The purpose of Equine-Assisted Coaching is to provide hope, growth, and restoration through a unique relationship with a horse.
We do this through a connection with Christ, the Cornerstone, the participant, a horse, and myself, a certified life coach and biblical counselor. Through the use of activities with the horse, we encourage personal spiritual growth and life-changing insights.
A session may include connecting with a horse in their pasture, grooming a horse in the field or barn, haltering and leading the horse through a series of exercises, and exploring connection and relationship-building in a field or ring with the use of an obstacle or other items. Each session will be different depending on your needs and the needs of the horse.
Whether you like being around horses or even feel a bit nervous around them, equine-assisted coaching can be a wonderful, life-changing experience.
How?
RELATIONSHIP: When we interact in a loving relationship with horses, we learn a lot about Christ’s love for us. Our actions and the horse’s actions illustrate deeply to our hearts the realities of our relationship with God and others.
DESIGN: God designed the horse brain similarly to the human brain in regards to their fight, flight, and freeze response as well as their ability to regulate, connect, and think differently. Horses act as mirrors to human behavior. The unique prey versus predator dynamic between horses and people gently tears down any pretense that a person may have built up.
BIOFEEDBACK: A horse can feel your heartbeat within a four feet radius of their body and are attuned to when your heart rate rises and drops as part of their survival mechanism. This means that when your heart races, they feel it! Depending upon how they perceive it, they will respond in a way that helps you understand more about yourself. Horses are naturally social beings; they are followers looking for leadership. They require people to be honest in their motives, effective in their communication styles and process their feelings. Horses are extremely sensitive to human emotions, mirroring feelings and providing feedback.
CONNECTION: While a horse may not have human language capabilities, their brainstem and limbic system are similar. They can feel afraid and anxious as much as they can experience connection and contentment. As a result, when we interact with our horse partner in an equine-assisted coaching session, we get to build a real relationship that helps us understand how we relate to God and others, and how we think about ourselves in these relationships. Horses are comforting companions. While horses are honest and responsive, they are so in a non-threatening way that builds trust and connection where we may have been previously wounded.
How does equine-assisted coaching work?
A relationship with a horse is a real connection in which a horse responds to the interaction. Participants discover how to regulate their bodies, relate to God and others, and seek out healthier, deeper, and more loving relationships. By observing our behavior with horses and the horse’s behavior — independently, as a herd, and with us — we can begin to identify what is happening within ourselves and with others and identify how to show up differently. As a result, gaining insight and skill-building are key components of equine-assisted coaching and learning sessions.
Who is this kind of experience good for? Do you have to be comfortable around horses?
Anyone can experience equine-assisted coaching! It can be a tool for growth and healing, especially for those suffering from trauma, anxiety, or depression. However, it is also great for growing confidence and relationship skills. You don’t have to be a horse person to benefit. There’s learning and growth potential for all!
Horses offer us the opportunity to grow as we interact with them by offering us insight into how we are thinking, feeling, and acting about ourselves, God, and others.
If you are interested in talking with me about how Equine-Assisted Coaching can help you, please contact me at amy@cornerstonechristcenteredcoaching.com
Certified in Biblically-Based Equine Assisted Programming:
