Horses
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In the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™
The horses’ healing gifts go beyond a passive contribution
In partnership with the human Gestaltist, horses share their excellence in being able to read humans to guide the client to connect to their innermost truth
– without intellectualizing. Since horses are innately disinterested in what we think, but have a deep understanding of our emotional state, they will indicate – during experiences led by the human Gestaltist – when the client loses track of their emotional congruence (for example by walking away). Equally, they give valuable feedback to the client by touching them with their nose or lowering their head in agreement. Quite often, they can be observed tending to the clients’ well-being with what is referred to as ‘leeching’ – pulling negative energy from the human and transmuting it.
“I call horses ‘divine mirrors’ – they reflect back the emotions you put in. If you put in love and respect and kindness and curiosity, the horse will return that.”
– Allan Hamilton
In Equine Gestalt Coaching, we allow the Equine Gestaltist to share their precious gift of being present with the client’s emotions.
In a shared labor of love and kindness, both the equine and the human Gestaltists guide the client to find their authentic truth, and to build a path through the particular situation they are exploring during their session.
As prey animals, horses have relied for centuries on keen awareness of their surroundings for the survival of their species. Their instincts protect them from predators and natural disasters in the wild.
Domesticated horses have developed an impeccable intuition for reading their human partners’ emotional state. Partly as a means of self-preservation, they thrive with their humans’ physical and emotional wellbeing.
The old saying by Winston Churchill goes that “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man”. It turns out that the soothing effect we experience in the presence of a horse goes significantly deeper than gazing at their majestic stature.
In Native American culture, the horse is honored as a healer and a connection point to the spiritual world.
If you have ever experienced the companionship of horses, you may be familiar with the sensation of having them look right into your soul and seeing your essence.
5 Ways Horses can help your Mental Health
Reduce stress and anxiety.
Spending time with horses has been shown to lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone. Horses are also very good at mirroring our emotions, which can help us to become more aware of and to better manage our own feelings.
Build confidence and self-esteem
Horses are large and powerful animals, but they are also gentle and trusting. Learning to work with horses can help us to feel more confident in our own abilities and to develop a stronger sense of self-worth.
Improve communication and relationships
Horses are social animals, and they rely on communication and cooperation to survive. Working with horses can help us to learn how to communicate more effectively and to build stronger relationships with others.
Increase mindfulness and self-awareness
Horses are very present in the moment, and they can help us to learn how to be more mindful of our own thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Equine therapy can also help us to become more aware of our strengths and weaknesses, and to develop coping mechanisms for dealing with difficult emotions.
Provide unconditional love and acceptance
Horses are non-judgmental creatures, and they offer unconditional love and acceptance to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. This can be especially beneficial for people who have experienced trauma or who have difficulty forming close relationships
(source: www.equineinfoexchange.com/recreation-lifestyle/horse-helps- emotional-health)
The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® Study
Studies conducted by The Institute of HeartMath concluded that the electromagnetic field projected by the heart of a horse is five times larger than that of a human being.
This powerful electromagnetic field can influence our human heart rate. The studies further prove that horses have what science defines as a coherent heart rate – a solid measure of the emotional states of calm and joy. These observations lend scientific credibility to the feeling often described as a state of bliss in the presence of a horse.
