with the horses to learn that they can respond the best way they know how. Horses look for safety in leadership; they learn that here, they can work with the humans if they are safe. It’s not about horsemanship or making a horse do anything. The horses learn that they can act naturally. Horses never lie, so we need to let them show us what they need.

Who are your clients?
We have a wide variety of clients. This can be anyone from local kids in the community, non-profit organizations, specialized women’s workshops to corporate team building.

How do you match people with horses?
The participants are either put into teams or in the arena as individuals, then they select the horses they will work with for that particular program. In the big picture, horses are brought into programs with the appropriate scope in mind. Horses that might be highly responsive might be better for our women’s workshops, and those who are slower to respond might be better for our introductory levels (ages 8 and under).

There is no riding involved? So, what is involved?
This is working with the horses on the ground. This is so that individuals from every walk of life can see what the horse is saying. When we ride a horse, we tell the horse what to do, where to go (respectfully). When we work with them in this context, we can offer a safe place for the horse to willingly follow. If the intention and leadership are safe, the horse can go with it. If the team or individual lacks clarity, direction and safe leadership, the horse will respond accordingly.

Can you explain a bit how the horse teacher prepares the client for life?
The horse offers clients honest and immediate feedback without judgment. They offer a chance to see how we can use the skills we all have in life to achieve what we need. The horse knows what she needs and will seek it out. This allows humans to change their behavior to be the best they can be to make the situation safe. Because this process has been experiential, humans see that they can do it, they can be confident, solve problems and more, as the horse requires it. The humans understand that the horse’s consent was legitimate and that using the skill made it possible. Therefore, the lesson learned to meet the needs of their horse teacher stays with them in all areas of life, not just in the arena.

What if I am afraid of horses, is this course still for me?
Having a fear of horses is very natural. We know that horses are masters at reading body language, and we can do the same. We can help teams and see what a horse is saying without touching them. Having a role as an observer is still extremely effective, and we often see people overcome the fear with the knowledge and safety that this course provides. Even that is a huge skill – facing our fears and coming out strong, brave and informed.

How does the horse teacher help me to become the best person I can be?
The horse actually helps herself, and by doing that she gives us all a chance to make things safe. She shows us that she needs clear communication, teamwork and effective problem solving to have success in life. She takes care of herself and is clear with how things should be. Because horses are a prey animal and they cannot lie, we take a lesson from the horse. When we use our skills to create an environment to work with the horse, the horse will work willingly in that setting. The horse responds positively to honest, safe and confident choices and will choose to leave other situations that are not what she needs to survive. We then learn that with all the skills the horse shows us that we possess, life becomes easy.

Can there be such a thing as failing the course?
This is a learner-based program and is objectively driven. This is not an act of competition but a matter of meeting the skill set for the day. If the objective is not met, it would be my failing as a facilitator. So, participants and horses cannot fail this program.

The course duration is 12 weeks, right? Does one remain with the same horse the entire course?
The 12-week curriculum is only one of the program paths we offer. We also have day camps, day workshops, date night for adults and much more. We even have long-term courses with some clients coming for over two years at a time. The duration of the course will depend on the needs of the client. And over the time of these courses, clients may or may not be with the same horse, as they choose. We have nine horses that work in our programs, so it really is up to the participants.

Is there a client age limit?
There is no age limit. We have clients from age 2 and up. We have introductory programs and adult programs as well. Even if you are a CEO of a major corporation, or a trainer of horses, we literally have workshops for everyone.

What do you get out of offering this program?
When I was growing up, I had challenges, just like many people. I was into drugs, dropped out of high school and had a home life that was different than many. My father was a quadriplegic, and my mother is an incredible woman who cared for our whole family. Because of her he was able to be home; however, she was very preoccupied with my father’s health, work, etc. So, I sought out to fit in somewhere. This ended up being in a group that was into things that were not always the best choices, then I would go home to a household that was full of love and caring, and I found myself very conflicted in the world.

I wish I had this program as a child, and that is where I first started to see the positive effects from this program with youth. I have a real connection with youth and the power that the horses bring. This program shows every individual that when you make safe, strong, confident choices situations work out. I get to bring this to everyone who is just like I was then – full of confusion, lack of direction then filled with regret. I never want anyone else to feel this way so I offer this program as much as possible. I will also never turn anyone away, so if the budget is a problem I subsidize. I would never let money be the reason someone cannot work with horses in this way.

What do the horses get out of this program?
Working in this way the horses get to have freedom and respect. All of our horses have come from different backgrounds and when they come here, they start to learn that they can respond as a horse. This is not horsemanship, and there is no “making” the horses do anything. They give consent and if they do not the clients need to work together to find out why and make a change. It’s a good life for a horse. As good as any life in captivity can be. There are no requirements – just that they are able to understand the process. We give all the horses time to sort it all out, and if they’re not able, then we can find a new path. That being said, I have not had (at our facility) a horse yet that did not eventually understand the process and feel safe in this type of work.

Any final words?
We are proud to offer this program to our community. We are so grateful for all the clients of the past and the future, and we are so appreciative of the horses and all they offer. Even now we are still able to offer safe programming as we are an outdoor facility. This is where horses like to be most. This is all we do, and this is our specialty. We recommend that if people are curious they should check out our website, give us a call or check us out on Facebook.

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