Horses are graceful beings who can take our breath away with their beauty.  But have you ever been shown your own reflection in a wordless conversation with a horse? They can change our lives with their compassionate wisdom once we take off our masks and show up in mind, body and heart.

Here’s how it can unfold: Intimidated by her boss, Olivia was afraid of standing up for herself.  She came to coaching to learn better boundaries and find her power but felt awkward being “seen” when she had spent her life staying safe by living under the radar.

During a session with the horses, her human coach invited her to enter the arena and ask a horse to make a circle around her.  The horse ignored her completely, sending her into a flashback of how it feels when she’s asked to lead a meeting at work – incompetent, wishing she could disappear, unable to think. When the coach asked what was happening in her body, Olivia, for the first time, voiced out loud that she was tense and lost, unable to perform the task.  As she felt her whole body shake and release pent-up tears, suddenly the horse turned to face her, walked right over, and put his head on her shoulder.  From that place of connection, Olivia took a deep breath and the horse gently followed her around the arena. In this moment of vulnerability, she lived the possibility of staying in her body and leading from the heart.

Working with horses as coaches, you can respond to anything with emotional agility and go “back to grazing” in harmony with your environment. Allowing spaciousness within your body, you honor your unique way of relating to yourself and others so you can share your real magic with the world.

By Liz Cutting

International Coaching Federation and Equine Alchemy Certified Life Coach