EQUINE LEADERSHIP 2

EQUI NELEADERS HI P amo d e l o f p e a c e f u l a n dp o s i t i v e l e a d e r s h i pf o ra l l

S e c o n dEd i t i o n Fe b r u a r y2 0 1 7

The Celts have a concept of anam cara or the soul friend: a non-judgemental, supportive and deeply honest friend.

A friend decent enough to observe both our strengths and our flaws.

A friend who through their honesty can help us to become the best that we can be.

That friend if we so allow it, can be a horse; but for our horses to assume that role of anam cara we need to create the space for their voices to be heard.

Graeme Green

Cover Photo & Page 1: HorseTouch Equine Photos / Location: Unbridled Experiences, King City, Ontario, Canada

Equine Leadership Welcome to Equine Leadership 2 (2nd issue). So thankful you stopped by to have a look at this publication and get a glimpse into a new way of leadership. The equine way. My name is Lynda Watson and Equine Leadership has been a labour of love and a passion for me since it started with the premier issue February 2016. That issue has been seen by folks all around the globe and viewed over 5,000 times. In creating Equine Leadership I have learned many things: trust more, let go, open myself up to other’s ideas and feedback, and follow my own path – wherever it takes me. My life has been spent with horses, living in their world on my own farm as well as looking after other’s farms. I have been honoured to be included in the herd, shown their nuances and receive their vital wisdom. When I need comfort, honesty and peace I head to the horses.

When I start the process of an issue of Equine Leadership I fully trust my intuition and it has always told me not to start with a ‘theme’. And so I have not. I trust that the right articles will come and the premise will show itself. It actually wasn’t until a short few days before publication that I was speaking to one of the contributors that the theme presented itself. I say theme but perhaps I should use ‘wisdom that is vital for our present global climate’. I saw it, each article is an insight into how we can live and thrive in the moment that we live in, here and now. Pat Hutchinson tells us ‘Why Horses’ in her article of the same name. Why and how are horses here to support and help us? Graeme Green takes us on a mindful equine journey in his piece; ‘A Word from the Mindful Horse’. As we navigate change we must look after and honour ourselves. Greif became a prominent topic in what our writers (and their horses) had to say. ‘In a Way Our Hearts Can Hear’ we hear Heart Medicine Woman recount the story of one of our young members of society sharing with a horse and releasing her grief. In ‘Love, Anxiety & Labels, Jennifer Steers shares three horse/human sessions. One of them tells how her horse teachers helped her client move past grief and learned to love again. Moving between emotions freely is called emotional agility. This topic is beautifully articulated in Dorothy Chiotti’s article ‘Thaw’. Moving from just surviving to fully thriving. Becci Godrey shares how she and her horses work with women in her article ‘Women’s Empowerment’ to help today’s women share their voice, improve their communication and live a balanced life. When we move through these emotions we move to a place of leadership, of self and perhaps of others. Several articles on leadership presented themselves for this second issue. In the present global climate we need leadership that is heart based, compassionate and wise. The horses lead the way in these articles. In Agata Wiatrowska’s Leadership and Followership we see the necessity in leading and following from a place of authenticity. In Jude Jennison’s Leading thru Uncertainty she touches on how leadership must evolve in these uncertain times and the horse can lead us to a brighter more productive future for all. Of course to be in any of these moments of growth we need to feel that space is being held for us. This is of utmost importance for us to evolve as individuals and as a global society. We have Victoria Sambleson back and her article, ‘Being Heard’ is a story and a guideline on how to truly hold space for another. “Just think of the horses.” I truly believe horses are ‘agents of social change’ and in my article I posit a theory on that and explain how they can support us in the transformation to peaceful and positive change for ALL. This is my place in this publication to thank each and every one of the contributors for their words and how they reached deep within to find the right wisdom to share at the right time.

I know they went to the horses to ask for their wisdom. So, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU to the horses. All of them that are here now, that have come before and will come after. My gratitude also for sharing your knowledge and your essence in numerous photos. You show us a new (or very old) way of seeing life, leadership and letting go. Also, thank you to YOU for showing up, opening this publication and sharing this moment with all of us. May the horses (and their stewards) bring you hope, joy and peace.

We are offered positive and peaceful possibilities when the horse leads the way.

Equine Leadership Table of Contents Why Horses?

Pat Hutchinson

5

A Word from the Mindful Horse Graeme Green

7

Being Heard Victoria Sambleson

10

Leading thru Uncertainty

Jude Jennison

13

Thaw Dorothy Chiotti

15

Contributor’s Bios

“The horses opened our minds and unlocked a confidence that we all feel every day.”

Workshop participant with Jude Jennison, HorseSense UK

19

Equine Leadership Table of Contents Women’s Empowerment Becci Godfrey

23

Love, Anxiety & Labels Jennifer Steers

Leadership & Followership Agata Wiatrowska

31

In A Way Our Hearts Can Hear Them Adele Racine Passmore

Horses As Agents of Social Change Lynda Watson

36

27

34

Glossary of Terms EFL – Equine Facilitated Learning FEEL – Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning ® EFP – Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy EAE – Equine Assisted Education HAE – Horse Assisted Education EAHAE - International (former "European") Association for Horse Assisted Education Round Pen – a safe container/enclosure often used for experiential equine activities.

Equine Leadership WHY HORSES? By: Pat Hutchinson Why do Equine Assisted Learning facilitators and psychotherapists partner with horses? This is a thought-provoking question. There are so many animals that share many positive, interactive activities with humans. Why the horse?

Horses have been preyed upon for millennium. In order to protect their species, it has been imperative for them to learn specific skills and to become extremely adept at using them. Throughout history humans have found horses to be willing partners for many activities, including travel, hunting, battle and for pleasure. Now these magnificent beings are partnering with humans in a more intimate way. In so doing, they teach us the skills that have kept them vibrant.

These skills are portable. Skills such as: living authentically; exploring relationships and ‘feeling’ true emotional intimacy, (perhaps for the first time) seeing ourselves through another being’s experience; becoming familiar with how much communication happens through our body language as well as how our body responds to another being; and learning how to stay in the moment. All of these skills can be taken from our direct experience with the horse into our ‘real’ lives, including our families, friends, business and social relationships. We become cognizant of our conscious and unconscious behaviour patterns. These patterns are clear to a horse, as they have become quite adept at reading us. They are totally aware when our outsides do not match our insides.

An example from a workshop I facilitated: Unbeknown to me at the start, but revealed through debriefing at the end, the client was afraid to go into a round pen with this huge 4-legged beauty.

However, she put on a smile and asked herself, “How dangerous can it be? Many people talk about how wonderful their experience has been. I shouldn’t be afraid. I don’t want to look like a wimp! I’ll just make myself big and do it!” She walked into the round pen and the horse went round and round the circumference, staying away from her, and speeding up. Her heart started to pound, her face got red and her brain was about to go into overdrive. She realized she just wanted to run out of there. In her mind, she was in mortal danger! I saw this in her body language, interpreted the horse’s body language and suggested that she breathe, deep long slow breaths. Breathing down her body into the ground. She did that a few times and, like magic, the horse stopped circling and slowly started to come towards her with his head down, his body relaxed, licking and chewing. She felt it! She noticed she was no longer afraid. She was relaxed and able to derive great benefit from her further experiences with the horse.

The body of a horse portrays a large physical presence. This presence can be intimidating and arouse fear in humans. Due to the innate nature of the horse, their size and stature can also be a means for people to confront that fear in themselves and gain new courage, confidence and coping skills. In doing so, we learn about ourselves as well as the horse.

February 2017

Page |-5-

Equine Leadership Horses allow humans to experience a truly authentic relationship with another living being because horses can’t lie. They have been conditioned over the millennia to observe the environment, feel the feeling that arises, react in order to protect themselves if necessary, process the information received and then go back to grazing. Horses have the ability to show us how we too can do exactly the same thing. We don’t need to get stuck in our emotions. Nor do we need to over-react to uncomfortable situations.

People feel safe exploring relationships when in the presence of a horse. Horses don’t judge people.

They offer unconditional support through their body language and demeanour. People can experience emotional intimacy when in the presence of a horse. We are then able to correct our conscious or unconscious belief that there is something wrong or unacceptable about us.

Horses reflect our behaviours back to us. They mirror our behaviours, even when those behaviours are not conscious. This allows us to see what the rest of the world sees and feels when they interact with us. Horses allow people to understand their non-verbal cues. They show us the emotional impact and the intent of our words and actions. Horses are masters at non-verbal communication. They have learned other skills well, due to the fact that they don’t have a voice as humans do. These skills they share with us through our interactions with them, if we are willing to watch, listen and learn.

Horses are capable of acknowledging the slightest gestures we make and they respond accordingly.

They are exquisitely attuned to the person and pay close attention to body language, emotional state and innuendos. No two are alike, just like humans. In a herd of horses, there are well-defined roles within the herd, a pecking order. They each have distinct personalities with unique attitudes and approaches. We humans rely mainly on our intellect while horses access the wisdom of their entire body allowing them to read and respond to the energy around them. This is how they have survived for so many years.

Horses teach us to be present to this moment. They don’t agonize over what happened yesterday nor do they worry about what will happen tomorrow. They are firmly present in what is going on right here, right now. They are more than willing to teach us.

That is why we partner with horses, for our own self-development, self-healing, and self-awareness.

In doing this for us, horses raise the consciousness of our species and their own.

February 2017

Page |-6-

Equine Leadership A WORD FROM THE MINDFUL HORSE ….. FIRST YOU MUST HONOUR YOURSELF By: Graeme Green

We are forever being admonished to demonstrate altruism for those around us, be it in charitable donation of time or money, the caring or consideration of others; or in management and performance dialectic, you know how it goes: “there is no ‘I’ in team”. Well there is.

How often do we end up exhausting ourselves, tied into an endless cycle of others’ expectations or needs? Losing sight of ourselves and our own basic needs.

At the heart of emotional intelligence is the recognition that without awareness and consideration of yourself there can be no real sympathy and understanding for others. There can be no empathy.

Whilst we are thus engaged in losing ourselves in others, we then seek Gurus and experts to put us back on the straight and narrow – sometimes medics, sometimes clerics, sometimes our teachers…. you name it. And in engaging the Guru we further delegate any direct responsibility for ourselves.

So when we present ourselves to horses, who do we really present? What room is left in the noise of stress and the sticky plaster fixes on top for authenticity? So what if we were actually to step back for one moment and (re)approach our horses and our relationship with horses from a position of mindfulness?

We like to talk of the horses as being in the moment. Do we really respect that?

We nearly always make demands that align to our collective need for outcomes and objectives, worse still these are generally binary outcomes, and so not only do we start to deny the moment but superimpose the very human concepts of success versus failure, and still they altruistically deliver. But let us get it straight horses are not winners or losers. Horses are.

Let’s start there. What if each of us started with “I am”. The practice of mindfulness reconnects you with the actual moment and so with yourself as you actually are, wherever your personal journey has carried you. It invites you to break the often emotional ties with what is past or what might be.

The path of the mindful horse is one which can shine a light on the moment, and through that foster our own authenticity. It is a journey that demands we take responsibility for who we are, what we do and how we do it; not look too others to direct or apportion blame. Whether we set ourselves as therapist, leader, lover or friend (even an Equine Assisted coach, horse owner, groom or rider) we must seek to be the best person that we can be. The horse does not look for us to speak fabricated language or exercise some appropriate pseudo-herd communication, the horse will accept us if we simply present our best possible selves.

Without an appropriate degree of self-awareness or self-care a human is a house built on quick-sand.

Mindfulness offers us the opportunity to acknowledge ourselves in the moment and accept what is there, and in so doing we find space to offer kindness to ourselves. And once we can love ourselves we stand a good chance of loving others.

First we must create space if the learning has a chance. When we share that meditative experience with horses they stand alongside us as both physical and spiritual guides, at the simplest level a reflection of our quiet and stillness, at a deeper level we are open to intuition and insight, and throughout the horse stands beside us as the inspiration and guide.

February 2017

Page |7

Equine Leadership

My mother had a lovely phrase “Charity begins at home”, I would paraphrase that and say “Wellbeing begins at home”. We must take time to recognise what we need and respect that without judgement. It is all about taking responsibility for ourselves, only when we do that can we expect the respect of our horses, and more importantly only then can we truly care for others – human or horse.

We have the choice. We can walk this path with horses and they can offer us a gentle insight and direction on that journey if we open ourselves and accept their honest observations.

Our lives are less a series of events, more a mass of emotional reactions to those events. And let’s face it they are not always good ones.

Within the Buddhist foundations of Mindfulness lies the idea of “an end to suffering”; this represents release from the “suffering” which is created within our minds. It is the relationship that we choose to have with our own thoughts and bodies, and to the events around us, which facilitates our vulnerability.

The horse is an incredible reader of emotional energy – they may not know the narrative around the “suffering”, but they will recognise the energy that it creates. Through gentle and compassionate interaction they will reflect what we carry – offering us an awareness, which in turn invites us to change.

From: www.themindfulhorse.wordpress.com

February 2017

Page |8

Mirror, mirror in the field ~ to be with you in any kind of synchronicity I must listen to my whispers and that voice deep within. Only then will you kiss me a thousand times over with your soft whiskers and blow gentle breezes into my soul.�

Lynda Watson

Equine Leadership BEING HEARD – THE ART OF HOLDING SPACE By: Victoria Sambleson The phrase holding space seems to have become the new “buzz word” of 2016 with people using it on social media often. My question is: have they stopped to consider what it really means? In my opinion, in many cases it is used as a turn of phrase. “I see you're struggling, so I’m holing space for you.” It can be a cop-out; an easy way to get out of actually listening to the person. It’s almost like saying “I’m caring for you at a distance but I don't want to get involved any further.” Is that the intention? It’s possible in many cases, and clear to me that people don’t really have a full grasp of what it means to hold space for someone.

I have been working with the concept of holding space in my Equine Experiential Learning workshops.

The particular activity involves 2 participants and one horse. One participant and the horse are responsible for holding space during the exercise, while the other participant speaks their truth out loud to both of them. Their truth might be a success they have experienced or a struggle they have overcome. In doing this activity with approximately 40 people I have identified three ways that the participants hold space. The horse holds space beautifully every time and I will discuss that shortly. The first way is that the person actually holds space really well for the other participant. The person feels supported, nurtured, and heard. I would say this is a rare occurrence; perhaps 2 out of 10 people have a good grasp of holding space. The second response is what I call "disassociation". The person holding space cannot handle the situation so they shut down completely. They stop listening, look away and shift their body position away from the person. They do whatever they have to do to avoid hearing what is being said. This usually happens because what is being said is a painful story. This inevitably leaves the person who is sharing the story feeling abandoned. It is all an effort to protect themselves from the pain of listening to someone else’s difficult story. The third response, I feel happens most often. I call it “going down the rabbit hole.” The person holding space becomes absorbed in the story to the point that they embody the story themselves. They become too emotionally involved asking themselves, “how would I feel if this was happening to me?” or even remembering a time when something just like this happened to them and then reliving that experience. It is also a form of disassociation when this happens because they stop listening and go into their own world thinking about their own problems. These people often offer words later like “you think that is bad, you should hear what happened to me.”

The commonality of the last two scenarios led me to really think about how the horse holds space in this exercise. Because of course, they hold the space beautifully with every participant feeling like the horse listened to them and offered silent support. In thinking about this, I am reminded of an experience I had a few years ago, when I witnessed horses holding space for each other. The beauty and simplicity of it still evokes a sense of genuine unconditional love as I remember those few hours on a cold winter day.

February 2017

P a g e | 10

Equine Leadership

I was boarding my horse at a farm owned by a friend. She ran a riding school and had a large number of horses on her farm. They lived outdoors 24/7 in small herds living as natural a life as possible. I would go up to the farm early in the morning to help my friend do some chores before I rode my horse. That morning was a particularly cold one with a fresh new blanket of snow on the ground. I was filling up the water trough in the Mares’ field and I noticed something I hadn't seen before. There were five horses standing in a semi-circle at the other side of the field. There was one horse on the ground at their feet.

It was not uncommon for the “ladies” to hang out at that end of the field and sometimes stand over one another when they are sleeping for protection, so I didn't think too much of it at first. Then after a minute or two, I felt a rock in the pit of my stomach.

The little mare on the ground was rolling and flailing about; getting up and dropping down to the ground quickly in a panic. I dropped the hose and went running. I had seen colic before, but nothing like this.

All the things I learned in Pony Club as a kid came rushing back to me. "Don't let them roll," "get them up and on their feet", "get them walking and keep them walking". Unfortunately, when I got to her I didn't have a halter or a lead rope. Thankfully I had my phone. I called my friend and knew she was running before she hung up the phone. I had a few minutes now to wait. All I could offer quietly was that “help is on the way sweet girl”.

I look back now at those few minutes we stood there together. The scene was surprisingly calm. I felt calm, the horses remained in their semicircle watching, listening and holding space. None of the other horses were panicking. Not one of them was calling out or pacing around. No one got down on the ground and started rolling around with her. No one appeared to be analyzing the situation. As far as I could tell, there was no advice being offered. “No!!! You should try this instead”, or “this happened to me once and I did this”. And no one was blaming this little mare saying “you should have drunk more water.” It wasn't a lack of concern I was witnessing, but a lack of judgment of the situation for the little Mare. They all knew what was happening and just stood by offering unconditional support. I realize now that the event defined the epitome of holding space for another being.

My friend arrived a few minutes later and together we took the little Mare from the field to get help.

There was no relief on their faces when we did this, no “thank you for doing something about this.” But still they offered support. The five Mares lined up at the gate and watched from a distance. They continued to hold space for the little Mare as we struggled to keep her walking. They held space for myself and my friend as we realized the awful truth of the situation. They held space for the vet who came to do what no vet longs to do. And they held space for the man who eventually came with the truck to pick up the little Mare’s body. The whole time they waited at that gate, offering loving support from a distance without judgment. And when the man and the truck left, the five Mares went back to eating. They did not stand around and discuss what happened; what they could have done, what they should do next time. As far as I could tell, there was no discussion about preventing it from happening again. They went back to eating and being present in the moment.

February 2017

P a g e | 11

Equine Leadership Those beautiful horses did what horses do best; they held space for a member of their herd. A new member, by the way, she had only been in the field a couple of days. Still a bit of an outsider but she received all the love and support as if she was the lead mare.

The horses taught me the art of holding space that day. As I look back on that experience, the following are the lessons the horses taught me: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Watch your Body language - soft and relaxed is the key. Tightening up would increase the intensity level of the situation.

Be grounded - those horses were so grounded I wouldn't have been able to move them if I tried.

Their energy was connected to the earth’s core.

Be present - in the moment, not worrying about what happens next, what should I say, how can I help. They were focused in the now.

Be conscious of personal space - horses are very aware of their need for personal space as well as other beings’ need for it. They did not crowd the little Mare nor crowd each other. They were all a comfortable distance, allowing themselves to be fully present.

Have compassion, not empathy. Empathy is “going down the rabbit hole” with the person.

Embodying the emotions of another. Compassion is witnessing another’s pain and offering them love and support.

Be connected - they had a connection with each other and the little Mare through their hearts with unconditional love.

Hold no judgment - there was no judgment of the situation or any of the players involved, only love and support.

Listen quietly - interrupting and asking questions breaks the momentum and takes power away from the person having the moment.

That day, the horses taught me that holding space happens when we open our hearts, let go of judgment, and offer unconditional support.

Holding space requires practice. Horses are on this earth to balance energy, it comes naturally to them.

Mastering this like a horse will not happen immediately. I recently had the opportunity to hold space for someone just the other day. Looking back on it there are things I will do differently next time. For me it is a process. This most recent time, I do, however, remember thinking in the moment; “what would the horses be doing right now”? It definitely prevented me from jumping in as I would have done in the past.

Give yourself a break.

Don't offer the words "I'm holding space for you" unless you're actually prepared to do it.

We are all human.

Just think of the horses.

February 2017

P a g e | 12

Equine Leadership LEADING THROUGH UNCERTAINTY By: Jude Jennison We live in a time of political, social and economic instability that generates huge challenges for global leadership. Those challenges require innovative and collaborative behaviours to work across the complex boundaries of departments, organisational structures, cultures, borders, belief systems and much more. The time for dialogue and exploring how we move forward together, embracing our differences, has never been greater.

Traditional forms of leadership are unsuited to addressing the current global problems of fear, polarisation and disconnection that exist in the workplace as well as the wider society. New and effective ways of leading need to evolve quickly to prevent the current problems getting worse.

So what have horses and a return to nature got to do with the uncertainty that faces us in the future?

How can horses help us evolve our leadership?

When clients work with the horses, they embody the challenge of leading through uncertainty. They have no idea if the horse will go with them or not. For some that is daunting. For many people, their focus is on themselves. Typical internal processing might be: “Can I get the horse to come with me? Can I do it without looking stupid in front of my colleagues? Can I do it as well as other people? Is now the moment I will get found out as not being a very good leader?” The default insecurities that people hold will almost certainly show up in their interactions with horses.

Take Sarah, for example (name has been changed to protect the client). She was deeply uncomfortable leading a horse. She wanted to know the precise mechanics of how to lead a horse before I handed her the lead rope. She had never done anything without knowing exactly how to do it. She had built her excellent career based on her experience and competence and was deeply uncomfortable with anything unknown.

When she first led Tiffin, a 14 year old ex-racehorse standing 16.2 hands, she asked me how to lead him.

I encouraged her to find her own way of leading, explaining that her way was different from mine. That in itself was a huge stretch for Sarah. She managed to get Tiffin to come with her a few steps but her self-doubt crept in and he stopped suddenly. Sarah became frustrated because she didn’t know why and she didn’t know how to get him to move again. He became a problem, someone who was getting in the way of her completing a task. She wanted me to tell her how to get him to move again, as if it were a binary process. Yet relationships and leadership are so much more than that. She needed to make the shift from command and control to collaboration. Throughout the day, Sarah gradually became more confident in trying new ways. As her frustration lessened, her trust in herself increased and her ability to recalibrate to work in partnership with others grew. The horses started to cooperate with her true leadership capabilities.

February 2017

P a g e | 13

Equine Leadership

Sarah faced and overcame the challenge of leading through uncertainty, where you get to the limits of your skill set and need to navigate a new way, without knowing if it will work or not. For most people, the tendency with the unknown is to resort to control but that’s not leadership and won’t influence 600kg of horse with a strong opinion.

Horses want relationship, clarity and direction; they need to be influenced, inspired and engaged, just like human teams.

Three months after working with Sarah, I reconnected with her to find out what she had learned and applied to her work. She said she was less frustrated with her team when things didn’t go the way she wanted them to, and she was learning to try new things without needing to know exactly how to do them first. She had more confidence to step out of her comfort zone and more flexibility and adaptability in her leadership style. As a result, her team were growing in confidence too and were collaborating better together as one team, drawing on the strengths of each other.

The current uncertainty in business requires leaders to replace command and control, competition and hierarchy with collaboration and shared leadership. We’re mostly not trained to do that as Sarah discovered. This involves relating to others as human beings and working together, using the strengths of each and every one. When you have the skills to step out of the comfort zone and work through differences, you can explore new concepts, generate new ideas and create new solutions to new problems. That’s desperately needed for the future of business.

One thing is certain, horses are leading the way and the learning is profound

Check out this video on Leading thru Uncertainty with horses by Jude Jennison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYUPHlVfv08

February 2017

P a g e | 14

Equine Leadership THAW: THE RETURN TO EMOTIONAL AGILITY

by Dorothy Chiotti “Every hidden, blocked feeling is like a chunk of frozen consciousness. Until it thaws, you are saying ‘I am this hurt’ even as you refuse to look at it: it has you in its grip.” Deepak Chopra Perhaps the most hope-filled time of year is the spring thaw.

With the frigid winds of winter behind us we look forward to a time of colour and transformation; of the warmth and joy of feeling fully alive again. The transition from freeze to feel, however, is a messy one.

As the snow melts a colourless, barren wasteland is revealed. Neglected and abandoned remnants of a previous season overwhelm a landscape striving for renewal. The lingering marks of the past a distracting, discouraging, and mind numbing barrier to the promise of spring.

For a while we wonder when Mother Earth will reveal the verdant gifts for which we have longed. Soon, March winds blow by stirring up and removing the remaining detritus of the dead season. Spring storms clarify the air bringing with them rains to cleanse and replenish. Sunshine blankets all to warm and relax heaved ground and nurture the precious new growth beginning to germinate away from the unseen eye.

And we wait …

Have you ever felt stuck? Frozen in a way you don't understand and don't have the first idea how to change? Are you feeling the grip of a virtual winter of personal discontent that constricts your life experience in such a way that even simply to breathe is difficult?

You want things to be different. You want to feel different ~ welcome a spring of new growth and expansion. However, the weight of your life burden, much with which you cannot connect, has you so snowed under emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually that even to hope for spring can be an overwhelming prospect.

For much of my life I was only too familiar with this feeling. Snowed under by a dysfunctional pattern of traumatic emotional avalanches from a variety of sources, and from which I could not dig myself out, I was left bouncing between the extremes of feeling stuck and feeling overwhelmed. Knowing no different I believed this was my truth. How wrong I was.

Occasionally a stalwart soul would extend a well-meaning hand into the icy cave of my heart to help draw me out. However, trust was an issue. My frozen space, however constricting, kept me safe from further harm. Could I risk leaving the shelter of a cold, unfeeling place only to be traumatized back into it by another’s narcissistic agenda? The very idea left me cold.

As time passed, I learned to trust in small doses; the warm intentions of other souls who understood the journey to self-realization helped me find a way to my truth. Gradually, the cold lining of my heart began to melt. Still, inside it remained frozen.

Equine Leadership

February 2017

P a g e | 15

Equine Leadership Then, a crack in the ice cap; the wake-up call at age 48 that warned, in no uncertain terms, it was finally time to claw my way out of the frigid wasteland and begin the serious business of thawing. It was that or suffocate in a slow and painful demise punctuated by an agony of “What ifs?”.

Do ... or die.

One week in Bosnia-Herzagovina in March 2009 was what it took to create a seismic shift in my awareness. Three panic attacks all but paralyzed me. Somehow I saw myself in the trauma of that wartorn country. The still visible devastation in Sarajevo and Mostar resonated so deeply with my own overwhelmed internal landscape I was forced to look at this unlikely reflection and make the important decision to change; to dig out. It was time to examine and release my trauma story. Time to heal; to rebuild; to thrive … not merely survive.

Within weeks I found a suitable psychotherapist and began the serious business of digging deep and digging out. As time passed I gradually surrounded myself with a mind/body/spirit support team that helped me emerge from winter’s barren field one baby step at a time. The serious business of thawing had begun.

The transition from freeze to feel is, indeed, a messy one. Like the spring thaw it happens gradually and in stages so as not to overwhelm and re-traumatize the fragile environment. With emotional release comes physical liberation. Planes of the body frozen in time find their way back to life again.

Some with more violent passage while others tend more gradually to renewal.

It is heave and hell and hope in one. It is the frozen life force re-awakening and moving beyond limiting beliefs and behaviour patterns to find a new vitality. It is the germinating seed seeking the warmth of the sun and the nourishing rains to the fullness of its potential. The evidence of what is past will still exist, but its power will have transformed from self-destructive to magically creative.

Our true nature revealed.

February 2017

P a g e | 16

Equine Leadership Enter the horse The horses bring a touch of magic to the transition from barren emotional wasteland to flourishing emotional life.

A sentient and majestic being, the horse has partnered with humankind over Millennia in the building of civilizations. It has also proven a valued partner in recreational pursuits as well as a valued companion.

Our society no longer relies on the power and utility of horses as it once did, nevertheless our destinies continue to be entwined.

"We are responsible forever for the things that we tame.”

From The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry, French author and philosopher, Ultimately, for good or ill, these noble creatures are subject to human whim and their welfare depends on the self-awareness of those tasked to their care. Horses are still valued as companions, as well as partners in sport and recreation. Some still toil on farms, while others serve and protect in law enforcement. The magic begins as we step into a deeper connection with the horse. And, in recent years, with the guidance and partnership of suitably trained practitioners, these engaging and magnificent animals have been introduced into, perhaps, their most profound role of all ~ that of healing partner.

The secret lies in a horse’s ability to be present and in the moment 100 per cent of the time. They don’t dwell on what happened yesterday or worry about what may happen tomorrow. The only thing that matters is the “now.” It’s the immediate energetic exchange in their environment and between sentient beings that harnesses their full attention, and their response flows on that energetic wave.

Horses read us like books; our body language the words inscribed across our energetic page. They read between the lines we don't even know we've written to understand the heart of our intention. They’re fooled by no one. They reflect back to us the truth of who we are … in the moment. A mirror image of ourselves we'd often rather not see but which, if we were to engage with and heal it, would help us change our lives in positive and profound ways. The horse would help us with that, too.

Beyond conventional talk therapy, horses have been my saving grace. In particular, my horse, Bear, blew the warm breath of his soul into my melting heart and helped me negotiate the slippery path to emotional agility*1. He, and a host of other valuable equine teachers, have helped me to find, recognize, live in, and give voice to, my authenticity.

To thaw in the gentle, non-judgmental presence of a horse is a profound emotional healing experience which lends itself to personal growth and self-discovery. To crawl out from the icy cave that keeps us frozen in time and numb to the richness of life is to be reborn. To feel the connection of heart with a beautiful non-predatory animal who could maim in an instant is powerful beyond words.

1

Emotional Agility … the ability to flow with, experience and release our emotions while growing in selfawareness. When we become stuck in any emotion, positive or negative, it prevents us from moving forward with our lives and reaching our true potential.

Equine Leadership In his book It’s Not About The Horse, Wyatt Webb, therapist and founder of the Equine Experience at Miraval Life in Balance™ in Tucson, Arizona, quotes Logan, the counsellor who helped save his life, his mind and his very soul …

“If you’re to achieve the peace, joy, and spiritual fulfillment that you want so badly, it depends upon one thing and one thing only–your willingness to simply do something different.”

Feeling stuck, frozen, or traumatized is not a life sentence, yet so many of us treat it this way. A new spring of personal growth is on the horizon when we are prepared to release the cold, hard winter of the tortured soul. We have the power to make decisions that help us to thaw and move to a new, fluid way of being. Reclaiming our emotional agility is the surest way to live with vitality; to thrive.

And the horses are here to show us how.

~*~ Winter’s Field

by Dorothy Chiotti In winter’s barren, snowy field I stand, My tender heart gripped tightly in his icy hand.

His frosted breath upon my naked soul doth blow, Leaving in its numbing wake a frosted, ruddy glow.

I didn’t mean to stand in winter’s field so bare.

When first I stood it blossomed green and lovely there.

But then, alas, the changing leaves did start to fall, And that which I had first observed appeared to be nowhere at all.

So here I stand, in nature’s stone-cold lonely place, The light of love gone briefly from my care-worn face.

Instead a dormant season now resides ~ Within my chilled heart love’s smoldering fire hides.

But winter’s frosted season too must end, As spring her warmest greeting soon will send.

And so my frozen sojourn too will cease, And once again love’s warmth in me increase.

~*~

February 2017

P a g e | 18

Equine Leadership

Contributor Bios Graeme Green Graeme brings together a broad collection of skills which draw humans and horses together. He is Reiki drum master, an animal/human reiki practitioner and a qualified equine energy healer. He also works specifically with two-legged beasts as a Mindfulness Coach, NLP practitioner and Equine Assisted Learning facilitator. www.themindfulhorse.org www.facebook.com/themindfulhorse

Jenn Steers Jennifer Steers works full time in the field of recreations, and in the twenty five years she has had the privilege of working with and teaching all kinds of people from different walks of life. She has always had a deep love of all animals, being out in nature and working with her horse friends this for her is healing and grounding. She is a certified yoga teacher and found how much yoga is being horse like; connected to your body, to your environment, to the energy you feel around you and the present moment awareness. Continuing to look for ways to work with her horse companions she was delighted to learn about Equine Assisted Learning. Five years ago she got certified in Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Assisted Therapy. She has trained and is certified with two different organizations. With a passion and a thirst to learn more Jen got her advanced certification two summers ago. Jen brings her teaching skills, yoga and her mindfulness training into the work with horses and together they make a powerful team. Jen loves the work and feels very fortunate to do what she loves.

Jenn can be contacted at: 1-613 291-7878 or steersje@hotmail.com

Dorothy Chiotti Dorothy Chiotti is a graduate of the Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning (FEEL) program at Horse Spirit Connections in Tottenham, Ontario, Canada.

Her practice, CorEquus, at Willow Spring Farm in Mono, Ontario, focuses on personal growth and self-discovery related to leadership and creativity.

Dorothy's training background includes horsemanship certification from internationally-renown trainer, Chris Irwin. Dorothy's leadership background includes 3 years as president of Toronto CADORA, Canada's longest-running dressage organization, and other positions in various capacities. Beyond her equestrian pursuits, Dorothy is an accomplished writer with a background in corporate communications and media. She is a member of the Professional Writers' Association of Canada (PWAC) and an accomplished singer having sung soprano in Canada's premier symphonic choral ensemble, The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, for 12 seasons (1989-2001).A keen photographer, Dorothy resides with her husband, Lloyd, and her two collies, two kitties and two horses in scenic Hockley Valley, Ontario, Canada.

She can be reached through her websites: www.corequus.com or www.aimwellcreativeworks.com Photo Credit: Cary Andrew Penny ‌ CAP Photographic Solutions

Equine Leadership

Contributor Bios Pat Hutchinson

Pat is a certified Advanced FEEL Facilitator working in the Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. She discovered the world of horses later in life. She intuitively and experientially knew there was more to the horse/human relationship. Her excitement grew as she experienced, first-hand, the healing ability of the horses. Pat observed their innate strategies to manage their stress reactions. Since stress management was Pat’s passion, seeing this in the horses stoked the flames!

Pat felt that these beings had much, much more to teach humans, if we would only let them! They had a way of being that was so completely in the moment, a skill that normally takes us a lifetime to learn to practice consistently. When living from this place, a deeper emotional vitality, spiritual connection and mental serenity are possible. This is what drives her to share this way of being.

These beings point us in a direction of self-empowerment, self-knowledge and self-respect through their willing co-operation and collaboration. Their teachings are gentle, subtle, rapid, extremely effective and always authentic.

With the help of our equine partners, we learn to be present in this moment. We can live a calm, healthy, powerful life.

Horse & Human = Power & Presence.

Pat can be reached through her FaceBook page or email: pmshanti20@gmail.com

Adele Racine Passmore HEART MEDICINE WOMAN

so we

Vision: to bring love and compassion to the hearts of humanity and remember why we’re here.

Making her own drum played a significant role in guiding Adele home to her heart, and honouring her Native roots and Metis Heritage. Adele combines aspects from her life experiences and ancestral wisdom to facilitate Drum Making Experiences and drumming circles.

Adele has always had an amazing love and ability to connect with horses and people alike. She knows firsthand the amazing affect that horses can have on a person’s heart. Throughout her life whenever healing was needed, without even understanding the connection, Adele was called back to the horses. The horses guided her wounded spirit towards self-actualization, acceptance and love. As the creator of “In Circle with Life,” Adele creates a sacred space for those wanting to begin their journey back to their source, that of love, by opening a pathway to self-healing, better health and happiness and a more heart centred and creative life. Adele, connected to spirit, partners with horses and Earth Mother Medicine offering private, group sessions and workshops.

A balanced self is paramount to her agenda to facilitate her clients’ personal journeys towards wholeness and spiritual freedom. Adele is a Registered Natural Health Practitioner, Wellness and Life Co-Coach, FEEL Facilitator, trained as both Thai Massage Practitioner and Yoga Exercise Specialist.

Connect with Adele through: www.incirclewithlife.ca

or adele@incirclewithlife.ca

Equine Leadership

Contributor Bios Victoria Sambleson

For as long as she can remember, Victoria has had a love of horses.

After sitting on a horse at a birthday party when she was 8, her Grandparents had to abandon their dream of her being a Ballerina and buy her a pair of riding boots. She started riding at the age of 10 and always had horses in her thoughts and dreams.

After achieving a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Western Ontario, she spent 10 years working in the corporate environment as a Project Manager.

Although Victoria was fulfilled in her corporate career, she felt a strong pull towards change. In 2002 Victoria left the corporate world to become a Registered Massage Therapist and began her own very successful private practice. As well as teaching massage at Sutherland-Chan Massage School, she also teaches continuing education workshops for RMTs all over the world.

Victoria had discovered a new career she loved, however, along with running and managing her own business, the emotional and physical challenges of her patients at times became overwhelming. As a result, Victoria sought the help of her childhood friends... horses. She reconnected with these wonderful beings and found a new way to restore balance in her life. This began a wonderful journey of self-discovery, personal growth and Well-Being.

In 2015, Victoria became a certified Facilitator of Equine Experiential Learning. Her goal is to evolve this powerful relationship between horses and humans and honour the wisdom of the Horse.

Victoria can be contacted through www.connectingwithhorses.ca

Becci Godfrey Becci Godfrey and the HorseSense UK herd have been running from their base in Sussex, UK since 2010. Originally, a conventional rider, she soon saw that the horses had given her learning experiences no other corporate training could bring. Along with her herd she provides learning, wellbeing and therapy solutions for those looking to develop the skills necessary to survive in the 21st Century.

You can find out more at www.HorseSenseUK.com. programmes

Lynda Watson Lynda Watson is a community builder, professional facilitator and youth engagement specialist. She runs her own EFL business, HorseTouch, whose mission it is to build life skills, reduce stress and create space for healing through the touch and reflection of the horse. Lynda is certified in the field of Equine Facilitated Learning and brings unique learning methods to her co-creative work with horses. She is also runs 2 organizations that bring the values and skills learned from the horses to the classroom and the boardroom. With these 2 organizations, Dreamation (youth) and Collaborative Evolution (corporate/organization), Lynda enjoys sharing the wisdom of the horse with a wide audience and partnering with HorseTouch to enhance the skills and values taught outside of the farm during equine workshops.

Lynda has enjoyed many fabulous adventures on her journey through life so far. These include; being an equestrian coach with her own farm for 20 years, youth coordinator in the humanitarian field, 2014 fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs of Ontario, mother, avid traveller and lifelong learner in the field of human potential. She also works as a professional facilitator with positions such as senior facilitator with the Canadian Red Cross and partner facilitator with several EFL farms and professionals. Lynda has a life mission to make positive and peaceful change in the world while inspiring & supporting others to do the same. ‘Equine Leadership’ is another exciting adventure she adds to her list. www.horsetouch.ca www.dreamation.ca www.collaborativeevolution.ca

Equine Leadership

Contributor Bios

Agata Wiatrowska Agata Wiatrowska is facilitator, owner of Poland-based center of Horse Assisted Education – HorseSense. Basing on her many years’ experience as the manager in humans herds and being author and facilitator of leadership development programmes in many multicultural organizations she is a practitioner of leadership and integrated solutions applying them both in professional and private life.

Since 2008 she teaches facilitators who wish to work with horses during development programmes. She qualifies in her programme EAHAE members. Over 100 individuals have graduated the facilitator training programmes and run their own practice. She summed up her 8-year experience in the running of horse assisted development programs in HorseSense and incorporating an innovative concept of management and leadership into them as the co-author of "Menedżer uczy się od koni"/ “Manager learning from horses” published in 2013 and “Koń jako trener"/ “Horse as trainer” published in 2016. www.horsesense.pl

https://www.facebook.com/horsesensepoland/

Jude Jennison Jude Jennison is an international speaker, author and Horse Assisted Educator with a 16 year senior leadership career in a global IT organisation, where she led UK, European and global teams.

Jude helps senior leaders and executive teams develop embodied leadership skills that create tangible business results. By receiving a horse’s non-judgemental feedback, any leader can identify their leadership behaviours and transform themselves into a courageous and hugely influential, non-verbal communicator.

For more information on our leadership development programmes, contact us on +44 7584 248822 or visit our website www.theleadershipwhisperers.com Jude is author of the book Leadership Beyond Measure where she shares her extraordinary story of overcoming her fear of horses and providing Equine Guided Leadership Development only 6 months later. It’s a book to challenge your thinking, help you be more resilient and courageous, and build better relationships in life and work.

February 2016

Page 22

Equine Leadership WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT - AN EQUINE PERSPECTIVE By: Becci Godfrey If you had said 10 years ago I’d be running Women’s Empowerment Days with a herd of horses, I would have laughed at you. I was a nobody, I had nothing to contribute. But here I am 10 years older, wiser and more astute and I can say “yeah, I do that.”

It would have to be the horses that have made that happen.

You see, to help others, you must have your own journey first, and thanks to a grey 15hh Irish Draught called Murphy, I did.

Murphy was a beautiful horse, that came into our life as a fresh faced 4-year-old from Ireland. Intended to come for a summer, Murphy put his foot through a fence around the time he was due to be sold, and ended up staying for a further 20 years. Our partnership started when I was 21 and a returning university student with Chronic Fatigue. Back then, my day revolved around his care, whatever work I could manage and seeing friends. He was my reason to get up in the mornings. He even joined me in being ill, having his own version of Chronic Fatigue for a while.

Through the years of ridden training and competitions, Murphy taught me a lot about what is required to be successful in life – and in particular, how to communicate. He taught me about body language, empathy, giving clear instructions and partnership rather than dominance. A strong alpha male himself, he challenged me to speak my truth and do, what in my heart, I knew to be right even when it was difficult. These were all things that I was noticed and respected for in the workplace. Looking back, I realise that HorseSense UK was his company, born out of a desire to spend more time with me and to have a rich and engaging social life. He LOVED the work, producing profound and life changing outcomes for people through his strong presence and deep awareness of who he was.

Yet it was with some trepidation I put on our first Women’s Empowerment Day, working alongside the horses to explore and discuss the unique attributes that women bring. For us, whilst it was familiar to be working with an all-female group, it felt a little exclusionary to be asking the guys to stay away. It soon became clear though; a celebration of women alone was needed for them to consciously discover and embrace what being female was.

Hidden treasure To explore what it means to be female, is to discover a hidden treasure chest you never knew you had. All those that attended our Women’s Empowerment Day’s knew they wanted to embrace their femininity. Even more they had a voice that spoke powerfully. In a way that would serve them, their families, their workplaces and their community – but they wanted to do it their way, though they didn’t always know what ‘their way’ was.

February 2017

Horses have no judgement.

HorseSense UK

P a g e | 23

Equine Leadership

As is always the way with horses, there is no judgement on these days and this gives rise to wonderful and deep learnings. Horses bring such a level-headed pragmatism to all things - you either speak up and tell your truth, or you don’t.

We had one participant that headed up a cross-Atlantic team of editors and writers. Her challenge was to lead this team, despite many being older and in the industry longer. After some basic introductions and orienteering exercises, we invited the participants to lead a horse of their choice down a simple out and back series of cones to represent the twists and turns of life and the ability to lead others through them. Despite only having had a short time to meet and assess the horses, she picked the largest, most set in his ways horse that walked a short way through the task and then refused to budge. It had literally taken moments for her to recreate her work scenario. It is at this moment we are most confronted with the part we play in the lives we create. And this is where the beauty of the safe-space to try something new and the non-judgemental approach wins. With a short re-assessment of what had transpired, the participant was able to make an internal shift that acknowledged the horse was wiser than her, and had been uninspired by her leadership enough to make completion of the exercise an attractive prospect.

The point of power was the consciousness placed on what wasn’t working and the opportunity and courage to try something new. It turned out she needed to stop deferring authority to the horse and reclaim the leadership position she had been entrusted with. When she did, his behaviour changed and the two moved seamlessly through the task to a congratulatory finish.

Lessons learnt In one programme we ran, a participant was asked to walk a horse around a square of cones to represent her business journey. As she reached the first cone, her chosen horse Murphy stopped and as a result she stopped to tell the group she had done enough and she had accomplished all in that task she wanted to do. As she stood and told the group just how enough that was, Murphy decided there was more to be done and Horses listen to the story behind the continued on through the exercise. We pointed story, and act on that. out the shift and encouraged her to follow his lead. Her life changing learning was to not sell herself short. Murphy had seen beyond the story that felt so safe and comfortable, but kept her stuck, and saw she was capable of more than she credited herself with. Murphy was a smart horse like that, seeing beyond limiting self beliefs and challenging people to grow beyond them. As for the participant, I’ve not known her hold back on going forwards since.

A mare’s perspective When the mares of the HorseSense UK herd were asked, what benefits a Women’s Empowerment Day brings they too had their opinions. Our youngest mare shared the benefit of seeing the qualities you have in another. One example was when I did my training. I was being asked to observe the herd and decide who was herd leader. During an observation exercise, I was instantly drawn to a large and powerful horse called Prudence. I was deeply moved how persistently gentle she was, asking the entire time for the respect of the more boisterous geldings. I saw that even though the geldings put on a big display of bravado, underneath it all it was Prudence that saw the situation in its entirety and called the

February 2017

P a g e | 24

Equine Leadership

shots without glory or reward. In that moment I knew I did that too. I remain forever grateful for the grace, poise and persistence Prudence displayed knowing that if I could see the impact she had, others could see my impact too. It may never be acknowledged, but it would still somewhere down the line, be known.

Then there’s the skill of partnership that a day such as this can bring. Squirrel, our 13.1hh New Forest, spent nearly 3 years as lead mare to our alpha gelding Murphy. In that time they partnered like husband and wife, dancing the dance of respect, partnership and trust. This, for her, meant a whole new skillset of understanding the language of masculinity. It meant not interpreting things always as they are presented but at the level of intention. Masculine energy may communicate quite differently than feminine energy communicates and this is a whole language to be explored and understood. For her, she had to learn that Murphy’s frame of reference was different to her own. This she did in an exemplary way, unafraid to set boundaries when his actions were unwelcome. To this he took no offence. Their interactions always provided a talking point in any programme as they played out the dynamics of a masculine and feminine relationship without judgement so well.

Securing the learning It simply leaves it to us, the facilitators, to secure the learning in the participant’s minds. The relevance of an Equine Assisted Education experience is to relate it back to participant’s present day lives. On these days we invite people to bring their troubles, questions and challenges. Through holding a great space and supporting the participants to become aware of what is going on within themselves and what is being reflected back by the horses; facilitators empower the participants to access their inner wisdom and solve their challenges in a way that is integrous and authentic to them. In a dynamic flow between the three parties, the participant poses a question, the horse gives an answer and the facilitator helps the learning safely land home.

Katrina and Yamoa walk through Katrina's school exam success plan.

After all this day isn’t about being given the answers or techniques to get it right, it is a day of learning what true empowerment really is, through being empowered! Feedback is just data, and mistakes are a golden opportunity to learn what doesn’t work, before going to find out what does. Just like Murphy did for me for all the years we were together, we now make it possible for others to have that opportunity and learning experience so they might grow too; and I love it!

February 2017

P a g e | 25

Equine Leadership LOVE, ANXIETY AND LABELS By: Jennifer Steers My love of horses and their powerful ability to help human’s heal led me to acquire training and certification in the field of Equine Assisted Learning. Every session I have led a client through with my equine partners has left me humbled and so grateful for the willingness and great lengths the horses go to help them find healing. Horses have a way of getting to the heart of the real issue that is causing a person’s pain. Then they work with them so that they understand. Working with the horses is experiential; my clients feel the teaching, that feeling as well as the lesson they have learned can be called upon time and time again even when they are no longer with the horses. They have a generous nature; one of compassion and a willingness to help heal.

The following are stories that demonstrate the different ways they have helped my clients deal with some of life’s challenges.

Learning to let go and allow love in: Natalie came to me for a session with the horses to see if she could find some way to move forward and look for love again. Her husband Phil, the love of her life, had died suddenly in a car accident two years ago. Natalie had done a lot of work dealing with grief and moving forward but there was still a part of her that was having trouble letting her husband go. She knew she would always love Phil but knew that she was young, wanted to find love again and have children. She needed to keep living. We went out to the geldings’ field where Onyx stepped forward. He was the one who wanted to work with her. We led him in the round pen where Onyx would put his head down low to the ground and then bring it up, look at her and then take a few steps forward. He stopped and would do the same action again, he did it several times before Natalie said - "he is telling me it's ok to pick my head up and to move on".

Onyx looked directly at her as he walked to stand in front of her. Tears began to well up in Natalie's eyes and she and Onyx stood together for a long time sharing the healing energy -one of acceptance and love. While this was going on I couldn't help but notice the head of the herd was no longer grazing but instead he was looking straight at us in the round pen. I wondered if there was more to come.

When Natalie told me she felt complete that she had received a great deal of healing from Onyx we brought him back to the field. Onyx slowly walked away and we were about to as well but Munroe was still looking directly at us. I told Natalie that I thought Munroe was working with us. Munroe is a big, brawny horse who is powerful and masculine; he enjoys being head of the herd and at times can be quite pushy. I was curious as to what was coming but I would never have expected what did. Munroe came over quickly and directly walked right up to Natalie, looked at her and dropped down to his knees.

He lay not on his side but on his knees for several minutes. We watched this odd position wondering what it meant. Onyx then came over and put his muzzle directly over top of Munroe's head- not something you expect the head of the herd to tolerate. Munroe then rolled to his side where he lay for a bit with Onyx standing directly over top of him, his head lowered towards Munroe. Munroe began to roll; Onyx had to take a few steps back to not be hit by Munroe's rolling, he'd been that close. Natalie and I were stunned watching when Onyx then lay down beside Munroe and both horses began to roll again. They both rolled for quite some time, and then lay together for a few breaths before Munroe got up, looked at Natalie and walked away. Onxy got up next and stood beside Natalie. Tears were streaming down her face and they shared a heart breath. Then with a deep contented sigh Onxy slowly moved off, confident that Natalie understood the message not just in her head but felt it in her heart.

February 2017

P a g e | 27

Equine Leadership

Natalie told me that when she first saw Munroe he reminded her of Phil who had been a big, brawny man in life full of confidence and swagger. Natalie told me that she knew this was Phil's way, with the help of Munroe and Onxy, of telling her that he wanted her to move on. Natalie felt that when Munroe lay down and let another horse step up and in to his space and even rest his muzzle on Munroe's head (something that is unusual horse behaviour) was Phil showing her that he was laying down to let another person come in and take his place . The dance of both horses rolling together was for Natalie a message that Phil would always be with her but that there was room for her to love again and deeply and that it was good. Natalie told me when this thought came into her head both horses stopped rolling and then Munroe got up and walked away leaving Natalie with the other horse that represented new love. Onyx stood with her in a final heart connection before he slowly walked away.

We stood there in silence for many minutes in awe of what we had just experienced and the gift those horses had given us. Funnily enough true to Munroe's nature since he was not working with us he chased Onyx away from the water bowl to get a drink. Much more like the Munroe that I knew and loved. This showed us just how hard they had worked and how out of character they had been to get this message across to Natalie. I am pleased to report that a few weeks after our session she met the man that she did end up marrying and will be having a baby in a few short weeks.

Building Playgrounds: Jack's mother was hoping time with the horses might help her son with his anxiety and ADHD. Jack is a sweet 8 year old boy who had a lot of nervous energy and he was very concerned about pleasing others and getting things right. His need to be perfect ended up paralyzing him and caused the anxiety he felt inside which led to melt downs. Jack had no experience with horses but was curious about them.

Over the next 4 weeks we did many different exercises. We watched the horses over the fence where he felt safe, and observed them and their behaviour. We practiced being like horses looking though the eyes of a horse - the wide lens view, to listen like a horse picking up all the minute sounds, to feel the ground under our feet and feel our bodies and how they moved. When we got into the paddock with the horses Jack was able to notice how he felt, when one of the bigger horses came up to him at first he began to get anxious and hyper ventilate. I reminded him to breathe and asked him to take a few steps back and notice how he felt. When he realized he felt ok and not scared we stayed there as did the horse. He continued to practice breathing and when he was ready we slowly made our way over to the horse who stood so still for Jack. Jack was learning to self regulate without putting it into words. He was learning that when he felt anxiety in his body he could stop and breath, that he could take his time and wait till he felt safe and good in his body before moving forward. We did some leading of different horses and when Jack would let his mind wander I was able to gently remind him to be present with his horse. The horses helped a lot with little cues like perking their ears forward which I could use to ask Jack what he thought the horse heard, or was seeing.

Over time you could see Jack on his own beginning to work with breathing around the horses, to be more present and aware of them and not so much in his anxious mind.

February 2017

P a g e | 28

Equine Leadership Our final session made my heart sing. The boy who would not guess or answer for fear of being wrong, who would shut down easily in an anxious state was leading me in a task. We decided to make an obstacle course play ground for the horses to be lead through. Our first task was to build the course, with Jack telling me with confidence and authority, how he wanted it built, what supplies we needed and where we were to put our obstacles. There were no signs of that tentative little boy and I loved it.

Next we each had a horse to lead Jack had a mini horse named Rain and I led a mini named Cecil. Jack lead Rain through the course and when she didn't get all 4 hooves in the circle he designed he told me that it was good enough- this coming from the boy who had to get things perfect. His saying " oh that's good enough - she did a great job" was music to my ears. We completed the course one time and when I asked Jack if he thought we should do it again he said that no he felt they had done a great job and that they had done enough. In just 4 sessions Jack, with the guidance and teaching of the horses, had learned how to pay attention to how he felt in his body and when anxiety started he stopped and would breathe till he felt safe. He learned how to use his 5 senses to be horse like and more present and used them often. He learned to pay attention to the subtle messages his horse was giving him and he learned that good enough is better than perfection any day.

My mirror, my teacher: Before I knew about Equine Assisted Learning and Therapy I was a horse lover and a rider. I would spend hours at the barn with the horses and riding. I always felt a connection with them and the relationship to me was always more important than how the ride went. One day I was captured by a very pretty little horse named Zena. For some reason she drew me in. I asked the barn manager about her and was told that she had just arrived and that she was intended to one day be a school horse but so far was much too nervous. I asked if I could work with her and was given the go ahead with a warning that she had bitten the barn manager very hard the day before so to be careful. I took my time with her, not wanting to be bitten or kicked- she needed patience. I would listen to my gut, to my intuition and spend time with her not asking her to do anything. At first this was strange for her. She would move around and look at me suspiciously. Over time I could see her relax with me. When she did it was time to build her confidence a bit more and we moved to grooming and being led. Each step was slow. I would listen to how I felt in my own body. At one time I wondered why I felt a rush of adrenaline when we entered the arena and I realized that it was not my energy. The rush I felt was from her. I was picking up her energy and I could feel it before she would react. We worked a fine line trying to build her confidence and bring her along without pushing her. If I got too focused on the task and wanting to accomplish a goal she often would act up- she would kick out, or do these funny little hops like she was going to rear or threaten to bite. What I learned was I had gone out of the place of being present and I had gone into my head. I was focused on the goal and the relationship was not my top concern. The moment I realized this I would stop immediately what I was “trying to do" and go to a place where we were successful. I would drop out of my head and back into my heart and my intuition. Other horse people would offer suggestions telling me that I should show her who is boss, punish her for acting up but I wouldn't as she was just scared. How would it help a scared horse feel safe if I tried to force her and she got in trouble for trying to tell me she was not ready? Then it hit me- she was me. I hated school, I'm dyslexic and have several learning disabilities, I would try hard in school and want to do well and fit it but I just couldn't seem to figure it out like the others. I remember many tearful nights doing homework being told to pay attention and having teachers getting frustrated with me because

February 2017

P a g e | 29

Equine Leadership I was not getting it. The more frustrated they got the more anxious and shut down I got, making learning almost impossible in that state. I was like Zena - she was my mirror. When she felt overwhelmed or afraid she resorted to antics like bucking and fussing. When I felt overwhelmed I didn’t act up but I retreated deep inside, my confidence in shreds and the voice in my head saying you’re just too stupid to do this. I saw her, I knew her. She didn't need force or to be shown who was boss she needed patience, creativity and success to build her confidence. She needed someone who believed in her, who had patience and would take the time it needed. When she started to act up she was told gently no and we didn't press forward with our goal we went back to where we had success, where she could relax and feel confident and then and only then would we take a baby step forward. I paid attention to her and how she was feeling. If we had trouble learning something I would find another way to show her instead of repeating the same thing that she didn't get over and over. I heard myself often encouraging her, telling her she had this, telling her she could do this, that she was smart and I truly believed it and in her.

I remember wondering how come I thought I was stupid because I learned differently but I never thought she was stupid not for a moment. I knew she wasn't bad or mean or lazy. She was scared and overwhelmed. I had a way with her that others didn't. She showed me that due to my learning disabilities I had developed into a very good teacher. One who was patient, creative, encouraging, kind and helped build confidence which leads to success. She helped me understand that I was not stupid just as she wasn't. We just needed to learn at our own pace and dare I say it if I had had more teachers with the skills that I developed working with her school would have been a much happier experience for me. Working with her was a gift and we developed a deep trust and loving bond. Thanks to her I pursued training in Equine Assisted Learning, Yoga and Mindfulness training and I use the gifts she taught me when I am working with clients and teaching students. Zena never did become a school horse instead I bought her and she lives on a farm where her job is to teach others more important lessons on the ground and she is a star!

I have shared some examples of how I have witnessed horses working hard to help heal. They use a variety of different techniques to help us understand what we need to learn. They use their powerful intuition to know what they need to do with the energy they are presented. Unlike humans they don’t listen to the words and stories of clients. Instead they feel what is presented to them and with that information they begin to do their work to help clients heal. Horses are non judgemental and that allows clients to feel safe to be vulnerable, often opening up their hearts and letting themselves feel on an entirely new level, one they might never have felt before.

Working with the horses has taught me to open up my heart, listen without needing words and rest in the present moment. As well I have learned to enjoy the richness of being where you are, to flow with emotions, challenges and opportunities and not to judge either people or situations but be present to what is. The generosity, compassion and willingness shown by the horses to help us heal touches me deeply and leaves my heart filled with love and admiration for them and the powerful work they do.

It is a profound honour to work with them.

February 2017

P a g e | 30

Equine Leadership LEADERSHIP AND FOLLOWERSHIP ~ TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN Horses teach us that together with learning to lead; we need to learn to follow

By: Agata Wiatrowska "Lead, lead, follow, lead, follow" - I guess it could be the monologue of one of the mares I have cofacilitated Horse Assisted Education (HAE) programs with since 2011. In this article I would like to share insights from experiences with her in the subject of leadership vs. followership. She has taught me and my clients that followership is not a "second choice" activity but fundamental to every act of leadership.

To be a good leader, it is necessary to be a good follower as well.

It is necessary to know what followership is about and respect it.

Is leadership possible without followership? No, it is complementary. One doesn’t exist without the other. In diverse programs around the world horses assist in leadership enhancement. This has as well been my experience. I have led leadership programs with horses for over 10 years. Even though I was quite open (I thought) to horse knowledge in this subject it took me 7 years to notice that there is something missing: not enough awareness and consciousness towards followership.

Followership is an act, ability and attitude. Especially now when we as humans look for conscious, authentic and wise leadership. In old practice when leadership was connected with having power and ruling, nobody cared about this subject and it was not necessary.

In today’s reality, followers have a voice and the right to say “yes” or “no” towards the art, the subject and the energy of leadership. When we include this, the process of leadership insists on 50% from leadership and 50% form followership. Noticing this makes the difference.

Ariana, my horse teacher in this subject, has co-facilitated in HAE (Horse Assisted Education) development programs 7 years now. She is the lead-mare and loving mother in her horse herd. She loves teaching other horses – new horse members, youngsters, older horses who sometimes act in a way which somehow is not comfortable for the herd. She developed into a ‘horse-trainer’ very quickly.

She soon realized what she needed to do: guide people towards them being a decent herd member (acting as leader or follower according to situation). This sometimes was uncomfortable for me and very challenging for participants. She requires taking the task seriously (no human joking around), 100% focus on her and being present. If not, she leaves. But when she stays one can be sure that it will be a profound lesson on leadership and followership. What does she teach? The main lesson the participants and I took from cooperation with her are:

February 2017

P a g e | 31

Equine Leadership





When we act; we take a step, we do the movement, we point with our finger, we decide on one thought, we decide on one emotion – we both take leadership and we follow. To make the step forward some of our muscles lead and some of our muscles follow. To make a decision we lead with one option and our other parts, who maybe would love to do something else, follow. If this process has a disagreement then we must put additional energy into dealing with it and solve our internal conflicts. When I work with horses it is the first area to focus on in personal development or healing.

When we learn from situations with horses we process aspects of leadership and followership in our body, emotions, mind and soul. In these situations we also encounter our attitude and dialog (or not) with destiny. Destiny: (authenticity) one can follow or fight with it. There is no leadership option here. Horses are masters in following destiny and being in dialog with it. In a teaching context they guide as towards the same ability and attitude.

Integrating leadership and followership in every step brings joyful, powerful and meaningful ways of being alive. I experience it as much more fulfilling than leadership on its own.

k February 2017

P a g e | 32

As we stand together, your eye on me, mine on you, breathing, I am transported out of time, and you are with me.

Peace envelops our space. There is only this moment, stretched to infinity.

Together, we are one.

Coming out of this place of stillness, I realize the gifts you’ve given me.

The gift of Self-recognition, Self-acceptance, Self-love, Self-confidence.

You have shown me, in the stillness lies all answers.

You have shown me, just BE, listen, accept, act.

You have shown me the way; though no words were exchanged, no physical contact was required.

Yet, I know.

Pat Hutchinson

HorseTouch Equine Photos / Location: Horse Spirit Connections, Tottenham, Ontario, Canada

Equine Leadership IN A WAY OUR HEARTS CAN HEAR THEM By: Adele Racine Passmore - Heart Medicine Woman Brianna and her sister Skylar came for a visit with Mickey and Noah, two rescue horses that became the founding members of H.E.L.P. (Human Equine Love Project) and my herd of masterful teachers. They share the land with four herd mates who all carry within them the power to heal humans. I feel so grateful to have them as my four legged partners as I walk in circle with life helping others feel the depth of their own medicine.

On this beautiful fall day Brianna and I were standing at the edge of the field taking in the herd seeking a partner for her session.

Skylar left us and was quite amused by dozens of chicken friends as she waited for her turn with the horses. Brianna and I chatted about her new school, new house, new baby sister and other important things in her life but not specifically about what she was soon to share with one of the horses. Noah was standing quietly by the barn as the rest of the herd remained in the nearby field. I noticed Noah glanced our way letting me know he had some wisdom and medicine to share with this little soul.

I nudged Brianna and asked her if she would like to have a visit with Noah. “Really? I love Noah. I’m so happy he lives here now.” I agreed with her, allowing that feeling of gratitude to fill me. Noah is part Morgan, a smaller breed and is less intimidating in size than some of the others horses at the farm. At the time he was relatively new to the herd and had settled in nicely. Finding his place with his new family. Mickey being the only one he knew prior to arriving.

As we made our way towards him, we talked about boundary lessons from our last visit together.

Without hesitation, while watching Noah for a response to our approach, she replied. “If the horse, I mean Noah, comes to me then I get to set the boundary and because I’m going to him I need to watch for his layers of energy, right?” “You got it!” I said giving her a wink. I was pleased that she remembered and approached in a respectful manner and I followed her lead. Soon the three of us stood together. I could sense Brianna was walking with grief and I offered: “You know horses can talk, right? Well, not out loud but in a way our hearts can hear them. They whisper things that are meant to help us with feelings that we might be having a hard time figuring out.” Brianna was captivated by Noah’s handsomeness and I in his gentleness in that moment as he stood with us. I asked her if she would like to try an exercise as I felt him offering an invitation to this little one.

Brianna looked intrigued and glanced curiously at Noah as he stood completely still except for the slightest of glances towards her and in the afternoon sunshine, he batted his big brown eyes at her.

She was in. After explaining to Brianna what she needed to do in order to connect heart to heart with him, I suggested: “You don’t have to say your words out loud, you can have your conversation in silence, heart to heart and then you can share what you learned from him when you’re ready.”

Brianna took the exercise seriously and stood shoulder to shoulder with Noah. She took several deep breaths, with her eyes closed and her little hand on his neck. Priceless. Noah’s head nodded and Brianna opened her eyes feeling their connection. She was raking his mane with her little fingers as she began to speak softly to him.

February 2017

P a g e | 34

Equine Leadership

"Noah, I've had a lot of loss since last year. I lost my grandma and three of my uncles. One uncle I didn't even know (pausing in words but not in motion of hand or the flow of her emotions) I don't like how sad it makes our family when someone we love dies. I miss my Grandma, we did a lot of fun things together.” Brianna reached up and wiped her eyes. Pausing in reflection she then continued: "But today Noah, you have filled those holes in my heart.

You are so special and such a beautiful horse. I love you Noah and if I could I would marry you." She grinned and shared her sweet smile then she reached around his neck and gave him a big hug. Throughout Noah simply accepted the love and gratitude being offered to him. He stood in deep connection taking in her words acknowledging the love her young heart held for him.

You can imagine how witnessing her words made my heart respond. As she looked towards me I waved her over and inquired if there was anything else Noah might have for her. She nodded and we took our place a few feet away from him. “Did he have a message for you when you were beside him?” I asked knowing the answer. She smiled up at me and said “Yes, he said it was ok to feel sad when we lose someone that we love but they forever live in our heart and sometimes we are lucky to have memories of them. My mom lost her dad when she was young and doesn’t really remember him. I know I’m lucky in that way.” Right on cue Noah nodded his agreement twitching his bottom lip. I told Brianna that Noah wanted me to share some things with her as well. “He’s really proud of you and feels very honoured that you shared with him as you did.” Noah nodded his head as though affirming my words with his lower lip again hanging and quivering as though he was the one speaking. She gave me a surprised look and big smile. Smiling back I explained: “He also wants you to know that you are a very special young girl and to be yourself, not anyone else. He doesn’t want you to believe you have to be like anyone else. You are one of a kind just like he is and like I am.

Does that make sense to you?” She smiled as Noah again nodded his head in agreement. “He wants you to know that all those who have gone before you live in your heart and that he is there as well whenever you need him. Just a heartbeat away.” Brianna smiled watching Noah nodding and staring at her. “It’s like he is really talking. He is so funny, he helps me feel happy”. She then walked over to him to give him another big hug. “Thank you Noah, Thank you for healing my heart.”

Brianna came back my way and offered me a hug which was the icing on the cake for me. And in my ear whispered “Thanks Adele, that was really magical I will never forget it.” Then in her comical way she took me by the shoulders, looked me in the eyes and said “Noah wants me to give him some apples and carrots.

I’m sure that is what he just said.”

I love that my world and work involves inspiring hearts to seek out the wisdom and possibilities that exist within them. Guided by the connection of horse and human and the energy of love. Whether we are 8 or 88 we grieve, in our own way, in our own time and horses effortlessly help hold that space for us to do so.

February 2017

P a g e | 35

Equine Leadership HORSES AS AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE By: Lynda Watson A model of peaceful and positive leadership for ALL; personal, professional & social. Horses lead the way.

My theory: If one can elicit positive change in humans then one is an agent of social change. As a result of their interactions with humans, through the modality of Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL), horses are agents of positive and peaceful lasting social change.

That feels like a bold statement but it is one I believe in with all of my heart and soul. It is the reason I publish this magazine and do the work I do. I have been blessed to live and work alongside horses for 30+ years. I have the seen the change they can facilitate in a person, in a family and in a team. But societal change? Can they elicit that? Is their purpose to bring about social change for mankind?

First let’s define social change. Wikipedia defines it as: an alteration in the social order of a society. Social change may include changes in nature, social institutions, social behaviours, or social relations. Marjorie Brans, Executive Director, School for Social Entrepreneurs of Ontario defines it as something that is: “intangible but when enough change has occurred in peoples' behaviours, attitudes, and laws, we can say that social change has happened.”

If we break that down even further we need to define social and change. Of course, I am going to presume what we are all looking for is positive and lasting change. I hope we can all agree on that.

But social, what is that made up of? Merriam Webster defines social as: of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society, forming cooperative and interdependent relationships with others.

What is at the basis of all of those? We are. Humans. Therefore if we want social change we need to start within ourselves. We can make changes in policies, procedures, etc. but first the transformation must come from deep down. Change is what we make in ourselves and the change we assist others in making of themselves. It is an internal thing.

I’m getting to the horses but would like to tie in one more piece of the puzzle. Characteristics needed to make said change. Daniel Goleman, (Emotional Intelligence – EQ http://www.danielgoleman.info/) breaks down EQ into 2 competences. If we are looking at social change then we must look at the ability to enhance or improve these in humans. Personal Competence - self-awareness and self-management / Social Competence - social awareness and relationship management. As I look through a myriad of articles on the characteristics of agents of social change I see a number that keep coming up. Let’s choose the top 4 (I have sited some articles at the end for your reference).

1. Trust (in oneself and others) 2. Seeing a ‘higher self’, ‘connected to something bigger that brings them joy’ (We could call that passion or one’s authentic calling in life.)

3. Mindfulness / Awareness 4. Empathy

February 2017

P a g e | 36

Equine Leadership

Let us take these 4 and see how horses fit into making change. First I feel we must have a bit more clarity so let me re-frame my theory.

My theory – Version 2: As a result of their interactions with humans, through the modality of EFL, horses are becoming agents of social change. Horses can enhance a human’s; trust, mindfulnessawareness, empathy and connection to something bigger. The results of said interactions create positive and peaceful lasting transformation for mankind.

So how do they do it? How do they help us look deep within to create that internal change which leads to societal change?

Horses are at heart wild animals. Yes, we have domesticated most of them but at heart they are still wild animals with the same fright, flight and fight instincts. They are preyed upon. Even horses that are kept on farms can still be hunted and killed by coyotes, etc. It is the natural cycle of things. With those natural instincts comes a long list of traits that they have to keep themselves safe and out of harm’s way. It is those traits that we can learn so much from and therefore make them agents of social change.

The following are some of those traits:  Horses don’t speak (except for the occasional whinny or snicker). They don’t have a verbal language as we do. Therefore they are reliant on specific ways of communicating in the herd. One on one, or as a community. Non-verbal communication might include a flick of the ears, a kick of a leg, or a bearing of teeth. These are all ways that horses set boundaries amongst each other. They also communicate via energy and intuition. Have you even seen a flock of birds fly in ‘formation’? They seem to know exactly what each other is doing. Are they discussing their flight plan beforehand? No, they are flying on energy. If you were to watch a herd of wild horses run, they do the same. If one horse senses danger, do they stop to talk about it, research it, have a herd meeting?

No, they run on intuition. They would be giving up at least one of their herd members if they went through a process before fleeing. They trust and they run. Simple as that. That energy is ‘heart-centered’ energy. (www.heartmath.org )  Horses are present. They have to be for safety. If they are thinking about something that happened in the past or worrying about something that might happen in the future (sound familiar?) then they are not attentive to what is going on in their environment. They risk missing a very large cue that danger is eminent. In each moment they feel emotions just like we do. The difference is they don’t get ‘stuck’ in those emotions. They get the message behind the emotions, react accordingly and move on or ‘go back to grazing’. They stay present and mindful. All aware of themselves, their herd and the surroundings. They are hyper vigilant. They need to be to stay out of harm's way.  Horses are authentic. They are their authentic selves. They know no other way. And if someone comes into their environment that isn’t they can sense it. They can feel it.  Horses hold space. They are the masters of holding space. To this day I have never found another sentient being that can hold space like a horse. They don’t shame, blame or hold grudges. For none of those are in the present. They are non-judgmental, honest, and empathetic. They genuinely care for each other.

There are so many more characteristics horses have that we can learn from but let’s leave it with those ones for now.

February 2017

P a g e | 37

Equine Leadership So, how do all of these translate to humans and social change? Let’s start with the moment we, as humans, step into the horse’s world, into their environment. Remember their instincts for survival require them to be hyper sensitive to their surroundings. They can read our energy as soon as we come within several hundred yards of them (if not before). Is our heart, breath rate or blood pressure elevated? Yes, they can read that.  Do horses trust each other? Do they trust themselves? Without a shadow of a doubt. If a horse senses danger and starts to move away from it the herd will follow. The horse doesn’t first ask itself. Am I making the right decision, will everyone or anyone agree with me, or even follow me?

No, it moves to safety. All of those things take way too long and could put them in severe peril.

Horses teach us to trust ourselves and if we are working with a team to trust each other. Often to get to this point we need to get to a place of ‘heart connection’. Anyone ever told you to get out of your head? Well, it was good advice. As humans we spend time in our head, lots of it. A horse spends all of its time in its body. Trusting its instincts and intuition. To truly connect with a horse you must come from a place of heart. And that profound connection takes courage and trust on a human’s part as that takes us deep within ourselves. Are we prepared for what we will see and learn?  Are we being authentic? Did you know that when we are inauthentic it raises our blood pressure?

The horses sense all of this and react to it to bring themselves to a place of safety. In our work with EFL we have a myriad of experiential activities that assist the human/team/community in assessing their own characteristics by translating what the horse is doing in reaction to them entering that environment. If said human is not being authentic (i.e. “I’m not afraid” when their heart rate and blood pressure are saying the opposite) then the horse will react in a number of ways. And each reaction says that the horse is not comfortable in that space. If however, the human admits the fear, is honest with it, and is authentic then the horse senses that authenticity and will reflect that to the human. I have seen horses, immediately upon the human becoming authentic, walk over to them and lay their head right on that person’s heart. It is a beautiful confirmation for the human that authenticity works every time. If one can start there to live their own life with authenticity and follow their own soul path then they are connected to that ‘something bigger than themselves’.  How about mindfulness and awareness? Horses only live in the present. When we enter their environment and are stuck in the past or the future then they will definitely have something to say (nonverbally). When we sit in space with horses and drift out of the present then the horses will reflect that. If we are not present then in their view we are not safe to be with. In that moment we are a member of the herd and they need their whole herd to be mindful and aware. They will tell us when we drift off by drifting off themselves and moving away from us, perhaps not collaborating with us, or completely disassociating with us. Either way, when we do as a horse does and feel our emotions in that moment, get the message from and adjust accordingly then we will find the horse connect with us again. As soon as we become mindful and present once more. It might seem that simple and it is but it is also that profound.  Empathy and holding space. I won’t delve too deeply into this one as there is a superb article in this publication about horses holding space and I can’t say it any better than that. Check out Victoria Sambleson’s article: Being Heard – The Art of Holding Space. Spending time in connection with a horse teaches us to hold space like never before.

February 2017

P a g e | 38

Equine Leadership So each of these characteristics is integral for a horse’s survival and each of them are enhanced for us when we work with an EFL ‘translator’. We take the lessons that the horses are reflecting and help integrate them into one’s daily life, into that internal change and ultimately into social change.

I did a bit of research a few years back and asked all of the EFL facilitators I know to name the top 3 most important lessons horses can teach us. The list ended up having 41 characteristics on it. The top 6 were: Mindfulness, awareness, boundary setting (saying yes to yourself), non verbal communication, empathy and trust.

Those tie in exactly with the characteristics that I cited earlier which are needed for social change.

Therefore I summarize that social change, at its roots, is individually based, one person at a time. One person leads to one community which leads to society at large. Be it a policy, a belief, an attitude. All are changed when we make the transformation in ourselves. Horses have the ability to lead us there when we see them as ‘agents of social change’. When we spend time in their presence, listen to their wisdom and hear what they have to say. I conclude that horses are agents of social change and if you don’t believe me get a hold of one of the folks in this magazine or contact a qualified practitioner close to you and go see them. Book a private session, a workshop and see how the horses can change you. One human being. And that is the beginning of positive and peaceful lasting global change.

Horses make ‘a world of change’ in every life they touch.

It's a philosophy of life. A practice. If you do this, something will change, what will change is that you will change, your life will change, and if you can change you, you can perhaps change the world.”

Vivienne Westwood

Articles: http://www.free-management-ebooks.com/faqpp/understanding-07.htm http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-budak/the-three-traits-of-great_b_8707282.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ariane-de-bonvoisin/qualities-of-a-change-age_b_309609.html http://www.peterfuda.com/2012/11/16/15-qualities-of-a-transformational-change-agent/ https://hilamehr.com/2014/07/30/cultivating-empathy-and-internal-awareness-for-social-change/ http://tracyseed.com/empathy-series-empathic-issue-1/ http://jspp.psychopen.eu/article/view/14/html

February 2017

P a g e | 39

Gratitudes To those that have assisted in making Equine Leadership 2 a reality and success: Casey Norris, for your long hours of graphics and formatting as well as modelling for numerous photos with the horses.

To the participants in workshop and sessions whose testimonials and photos were shared.

Photographic Acknowledgements: The horses at Unbridled Experiences The horses at Horse Spirit Connections The ponies at Spirit Horse Run If a photo has not been acknowledged photo credits go to author of said article.

As well as the authors, the horses & humans in each of the articles and you the reader.

From my heart to yours, Lynda Watson

Present page: HorseTouch Equine Photos / Location: Horse Spirit Connections, Tottenham, Ontario, Canada Back page: HorseTouch Equine Photos / Location: Spirit Horse Run, Erin, Ontario, Canada

EQUI NELEADERS HI P

Ho r s e sma k eawo r l do f c h a n g ei ne v e r yl i f et h e yt o u c h .