In order to understand what horse-assisted coaching is, we first need to gain an understanding of traditional face to face coaching. The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching “as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential”. Through the process of coaching, which uses different techniques of enquiry and personal discovery, clients increase their awareness and responsibility and gain more clarity about their current situation. The focus lies on the clients’ goals, visions, and desires, and the steps the client can take towards their realization. The goal of coaching is to help clients create change through empowerment, support, and feedback.
When we talk about horse-assisted coaching, we talk about the exact same process, but with the addition of the horse. Through observation of or interaction with the horses (always from the ground, no riding), clients engage in self-reflection, experimentation, and self-discovery. The coach serves a double role as the facilitator and translator between horse and client, as well as the traditional coach who supports their clients through targeted questions and guidance toward change. Through its honest, direct, and unbiased feedback, the horse offers clients an immediate tangible and visible reaction to their behavior, emotions, body language, or communication skills. The horse offers an efficient and unusual way to catalyze insights and change within the clients.