Discovery Outdoors
In partnership with local equestrian facilities, we offer year-round, hands-on youth coaching through Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) credit courses.
What is Discovery Outdoors?
At Above & Beyond, Discovery Outdoors is all about horses—and the powerful life lessons they help teach. In partnership with local equestrian facilities, we offer year-round, hands-on youth coaching through Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) credit courses that blend outdoor experience with personal growth. These equine-assisted programs focus on communication, leadership, emotional awareness, and relationship-building—all in a natural, supportive environment where students connect deeply with themselves, others, and the horses.
We have partnered with several local equestrian facilities to be able to offer outdoor, experience based, youth life skills coaching through the following OSSD credits.
About Our Equine Assisted Life Skills Program
Equine Assisted Life Skills incorporates horses experientially for personal growth and learning. It is a collaborative effort between a Life Coach and a Horse Professional working with the clients and horses to address the client’s issues.
The focus of Equine Assisted Life Skills involves setting up ground activities involving the horses which will require the client or group to apply certain skills. Non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking and problem-solving, leadership, work, taking responsibility, teamwork and relationships, confidence and attitude are several examples of the tools utilized and developed by this program.
This type of learning is experiential in nature. This means that participants learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with the horses, and then processing (or discussing) feelings, behaviours, and patterns. Equine Assisted Life Skills is a powerful and effective approach to self-awareness that has an incredible impact on individuals, youth, families, and groups.
Courses Include
– Healthy Active Living
– Exploring Family Studies
– Dynamics Of Human Relationships
– Equine Studies 10
– Equine Studies 11
– Recreation Leadership
Additional benefits include:
- A sense of normalcy: Many children have not previously been in situations where extra-curricular activities were encouraged. Regularly visiting with a horse helps them bond, and build trust and relationship which carries over into all aspects of their lives.
- A way to learn about ourselves: The emotional and social systems of horses are very much like those of humans. However, unlike humans, a horse is always honest and frequently mirrors the human’s reaction in similar situations.
- Increased self-confidence: The ability to take care of and control a horse is a great confidence builder. Positive reinforcement from volunteers and staff makes the child feel worthwhile.
- An opportunity to develop patience and self control: A horse does have a mind of its own, so learning to deal with frustration in a patient, calm way provides benefits outside of the ranch as well. An out-of-control youth means an out-of-control horse. Teens learn to control their emotions and appropriately express them. Learning to control a horse and make choices about what the horse does gives them an opportunity to think about consequences and results of their actions.
Equine Learning is for:
- Building relationships & connecting with others
- Understanding trust & respect
- Roles & responsibilities
- Character building
- Verbal & non-verbal communications
- Learning boundaries
- Dealing with anger issues
- Developing leadership & team skills
Our statistics prove our model works – we have a 95% success rate in helping kids graduate Grade 12 compared to Ontario’s 24% dropout rate.
Preparing Your Child for Success
If your child is struggling with being mainstreamed in the public school system or can’t find the guidance and leadership they need to keep them on the track towards a secondary school diploma then call us – we can offer you a solution that will ensure they’re prepared to meet the world head on.
The Admissions Process
1
Inquire
Contact our Admissions Team today. We’re happy to answer your questions.
2
Apply & Connect
Ready to take the next step? Download our application form from the Forms page and submit it, along with any required documents.
3
Accept & Enroll
Once accepted, you will receive an official acceptance notification from our Admissions team with information on how to finalize your enrollment.
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