Riding as a way of developing soft skills in higher education

It is generally agreed that hard skills, such as practical skills and theoretical knowledge, are extremely important for the execution of professional tasks. However, soft skills make a difference between the simple "job well done" and the ability to obtain superior performance in teams and the integration in each organization and society in general. In recent years higher education institutions throughout the world have started offering training programs for developing soft skills. However, the most effective ways to improve such skills are yet to be identified. Examination of training programs of development of soft skills in Higher Education institutions demonstrates that such skills are very diverse. Therefore, in order to establish a framework of soft skills and a way to improve them, this study aims to verify if the practice of riding in educational establishments is a useful educational tool for developing soft skills. To achieve the objectives of the study, the research uses a quantitative method through the application of a questionnaire with 23 soft skills (Rouco, 2012). A sample of 180 individuals (90 riding students and 90 non-riders) from three Portuguese Institutions (Military Academy, Évora University and Military College) was used in the research. The analysis concludes that there are differences in average values of the level of proficiency of soft skills between riding students and non-riders in the Military Academy, Évora University and Military College. Riding students show a higher level of proficiency in soft skills under study, demonstrated in the following: participative leadership, leadership by delegation, consideration, self-control and promoting development. The study concludes that the riding students develop soft skills proficiency levels significantly different from non-riders in all skills under study, except the self-confidence and decision-making.