Employee engagement opportunities to develop high-performing teams and healthy work cultures.

TEAM DEVELOPMENT RETREATS

Carlisle provides team development retreats designed for corporate and nonprofit groups, medical and educational professionals and military and leadership teams.

HOW IT WORKSActivities are prepared in advance based on the training needs of your team. Interactions between the participants and horses are designed to simulate the types of interpersonal situations found at your workplace. The goal of each activity is to work as a team to guide horses through a challenging predicament.

As the participants interact with the horses (and each other), challenges and solutions emerge which are discussed in facilitated debrief sessions.

With each successive activity, team members naturally organize themselves around their collective strengths. They will be amazed as they achieve levels of success not attainable by individuals acting alone.

All workshops begin with an overview of safety, the basics of horse communication, equipment use, and an introduction to the sequence and structure of activities. Activities are approximately 30 minutes long followed by a debrief session. A typical one-day workshop includes 2-3 activities with rest breaks and a bag lunch.

WHAT TO EXPECT Unique learning partners and a differentiated environment which will help your group to:

• Break down communication barriers

• Improve collaboration, trust and team cohesion

• Foster creative problem solving and adaptability

• Enhance the critical soft skills so important in the workplace

NO HORSE EXPERIENCE REQUIREDAll workshops focus on the human/horse interaction and not on acquiring or practicing horsemanship skills. There is no horseback riding in the workshops. All activities are conducted on the ground.

For more information please visit www.carlisleacademymaine.com or call (207) 985-0374.

65 Drown Lane | Lyman, Maine 04002 | info@carlisleacademymaine.com

“Horses teach us that in a relationship, whether personal, professional or equine, leading with respect, tact, clear direction, and ease invites relaxation and mutual trust, essential for learn-ing, developing, cooperation, productivity and high performance.” -Cynthia Paquette

WHY HORSES?Horses are masters of communication and leadership - essential qualities of great teams.

Interaction between horses and humans simulates workplace dynamics, providing a unique opportunity to develop essential soft skills beyond traditional practical training.

FACILITATORSDIANA GALLANT CERTIFIED EQUINE EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION FACILITATORDiana Gallant is a learning and performance development consultant with over 20 years of experience analyzing workplace performance issues and developing solutions aligned with strategic business goals. She has broad industry experience across financial, automotive, transportation, healthcare, telecommunications, sales, customer service, engineering, government, higher education and non-profit organizations. A life-long horsewoman, Diana recognizes the benefits horses bring to teams and leaders in the workplace as safe, entertaining, and nonjudgmental “simulators” of common group dynamics. Her unique combination of professional and equine experience forms the basis of her team building and leadership programs.

Diana earned a B.S. in Rehabilitation from the University of Maine at Farmington and an M.A. in Educational Technology from the University of Northern Colorado. She is also a certified facilitator of equine experiential education programs designed specifically for team and leader development in the workplace.

SARAH CHAPPELL ARMENTROUT CO-FOUNDER & HEAD OF SCHOOLSarah Armentrout has been in the field of equine-assisted therapy for 25 years and is a PATH, Intl. Advanced Riding Instructor as well as a PATH, Intl. Mentor. She manages the curriculum and strategic development of the Academy and recently served as the Curriculum Coordinator for the new USEF Para-Dressage Coach Certificate Program under Head Coach Michel Assouline. Prior to co-founding Carlisle, Sarah worked at the National Center for Equine-Facilitated Therapy in Woodside, California under the tutelage of the late Barbara Heine, early visionary and founder of the American Hippotherapy Association, then to Sagebrush Equine Training Center for the Handicapped in Hailey, ID with husband Nick, and eventually to the business world as Group Team Leader of Corporate Communications at Tom’s of Maine, managing brand identity, marketing and corporate giving.

Sarah currently serves on the statewide Board of Directors for the Maine Community Foundation, is an active member of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Para-Equestrian Sports Committee, and sits on the National Advisory Council of the United States Equestrian Team Foundation. Sarah graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Trinity College in Hartford, CT with a B.A in Religion.

NICK ARMENTROUT CO-FOUNDER& DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTNick has a professional background in small business and supply chain administration, sourcing, sales, land and livestock management. Over the course of his career, Nick has managed four small businesses for others, and two of his own, throughout start-up phase to maturity, including Sagebrush Equine Training Center for the Handicapped, Old House Parts Company, Saltwater Institute, and Ramblers Way. He holds a BA in English from Washington College. He is a University of Maine Master Gardener, and a Saltwater Institute Values-Centered Leadership graduate. Nick has spent most of his adult years engaged with animal agriculture and organic farming. Initially ranching in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, he returned home to start Spring Creek Farm with Sarah in 1998. When not working for Carlisle Academy, Nick manages Spring Creek Farm, an organic horse, sheep, hay and grain farm.

MATT DAY VETERANS & MILITARY LIAISON, WORKING FARMSCAPE APPRENTICEMatt grew up around horses on his family’s farm in Maryland. After he returned from a career in the military, he participated in several of the driving clinics at Carlisle Academy, but was looking for more frequent contact with horses and the farm. He began a farm internship at Carlisle Academy, gaining useful knowledge and growing spiritually, mentally, and physically. A year later, he is now helping Carlisle Academy develop a Working Farmscape curriculum for others interested in connecting with animals, farm-life, and community. He is now the Academy’s Veterans & Military Liaison doing outreach to increase participation among veterans and active duty military.

CREATE YOUR PROGRAMWe work with you to design a program specific to your needs.

SAMPLE AGENDA: 1 Day Team Development Retreat (4 hours)

10:00 - 10:15: Welcome and overview of Equine Experiential Team Building and program objectives.

10:15 - 10:30: Review of horse safety and horse communication.

10:30 - 11:30: Morning horse activity followed by debrief

11:30 - 11:45: Break/refreshments

11:45 - 1:00: Afternoon horse activity followed by debrief

1:00 - 1:30: Bag lunch

1:30 - 2:00: Recap/Assess/End

RETREAT OPTIONS 1 Day Team Experience Tuition: $300 per person (4 hours)

Multi-day, Multi-team Experience Tuition: Contract Price

Minimum of 6 - up to 10 participants. Typically scheduled Mondays and Tuesdays.

www.carlisleacademymaine.com