Why choose coaching with horses?
Equine Assisted Coaching or coaching with horses is an experience-based way of learning. The goal is to become aware of your own thoughts, assumptions, behaviour, feelings and patterns. To eventually find your own solutions with the help of the horse’s feedback. You can also experiment by changing something, for example your behaviour, and experience the effect this has.
This form of coaching is mainly about experiencing rather than talking: ‘No words, but horses’ (Keulseweg). Coaching with horses, unlike regular coaching, focuses on the experience between you and the horse. The biggest factor in coaching with horses is the feedback the horse gives based on you posture, breathing and other small signals. The horse only knows the ‘here and now’ and gives feedback without judgement.
It is not necessary to have any knowledge of horses and/or to be able to ride. Both your feet remain firmly on the ground.
Coaching with horses is not about horseback riding, training horses or the question ‘how to deal with horses’, but about the human development process.
Examples of themes/issues:
- Career related questions
- Insight into your core qualities/development points
- Setting boundaries and goals
- Making choices
- Stress reduction, burnout (wanting to be more in the here and now)
- Mourning about/loss of a person, job, wish, etc.
- Gain insight in communication patterns + learn to communicate more effectively
In the coaching sessions, the horse can be a metaphor for a person or situation in daily life. By becoming aware of the effect of your energy and actions on the horse, you can also experiment with this. Especially if you would like to do things differently in everyday life or at work, but you do not know how yet, for example.