The Facilitator Intensive
For
Equine Assisted Leadership Development

Would you like to:

  • Design the second half of your life with work that goes far beyond collecting a paycheck?
  • Have a career that helps leaders achieve breakthroughs in their lives?
  • Find a way to incorporate your love of horses in a business that develops leaders?
  • Find your life's work through teaching and coaching using the foundation of emotional intelligence?

If you answered, "Yes", to these questions, read on! Leadership Outfitter's program, the Facilitator Intensive for Equine Assisted Leadership Development, may be just what you are looking for. This Facilitator Intensive is a uniquely structured program that provides a rigorous developmental learning experience based on group and individual work, incorporating emotional intelligence and the art of using horses as teachers.

The Facilitator Intensive for Equine Assisted Leadership Development features six one-week sessions, held quarterly over 16 months. This Facilitator Intensive is one of the only programs in the United States with an emphasis on leadership development, coaching, and using horses as teachers.

Why we are offering this Program

We have been fortunate to be guided through some of our significant life experiences by four remarkable teachers—Jan Smith, Nan Shaw, Linda Kohanov, and Kathleen Ingram. The lessons we learned, combined with our own formal instruction, enabled us to develop our Power of Choice retreat in 2001. Our retreat graduates continue to tell us their participation was life-altering, both in their business lives and at home. It has become clear we can't be the only people offering these types of life-altering retreats and programs; there has to be more. More retreats. More facilitators. More connections and peace. That's why we have created the Facilitator Intensive.


Creating Community

At Leadership Outfitters, one of our core philosophies is that all work is done inside of a relationship. We have designed the Facilitator Intensive so that the participants will create relationships and bonds with each other that become significant structures of their learning now and for years to come. This community of development will be the basis for 16 months of experiential learning. During the course of the Facilitator Intensive, this learning and development community will focus on six competency areas:

  1. Equine assisted learning and horsemanship
  2. Leadership development
  3. Group facilitation skills
  4. Coaching skills
  5. Business set-up and entrepreneurial practices
  6. Ethics

In between each quarterly session you will have homework assignments to complete, giving you a chance to apply and reinforce what you are learning. This will include exercises with the leadership models, working with horses, reading books, practicing coaching, and completing a business plan. Our intention is that we provide you with the development and planning that will enable you to start your own business and generate revenue.

What you'll get

You will be able to facilitate equine assisted leadership development retreats when you graduate. These may be ½-day sessions, as well as one or two-day retreats. In addition, you will be able to offer equine-assisted coaching sessions, as well as coaching sessions without horses. Throughout the Facilitator Intensive, each participant will receive many components to help them plan and develop their own retreats, including:

  • Support staff responsibilities
  • Wrangler checklists and equipment and packing lists
  • Leadership models and development practices

In addition, each participant will receive:

  • Instruction from an internationally known faculty who are pioneers in their respective fields
  • 36 days of in-residence instruction
  • 15 group conference calls
  • 6 individual coaching sessions
  • 14 peer-to-peer coaching calls
  • Practice in team teaching equine assisted leadership development retreats as their final activity, giving each participant the brochures, agendas, participant manuals, and expertise in at least two programs to use immediately

Pre-requisite:

It is a pre-requisite that you attend our Power of Choice retreat prior to starting the Facilitator Intensive. We want you to experience first-hand what a participant goes through so you will know what makes these types of programs so unique, special, and life-altering. It's the foundation of what you will learn and use in the 16-month Facilitator Intensive.

Learn from the best!

Your faculty will consist of some of the most well-respected pioneers in the emerging fields of Equine Assisted Learning, Natural Horsemanship through Feel, and Leadership Development through Personal Growth. Linda Kohanov, Leslie Desmond, Joe Esparza, and Ris Higgins will be your faculty for this premier leadership, equine-assisted learning and coaching program.

Linda Kohanov

Linda is an author, speaker, riding instructor, and horse trainer who has become an internationally-recognized innovator in the field of Equine Experiential Learning. Her book, The Tao of Equus: A Woman's Journey of Healing and Transformation through the Way of the Horse was selected as one of the Top Ten Religion and Spirituality books of 2001 by Amazon.com. Her second book, Riding between the Worlds: Expanding Our Potential through the Way of the Horse was published in 2003. Both have been used as textbooks in university courses across the country, and have received appreciative reviews in publications as diverse as Horse and Rider, Natural Horse, Spirituality and Health, and The Equestrian News.

Leslie Desmond

Leslie, an internationally known natural horsemanship coach and author, has coached children and adults in horse handling and riding for more than 30 years. Leslie is well known as a coach's coach for riding instructors and professional trainers who also retain her for help with their horses. Leslie is co-author with Bill Dorrance (one of the founding fathers of the Natural Horsemanship movement) of True Horsemanship Through Feel, the first detailed horsemanship book of its kind. She has also produced videos and CD audio books to help her students understand what "feel" is, and how to use feel to refine every aspect of being with horses. Leslie's international clinic schedule finds her coaching her students in the U.S. and across Europe.


Joe Esparza and Ris Higgins

Joe and Ris, the owners of Leadership Outfitters, are a husband and wife team who offer more than 53 years of experience working with leaders, their teams, and their companies. Leadership Outfitters is a Bozeman, Montana based coaching and experiential learning company that equips high achieving people and their teams to move beyond any limitation. Their distinctive leadership and personal development company specializes in working with clients when they are seeking to achieve breakthroughs in their business and personal lives. Joe and Ris offer unique leadership retreats using horses as teachers on spectacular ranches in Montana and Arizona. They also provide one-on-one, team and group coaching services. Their client list includes Heineken U.S.A., Capital One, Albertsons, Kraft, NASD, Chevron Texaco, Miller Brewing Company, and federal, state, and local government agencies.

Competencies

During the 16-month Facilitator Intensive for Equine Assisted Leadership Development, our faculty will instruct you in building the following competencies in these six focus areas:

Equine Assisted Learning and Horsemanship

Components
  • Demonstrate proficiency and ease working with horses as teachers.
  • Practice "feel" in working with horses and relating with horses.
  • Utilize safe practices for clients and horses.
  • Demonstrate mastery in reflective and active round pen exercises.
  • Set up support staff and horse handling guidelines.

Leadership Development

Components
  • Develop proficiency in mastering a variety of models, practices, and tools for coaching, facilitation, and personal growth and development.
  • Understand and apply emotional intelligence with self and clients.
  • Demonstrate that all work is done inside of a relationship and the quality of the relationship determines the quality of work.

Group Facilitation Skills

Components
  • Demonstrate a proficiency in facilitating group process, while also attaining program outcomes.
  • Develop an agenda that can be used to focus learning while also allowing the freedom to improvise as needed.
  • Become proficient in the fundamentals of adult learning.
  • Learn how to handle challenging participants.

Coaching Skills

Components
  • Demonstrate mastery in facilitating individual coaching sessions.
  • Encourage client self-discovery and self-awareness through questions that induce discovery, insight, commitment, and action.
  • Show proficiency in coaching others to use emotions as information.
  • Develop your practice with the help of the Coaching Training Accelerator, a self-paced, self-study program we offer each participant from Coach Training Alliance, one of the top 10 coaching schools in the country.
  • Recognize when a client may need to be referred to a mental health expert.

Business

Components
  • Develop a simple but strong business plan.
  • Demonstrate a basic understanding of financial statements.
  • Develop a break even expense report.
  • Use the equipment list to plan purchases and plan capital outlay.
  • Learn how to master contact management and QuickBooks.

Ethics

Components
  • Adhere to a strict code of ethics and guidelines in dealing with clients.

Who should apply?

Successful candidates:
  1. Desire to start their own business.
  2. Have completed The Power of Choice five-day leadership retreat.
  3. Own their own horse or lease a horse where they are the primary caretaker.
  4. Are able to handle intense personal growth and development, and are willing to explore and discover more about their emotional intelligence.
  5. Are able to receive both positive and developmental feedback.
  6. Will provide current proof of health insurance.
We ask Each participant to commit to:
  1. Attend all 6 weeks of the Facilitator Intensive for Equine Assisted Leadership Development Development.
  2. Participate in 15 monthly conference calls.
  3. Have one coaching conversation with Ris or Joe each quarter.
  4. Meet via phone with other participants at least once a month, or at least 14 times, to discuss and reflect on your learning.
  5. Complete all homework assignments.
  6. Complete 3 active round pen sessions and 3 reflective round pen sessions outside the Facilitator Intensive sessions before you complete the 14-month program.
  7. Complete 8 hours of one-on-one coaching with clients.
  8. Be physically fit and in good health. Working with horses in these types of activities is physically demanding and requires that we are able to keep our horses, clients, and ourselves safe.
  9. We expect your 100% commitment to fulfill the above requirements. We commit our 100% effort to provide our best activities, models, practices, and exercises so that you will leave here being able to do the work.

The activities that we have designed for your learning in the program have been carefully reflected upon and selected.
"Mastery" does not come without practice and rigor.

Dates and Location

All six weeks of the Facilitator Intensive for Equine Assisted Leadership Development will be held at our Fort Ellis Ranch in Bozeman, Montana. We will be happy to supply you with lists of hotels and bed-and-breakfasts in the surrounding area. If you will be flying in for each session, the airport for Bozeman, Montana—Gallatin Field—is your destination airport.

The Facilitator Intensive starts in 2009. Dates will be posted soon.

COST AND APPLICATION

The cost of the Facilitator Intensive for Equine Assisted Leadership Development is your investment in the beginning of a new business. At the conclusion of the 16-month program, you will have the tools you need to start generating revenue. We will develop milestones to help you set up your business so at the end of the Facilitator Intensive you won't be wondering where to begin. You will also leave the program with four products to market:

  • Individual coaching sessions, with or without horses
  • One workshop, Horses as Leadership Teachers, that you will be able to use immediately
  • Two two-day workshops the participants develop, market and facilitate utilizing equine facilitated learning and leadership development

The Facilitator Intensive for Equine Assisted Leadership Development is limited to nine participants. Because of this limited space, we will process applications in the order they are received. Once we receive your application, we will contact you to set up a phone interview with Joe Esparza and Ris Higgins. If you are accepted for participation in the Facilitator Intensive, we will send you a confirmation letter outlining the schedule of sessions, the terms of the payment option you choose, as well as our cancellation and postponement policies.

Please remember that participation in the Power of Choice retreat is a pre-requisite for participation in the Facilitator Intensive for Equine Assisted Leadership Development Development.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Two payment options are available to our selected participants.

Option 1: Professional Development Fee - $20,000
We ask that you include a $100 processing fee with your application. After your interview and acceptance into the Facilitator Intensive, your initial payment of $10,000 will be due within 10 days of your acceptance letter. The remaining balance of $10,000 will be due by January 5, 2009.

Option 2: Professional Development Fee - $22,000
We ask that you include a $100 processing fee with your application. After your interview and acceptance into the Facilitator Intensive, your initial payment of $10,000 will be due within 10 days of your acceptance letter. The remaining balance of $12,000 will be paid with a more flexible schedule. This option allows you to work out a monthly payment plan with us that fits your needs.

Here's what you get:

Here is what is included in your tuition. Each participant will receive:

  • Instruction from an internationally known faculty who are pioneers in their respective fields
  • Exercises, models, and tools to use in leadership development, coaching and equine assisted learning:
    • 34 exercises
    • 22 models
    • 27 tools
  • 30 days of in-residence instruction
  • 15 participant group conference calls
  • 6 individual coaching sessions
  • 14 peer-to-peer coaching calls
  • Develop your practice with the help of the Coaching Training Accelerator, a self-paced, self-study program we offer each participant from Coach Training Alliance, one of the top 10 coaching schools in the country.
  • Your own copy of the Coaching Training Accelerator, a self-paced, self-study program from Coach Training Alliance, one of the top 10 coaching schools in the country.
  • 2 Assessments
  • 2 books
  • A 200+ page participant manual
  • Practice in:
    • Developing brochures to market workshops
    • Developing agendas
    • Facilitating groups
    • Coaching clients
    • Working with horses as co-facilitators
  • Practice in team teaching three workshops for local individuals
  • All lunches and snacks

Application
  • $100.00 is due with your application, whether you choose option #1 or option #2. Download an application or give us a call at 406-586-5504 and we'll send one out to you. Please make your checks payable to Leadership Outfitters.
  • Please return your application in one of three ways:
    • As an e-mail document to info@leadership-outfitters.com
    • Via fax at 406-585-0220
    • Via postal service to: 1299 Fort Ellis Road, Bozeman, MT 59715
    • NOTE: If e-mailing or faxing your application, we need to receive your check within five business days of receiving your application.
  • We will also send you an e-mail confirming we have received your application.



    1299 Fort Ellis Road        Bozeman, MT 59715
(406) 586-5504        info@leadership-outfitters.com    
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