HORSES ARE NATURAL TEACHERS
NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP FOR LEGAL & LIFE CHALLENGES
Horses' nature and defense mechanisms are perfectly aligned to teach humans how to:
- Effectively set boundaries
- Match energy level to situation
- Adapt to feedback
- Communicate clearly
- Use the right level of pressure
- Regulate emotions
- Break goals into achievable steps
- Have Patience with themselves and the process
WHY HORSES?
Equines have been used in leadership development programs, team building exercises, therapeutic interventions, as well as trauma treatments. Horses have earned their place across nearly every discipline due to their unique ability to connect with human beings.
Family conflict, addiction, mental health, domestic violence, child abuse, and similar issues lead to the need for family court intervention. These entrenched narratives, however, typically serve as a shield, insulating parties from taking ownership of their part of the problem and their role in the solution.
Our work with horses positions the animal as a natural intervenor. The objective is for each participant to eventually communicate from a safe space. Trust is critical for this to occur and is built through the use of three critical principles:
- The ability to “speak horse;”
- The ability to modulate your energy thus building trust with your horse;
- The application of pressure to create appropriate boundaries.
These principles are similar to the skills people need to be effective communicators:
- The ability to take another perspective and speak in a way the other person can hear;
- The ability to use your energy to build trust (for example, staying calm when a situation is escalating);
- The application of pressure (enough to form boundaries but not so much as to create coercion).
