Equine-Assisted Learning and Social-Emotional Competence in Higher Education: An Exploratory Study of Emerging Adults’ Experiences.

Research Overview

• This study explores how equine-assisted learning (EAL), which involves structured activities with horses, affects social-emotional learning (SEL) among undergraduate students in a Malaysian higher education context.
• The research investigates students’ experiences during an 8-week EAL program and the potential benefits for emotional and interpersonal development.

Introduction to Key Concepts

• Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL): An experiential educational approach using guided human-horse interactions to foster character development, interpersonal skills, and life skills.
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): The process through which individuals acquire and apply skills for managing emotions, setting goals, showing empathy, maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. SEL is increasingly valued in educational settings for promoting wellbeing and academic success.
• The research fills a gap by focusing on how EAL impacts SEL specifically in a non-Western higher education environment, which has been underexplored previously.

Methodology

• Participants: 15 undergraduate students aged 18-24, primarily male (73.3%) with some female participants (26.7%), enrolled at a private Malaysian institution.
• Program Design: An 8-week EAL program comprising structured experiential sessions where students engage in guided activities with horses to promote learning and growth.
• Data Collection: In-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted to gather detailed personal experiences from participants.
• Data Analysis: Qualitative data were analyzed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis, allowing themes to emerge naturally from participants’ descriptions rather than imposing preset categories.

Findings

• Theme 1: Emotional Learning through Human-Horse Interactions
  • Participants reported increased awareness and regulation of their emotions through interactions with horses.
  • Engaging with horses fostered empathy, patience, and a deeper understanding of nonverbal communication.
• Theme 2: Interpersonal Engagement through Shared Activities
  • Group activities with horses enhanced teamwork, communication skills, and trust among participants.
  • Shared experiences fostered a sense of community and belonging which are important aspects of social-emotional competence.
• Theme 3: Transfer and Application of Learning
  • Students described applying skills learned during EAL sessions—such as emotional self-awareness and interpersonal communication—to other areas of their lives.
  • The experiential nature of EAL helped translate abstract SEL concepts into practical, meaningful experiences.

Conclusions and Implications

• The study suggests that EAL can effectively support social-emotional learning among emerging adults in a higher education setting.
• Findings indicate emotional growth, improved interpersonal skills, and the ability to apply learned skills beyond the EAL environment.
• Since this research was exploratory and conducted in a specific cultural and institutional context, further studies are needed to validate and generalize these results across diverse educational settings and populations.
• Such research will be important to understand how EAL can be integrated into broader educational curricula to enhance student wellbeing and academic outcomes globally.