Why Choose Equine Assisted Coaching?
DISCLAIMER: Equine-Assisted Coaching and Traditional Therapy
Equine-assisted coaching and traditional therapy are two separate, meaningful opportunities to support our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. One is not better than the other—it simply depends on what approach works best for you.
In fact, I often recommend both, because they can beautifully complement one another.
Equine-assisted coaching (including modalities like equine-assisted learning and equine-assisted psychotherapy) is experiential, focusing on learning through action, presence, and reflection. It uses the horse as a co-facilitator in a safe, non-judgmental environment—helping you explore your emotions, behaviors, and energy in real time.
Traditional therapy typically follows a more structured, talk-based format, grounded in evidence-based practices and verbal analysis. Both are powerful. Both are healing. And both can work in tandem to create lasting transformation.
Why Choose Equine-Assisted Coaching?
Immediate, Honest Feedback
Horses respond in ways that are truly unique.
Imagine this: you run into someone on the street, and they ask, “How are you?” You say “I’m fine”—because that’s what we all do, even when we’re not. But horses don’t rely on words. They rely on energy, body language, and intention. And they know when something's not aligned—even when we don't.
Their electromagnetic field is five times stronger than ours, and can extend up to 30 feet. Through that, they can influence human heart rhythms and emotional states, helping calm us just by being near.
It’s not magic—it’s biology. But it feels magical.
Horses don’t lie. They don’t judge. They just reflect who you are in the moment. And when you're near them, you feel peace… often before you understand why.
Experiential Learning
Equine-assisted coaching is embodied learning. That means you don’t just talk about confidence—you feel it in your spine, in your stance, in your movement. You don’t just discuss boundaries—you practice them, live, with a 1,200-pound partner.
Personal story:
I learned to ride at 48. I had a lifetime of fear I thought I’d dealt with. On the outside, I was confident and successful. But inside? I often felt like a fraud.
When I first got on my horse, all that fear came rushing back. He felt it—and acted out. For other riders, he was graceful and talented. For me? He refused to move, spooked at butterflies, acted like a giant toddler. Every time he resisted, I’d get scared and get off.
Turns out—he was teaching me.
Teaching me that I had to lead from a place of inner calm. That I had to earn his trust by showing up fully and consistently. That I had to face the root of my fear.
And I did. Now, we’re a team. We trust each other. Do we still have “off” days? Absolutely. But we work through them—together.
Emotional Regulation & Presence
Horses live in the present moment, always. To connect with them, you have to be present too.
Your energy flows into them—and theirs into you. When you are anxious, distracted, or checked out emotionally, they feel it. And they reflect it back.
This work teaches you to:
Slow down
Ground yourself in your body
Be more aware of your emotions
Stay centered, even when things feel uncertain
Being present with a horse becomes practice for being present in your life. The calm, the clarity, the awareness—they all grow.
Leadership & Communication Skills
Whether you're leading a team or working on personal relationships, horses teach you how to lead without aggression or control.
Clear, assertive, and consistent communication
Mutual trust, not domination
Boundaries rooted in clarity, not fear
You’ll learn to influence through connection, not force. And once you feel that with a horse, you’ll carry it into every other relationship.
Healing Through Connection
Horses don’t ridicule. They don’t gossip. They don’t keep score.
They just receive you.
I’ve watched my horse, Bentley, gently rest his head against a grieving woman’s chest as she cried. She spoke quietly to him, stroked his neck, and he stayed with her—motionless—for what felt like an hour.
Then, when she was ready, he backed away, yawned (a sign of emotional release in horses), and walked off peacefully. It was quiet. Sacred. Healing.
This is the power of connection without expectation.
They meet you where you are. No more, no less.
Equine-Assisted Coaching Is for Everyone
You don’t have to be a “horse person.” You don’t need riding experience. You don’t even have to like horses (though… that often changes 😄).
What you do need is:
Openness
Curiosity
Willingness to show up
That’s it.
Sessions typically happen on the ground, not in the saddle—though if riding is something you want to explore, we can do that too.
This is about your process, your pace, and what you need in the moment. Horses have no agenda. They simply reflect—and allow you to be vulnerable in ways many of us rarely feel safe enough to be.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re healing from pain, navigating change, deepening your self-awareness, or just seeking peace—this work can meet you there.
Horses won’t fix you. But they’ll walk beside you as you find your way back to yourself.
Want to try it? Let’s talk about what equine-assisted coaching could look like for you.
The Secret to Connecting With Your "Heart Horse"
Do Horses Have An Electromagnetic Field? - Great American Adventures
