Backed by More Than Experience: The Science Behind Equine‑Assisted Learning
When people hear “research-backed,” their eyes can glaze over pretty quickly. Fair enough. It can sound academic, distant, or like something that only matters in a university setting.
But in the real world, research matters for a very simple reason: it helps you know what works.
And when you are working with both people and horses, that matters even more.
At Dreamwinds, we are not interested in winging it in the arena. We are not guessing which activity might create a breakthrough, or hoping a session will somehow land well for the participant and still be a positive experience for the horse. We care about predictability. We care about using a program that has been tried, tested, and shown to create meaningful change.
That is the “why” behind the Building Block™ curriculum.
Ten Years of Groundwork, Not Guesswork
The Building Block™ curriculum did not appear overnight. Cartier spent 10 years researching and developing it to understand how structured equine-assisted learning could create real, measurable outcomes.
That work resulted in a curriculum made up of 12 exercises, each designed with purpose. In other words, this is not a random collection of horse activities. It is a tried-and-true framework built to guide learning in a consistent way for the human, while also respecting the horse’s role in the process.
That distinction matters.
Anyone can put a person next to a horse and hope something meaningful happens. But hope is not a method. A proven curriculum is.
Why “Tried and True” Beats Winging It
Think of it this way: if you were building a house, you would not want a contractor saying, “I usually just follow my instincts.”
You would want a plan. A process. Something dependable.
Equine Assisted Learning is no different. A well-designed program helps make outcomes more predictable, not accidental. It gives facilitators a reliable path to follow, and it creates a safer, more consistent experience for everyone involved.
That is one reason the Building Block™ curriculum has stood out over time. It has not just been used. It has been studied.
In 2006, the curriculum received national recognition from the Saskatchewan Horse Federation and Equine Canada. That recognition matters because it signals the work was taken seriously within the equine industry, not treated as a passing idea or trend.
What the Research Actually Found
This is where research becomes real-world useful.
Across 106 encounters, participants consistently reported positive experiences with the Building Block™ curriculum. On average, the program earned a 4.4 out of 5 rating.
That number matters because it tells you the outcomes were not one-offs. People were not just having a good day here and there. There was a consistent pattern.
The research is also reflected in two published works:
Together, they documented five areas of impact connected to this work:
- Physical wellbeing
- Social wellbeing
- Mental and emotional wellbeing
- Spiritual wellbeing
- Cultural wellbeing
That is a broad range of change, and it helps explain why these experiences can feel so meaningful. The learning is not limited to one narrow skill. It can affect how someone feels, communicates, reflects, connects, and shows up in the world around them.
Why This Matters for People and Horses
One of the biggest benefits of research is that it helps take the mystery out of the process.
Instead of assuming a horse will somehow “fix” a problem, a researched curriculum gives structure to the experience. It helps facilitators understand what they are doing, why they are doing it, and what kinds of outcomes they can reasonably expect.
That is better for people because it creates clarity.
It is also better for horses because it encourages thoughtful, intentional work instead of improvisation for improvisation’s sake.
Horses respond and react honestly. That is part of what makes them such powerful partners in experiential learning. But their role should never be reduced to a gimmick or a guess. A researched, tested approach helps keep the work grounded and respectful.
The Bottom Line
Research may not be the flashiest part of Equine Assisted Learning, but it is one of the most important.
It is the reason you can look at a curriculum like Building Block™ and say, “This is not random.”
It is the reason outcomes are more predictable.
It is the reason facilitators can work with more confidence.
And it is the reason this approach has earned trust over time.
Sometimes “tried and true” is exactly what you want, especially when the goal is real change for the human and a thoughtful experience for the horse.
If you have ever wondered whether research really matters in this field, the short answer is yes.
Not because it sounds impressive.
Because it helps show that the work actually works.
