Horse-assisted activities and therapy are becoming more and more recognized in the world and a recognized method in medical and psychosocial rehabilitation as well as in the pedagogical process. Horses are interesting animals to most students, and most are not afraid of them. Therefore, riding schools and equestrian centers could represent informal learning environments in which students would learn about animals. In the Master's thesis we were interested in whether in non-formal learning environments, such as riding schools and equestrian centers, activities could be planned in which students would acquire biological knowledge related to current curricula in primary and secondary schools. We were also interested in whether riding instructors would be willing to provide science days for elementary and high school students, and if they were prepared to take science days for additional training. For this purpose, we prepared a semi-structured interview and interviewed riding instructors from different Slovenian regions. We have found that there are opportunities to conduct science days for primary and secondary school students. Riding instructors are mostly interested in additional education since most of them are not familiar with school curricula.
|