Horses are one of the most sensitive animals on the planet. As a prey animal, their survival depends on constantly reading changes in their environment and taking information in through all of their senses. They can hear you approaching well before you arrive, and can sense your heart rate and respiratory rate from a distance.

 

As a herd animal, their survival also depends on each member of the herd having full access to their senses in each and every moment. Humans are meaning-makers about everything, while horses have no language or thoughts. They simply accept everything as it is and live completely in the present. Therefore, if we (as a human) are up in our heads and telling ourselves a story, our energetic state will reflect that to the horse, who in turn will physically separate themselves. How could we alert the herd to an approaching predator if we’re mentally consumed with the past or future?

 

Horses will also mirror back to us on the outside what we’re experiencing on the inside. We cannot hide behind a façade of whatever we’re presenting to the world. If we’re anxious, their behavior is anxious. If we’re peaceful and calm, their body language reflects peaceful and calm. If we have high energy, they’ll move around with high energy. Regardless of what we’re expressing on the outside.

 

Because of all of this, horses give us a unique opportunity to explore how we are engaging with the world and provide a deeper understanding of our patterns. How we do one thing is how we do all things. They give a physical representation of our internal experiences and bring awareness to aspects of ourselves and our behavior patterns that we may have been previously blind to.

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What is Equus Coaching?

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In an Equus Coaching session, we will first identify an area of focus for your session. Most often this is an obstacle with which you haven’t been able to logically find a path forward or a challenging relationship that you aren’t sure how to navigate.

 

After a brief demonstration of some ways to interact and communicate with the horse, you will engage with the horse and we’ll notice his/her feedback. We’ll explore what’s happening inside you, any emerging patterns and I’ll ask a lot of questions that will incite deep reflection and awaken new insights. From these insights, you’ll have another opportunity to explore working with the horse and notice what might be different with you and the horse’s corresponding feedback.

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Certifications for Equine-Assisted Services:

• Certified Equus Coach by The Center for Equus Coaching

• Certified by ARCH: Arenas for Change to utilize the ARCH Framework in coaching

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Things to Note:

• Sessions last between 45 and 60 minutes, depending on what arises during the session

• We do not ride the horses

• All Equus Coaching is done on the ground in a round pen, arena or pasture

• You will be given a safety demonstration before any direct contact with the horse and offered ways to engage using body language, which is the horse’s natural form of communication

• BEFORE SCHEDULING: Please email me for an Intake Form (which gives me an idea of how best to support you and where to focus so that we can utilize our time most efficiently) and a Liability Waiver (which is required by my insurance and the owners of the horses and pasture area we use in our session).