(a new chapter)
As I come out of hibernation, (it’s been a while) I feel the earth already awake and warmed up, I know that it’s time to step up and
step out. The horses have been gently nudging me and I know this is something they want to be a part of.
So what is this equine-guided coaching?
First a bit of backstory -
From the age of about two, I have been fascinated by horses. Yes, I loved the riding and the exhilaration of jumping etc., but more than that, it was how being with and around horses made me feel. Like many people, when I think of horses, I have the image of wild
horses galloping across plains. I feel this freedom and joy, and maybe it’s this that humans desire most.
I learned that being with horses is where I got to feel this most, whether it was sitting in the field, in a stable, grooming, doing chores, it was where I felt most connected to myself, most peaceful and closest to my authentic self, the essence of my soul - though I wouldn’t have had the vocabulary to describe it like that back then.
Horses seemed so less complicated and confusing than people, and it was to the horses I ran whenever the world felt too harsh / too much. It’s where I grew up, felt protected and safe, where I felt nurtured. Horses grew me.
I’ve had periods in my life where horses haven’t been as physically present, though I’m always drawn back as they weave themselves
into the tapestry of my life.
And so it was over 6 years ago, when my (human) boys were almost grown, and I was feeling lost and directionless, two horse boys, Joey and Pye, entered my life and set me on a new path with horses.
It was a year or so after meeting them that I discovered Equine Assisted Learning. I had qualified as a life coach about 7 years earlier and the idea of incorporating horses was so exciting. I could actually give others a chance to experience what horses had given me!
I spent the next couple of years training and am very grateful for the experience. However, I really felt I wanted to do the work in a way that gave equal consideration to the horses and humans and where the horse could choose whether he / she wanted to participate. I have worked in places where I felt the horses weren’t fully respected and were ‘used’ for the humans benefit at the expense of themselves and I knew I wanted to do it differently. Honouring all beings is very important to me and will be a continued evolution as I learn and grow. ‘When we know better we do better’ is something I try to live by.
I found Hillary Schneider from Horse Medicine Leadership through a podcast and her work and passion resonated so deeply. I feel
blessed to have access to amazing people that geographically would once have been impossible.
So here we are, currently taking some advanced training with Hillary. This gives me a way I can hold this work authentically and
where the horses are equal partners. Like me, they get a choice whether to be involved or engaged, which is where I believe the
magic happens.
How much more willing are we when given a choice?
They get to really share and teach their wisdom, and we get to witness them not only as physical horses but as spiritual beings too,
able to guide us through our human experience and connect us more deeply with our souls.
Equine-guided facilitation (for me) is creating a sacred space we can step in to, for personal development, growth and healing. Horses have massive energy fields and can ‘read’ the space we stand in. They are able to mirror back to us what needs to be seen
and felt without any judgment. They hold space whilst we reflect on this, and we can then choose to respond in a way that is healthy
and supports us in our lives.
I have always been so grateful for their presence in my life, and I’m excited to see where this path is leading me and how my intentions will show up ~