USING EQUINE-BASED LEARNING TO FORM LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

The purpose of the paper is to identify the potential of the equine-based learning as a method of fostering leadership skills and competencies - communication, emotional intelligence, problem-solving and decision-making - among established leaders in community, corporate and military environment. Researchers used students’ self-assessment survey and experts’ observations during educational process at two military and one civilian university. Research showed that participants reported higher competency levels across all the investigated leadership domains. This proves that EBL curricula can be effectively incorporated into the management educational programs at universities. In addition, differences identified between self-assessment and experts’ scoring suggest that for more accurate understanding of the acquired skills, EBL classes should be combined with the theoretical knowledge on leadership.