Horseplay is a powerful learning experience because, whilst we get more and more technically advanced in our lives, the lessons we learn from horses are centuries old and just plain common sense! As one of my trainers said it is so old that it is new again. Horses have been the backbone of the development of our society…where would we be if man hadn’t had the power of the horse to take him further, faster and with the strength to achieve? So it seems fitting that the 21st century finds us going back to basics to rediscover our strengths and weaknesses.The program is designed to have people explore their connections with themselves first, then with their colleagues, and then with the people that make up the team they head. Leadership starts with knowing who you are, how others might see you, and how you go about getting the trust and respect from the people you are surrounded by. Leadership is about effective communication, of being prepared to respond rather than react to other’s ideas of team work, leadership and doing it all in a way that brings out the best in everyone in the team. We have a program that incorporates emotionally and mentally challenging concepts, but within a safe space. We believe in building people up, and the horses are superb at suggesting in a quiet private way when folks need to up their game! On the surface the team is presented as 20 identical horses…all friesians, all black, they all look the same, but as the day progresses each human will discover the unique personality of his equine partner, and the analogies to their interactions and preconceived notions towards their human work colleagues are obvious! We call it Horseplay as it is learning done in a fun way, in a safe , beautiful environment, but the life lessons are serious. As the founder of natural horsemanship Ray Hunt said: You are not working on your horse, you are working on yourself.