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Abstract
This qualitative study seeks to explore the relationship between current methods of leadership development and traditional practices of effective horsemen and horsewomen. This study is guided by grounded theory, allowing for greatest breadth and depth of knowledge to emerge from the data. Fourteen participants from both leadership and horsemanship backgrounds participated in interviews, providing in-depth responses in regards to the development of leadership in horse-human relationships, the leadership skills developed through horsemanship, how those skills transfer into leadership with humans, and limitations and challenges of horsemanship-based leadership development programs. The most common domains found in the data include the development of communication, trust, respect, consistency, authenticity, confidence, and self-awareness. Future research should explore the selection of horses used in these programs, comparison between male and female participant outcomes, and an analysis of whether or not outcomes vary with prior experience.