Have you ever wondered what an Equine Assisted Coaching Experience looks like? It’s always an honor when someone reaches out to schedule a session with the horses, and it’s such a beautiful experience, so I thought I’d share an actual session with you.
“Tony” was referred to me by a friend, that felt he could really benefit from spending time with the horses. I remember when he first arrived at the ranch he commented on how peaceful it was. Tony had not been around horses much, but seemed to love being outdoors, and stated he was excited to be here. After our initial introductions, we chatted a bit as we walked towards the barn, and Tony shared with me that he didn’t really know what was going on with him, he had just felt kind of stuck lately, and feared he was becoming depressed.
After a little walk through the barn and the outside pens, I asked if he had felt drawn to anyone in particular, and he chose my buckskin mare Bailey. As we stepped into her stall, Tony was very calm, but at the same time appeared a little bit nervous. Bailey quickly came over as if telling him it was ok. I invited Tony to spend some time just connecting with her, and I handed him a brush. As I watched him begin to groom her, the nervousness seemed to disappear almost immediately- the magic of the horse.
Tony began to share his thoughts and what had been going on in his life with me. He had no motivation, really didn’t understand why, and just couldn’t figure it out. His mood seemed to shift as he spoke, and Bailey almost immediately walked away from him. He turned towards me asking if he had done something wrong that caused her to leave. I replied “No, it’s ok, you can walk back over towards her again.”
He approached her again, still talking with me and she continued to walk away from him. He stood there a little perplexed, as she had been so connected with him a short moment ago. Of course, I noticed that she had left the minute he had started with his own negative thinking. I invited Tony to just observe his thoughts as he continued to approach the horse again, as I could tell he was thinking that maybe he was doing something wrong.
I backed off towards the opposite side of the stall to give the two of them some space. After about five or ten minutes, I heard Tony tell Bailey something, but I could not quite make out what he had said. I quietly asked him “What did you just say to her?” He replied to me, “I told her that she did not have to hide in the corner, that it was ok to be seen.” After realizing what he had just said out loud, he turned towards me and stated “Oh my gosh! That’s exactly what I have been doing! Fear has kept me from allowing myself to be seen.”
Almost immediately after Tony’s acknowledgement of how his negative thinking of not being “good enough”, was affecting his life, Bailey calmly walked back over to him as if to say “finally, you got it” What a pivotal moment for Tony! He was able to look within himself and find the answer he had been seeking. It just took a little connection and mirrored reflection back from an incredible horse.
Are you ready to learn how to facilitate experiences that can often be life changing? Our next certification course begins August 7, 2024. Come and join us! www.freedomwayequinecoaching.com
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