Enhancing High School Student Wellness Through Participation in an Equine Assisted Learning Program: A Pilot Project

Researchers: Roberta Ross (Greater Saskatoon Catholic), Patricia King (University of Saskatchewan), Darlene Chalmers (University of Regina), Kaylah Ukrainetz (University of Saskatchewan), and Amanda Gourlay (Greater Saskatoon Catholic).

Project Summary:

You can visit any high school in Saskatoon and meet youth that are facing the predictable developmental tasks of adolescence. But increasingly in high schools across this country it is becoming evident that, the youth are not okay. The time to innovate is now.

Our understanding of mental health and the experiences of heightened mental health vulnerabilities that adolescents experience is one of many important educational and health insights we have gained in a post pandemic world. Supporting youth mental health in our schools is both an urgent need and a worthy opportunity.

In recent years, alternative pedagogical approaches for supporting youth mental health, such as outdoor/adventure education (OAE) and equine-assisted learning (EAL), have garnered attention for their potential to foster overall adolescent wellbeing (Coffin, 2019; Down et al., 2023; Fredrick et al., 2015; Mann et al., 2022).

With the support of the College of Nursing faculty and 4th year nursing students placed within the Safe SHIP program at Bishop James Mahoney, we would like to implement an equine assisted learning experience for high school students. Utilizing a comprehensive school health approach, we will engage youth to implement an innovative equine assisted learning experience. The program will be supported by students and faculty from the University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing. This pilot project will explore equine assisted learning as an innovative pedagogy that can meet the mental wellness needs of Saskatchewan youth.