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leadership with horses program seattle

Leadership with Horses FAQs

What is Leadership with Horses?

Leadership with Horses is a cutting-edge form of experientially-based leadership development. Individuals and teams work with horses in structured activities to take their leadership to the next level.

This type of equine leadership training program is often described as equine-guided learning, equine-facilitated learning, or equine-assisted learning. The focus is on what horses can teach you about your personal leadership effectiveness rather than developing horsemanship or horseback riding skills.

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What can I expect for myself and my team?

Every program is curated to meet your and your team’s leadership goals. Do you want to learn more about leading with influence? Increase individual and collective self-awareness to strengthen your cultural humility and competence. The ‘real feel’ of connection for effective collaboration? We can help with that.

You and your team participate in a variety of non-mounted (no riding involved) activities with horses that may seem simple yet offer complex lessons in leadership and teamwork. The insights and skill-building practices we introduce often result in deeply personal and collective insight that lasts far beyond your time with us.

You interact with horses in a combination of individual and team exercises to accomplish specific tasks. We enrich your experience with coaching, group discussion, and peer feedback. We also incorporate mindfulness practices, somatic (body) work, reflective exercises, and creativity sessions.

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Why horses?

It's not what you learn about a horse that makes them important. It's what they reveal to you about yourself.

  • Their interactions with your team will reflect your team's dynamics.
  • If you want a horse to cooperate, you must make a genuine connection with them and demonstrate your commitment to partnership.
  • They seek out and willingly respond to trustworthy leadership.
  • Horses pick up nonverbal messages that we miss or are unaware of giving that sabotage our ability to build a connection with others and inspire trust.
  • They give us clear feedback on when we're effective – and when we're not!

What can horses teach us about emotional intelligence

We believe emotional intelligence is the cornerstone of leadership excellence, it’s embedded in everything we do with leadership teams. And we work with horses because they are EQ masters. It's not what you learn about a horse that makes them important. It's what they reveal to you about yourself.

  • They seek out and willingly respond to trustworthy leadership.
  • If you want a horse to cooperate, you must make a genuine connection with them, demonstrate your commitment to partnership and extend and engender trust.
  • Horses pick up nonverbal messages that we miss or are unaware of giving that sabotage our ability to build connections with others and inspire trust.
  • They give us clear feedback on when we're effective – and when we're not!
  • Their interactions with your team will reflect team's dynamics.

You’ll have an opportunity to strengthen your skills in four key areas of emotional intelligence – self-awareness, self-management, relationship awareness, and relationship awareness. Just some of the skill-building areas included:

  • Gaining greater awareness of your communication strengths and gaps.
  • Discovering how your nonverbal messages influence the way others perceive you as a leader.
  • Experiencing a deeper sense of connection with others.

Read this: How Horses Can Teach Us Emotional Intelligence and Effective Leadership

Learning Areas Covered

Every program is customized to suit your needs. Do you want to learn more about leading with influence? What is the importance of connection for effective collaboration? We can help with that. Because we believe emotional intelligence is the cornerstone of leadership excellence, it’s embedded in everything we do with leadership teams.

You’ll have an opportunity to strengthen your skills in four key areas of emotional intelligence – self-awareness, self-management, relationship awareness, and relationship awareness. As a result, you will:

  • Gain greater awareness of your communication strengths and gaps.
  • Discover how your nonverbal messages influence how others perceive you as a leader.
  • Experience a deeper sense of connection with others.

How many people can attend?

Groups from four to 100 at a time have attended Leadership with Horses. We regularly work with teams of 25 – 30. We were the first and are one of the few companies that are able to facilitate large groups for Leadership with Horses sessions.

We have access to large facilities and herds of horses. We have the experience and know-how to create a team experience that has an intimate feel, during which everyone has the opportunity to participate in 100% of the activities.

What if we’re not in Washington State?

We have relationships with equine facilities all over the country and abroad. You can come to us (Washington State is amazing) or we can come to you. In Washington, we proudly partner with the award-winning Willows Lodge, and many of our clients from out-of-town stay there. We regularly partner with SAFE Horse Rescue in Redmond.

What if I’m afraid of horses? Can I still benefit from this program?

Absolutely. We encourage and support all clients to proceed at their own comfort level. The calm, collected energy of horses can be a great way to overcome anxiety. We work with all kinds of horses, including donkeys and miniature horses – sometimes, size does make a difference.

We have seen many people who have some initial anxiety about horses choose to participate fully in at least some of the exercises. However, no one is ever forced to do something they feel uncomfortable doing. Our program specifically provides alternate and meaningful roles for those who may not be ready to interact directly with the horses.

Sometimes leaders are ready to confront their fear and go deeper with the guided support of our facilitators and horses. Their courage and vulnerability can be powerful lessons for the entire group.

What do I wear?

Dress for the weather! Although we often work in a covered arena, you will spend a great deal of time outdoors in unheated and non-insulated facilities. We recommend:

  • Comfortable clothing that you do not mind getting a little bit dusty, perhaps even dirty. Depending on the weather, you may need sunscreen and a hat. Or you may need to dress in layers and bring gloves.
  • Wear protective footwear. This means sturdy, closed-toe, and closed-heel sneakers or boots. Do not wear ballerina shoes, flip-flops or bare feet!
  • Do not wear anything that dangles and can get caught or tied up.

What does it cost?

Sessions are a minimum of four hours. One to three-day options are available. All of our sessions are curated to you and your team’s leadership goals. We will do a discovery session with you to decide the best plan. Cost depends on the number of people, and the length of the program that is best suited for your desired outcomes and includes:

  • Credentialed facilitators, horse handlers, all additional staff, and a professional photographer.
  • Facility rental includes arenas, a herd of horses skilled in this work, and equipment, including tables, chairs, beverages, and snacks.
  • A virtual, one-hour prep session before your event.
  • A virtual follow-up session for your team.
  • A video that captures memories of the day delivered to you online. An opportunity to purchase additional photographs of your experience.
  • Meals before, after, or during the event are additional. If you do not have other plans, we can help you arrange anything from a picnic lunch to a white tablecloth dinner with cocktails at the facility.
  • Travel costs for any program outside a 25-mile radius of King County, Washington State are additional.

Executive coaching sessions are also available.

Do you offer additional facilitation and leadership development services?

Yes, we do. Contact me to discuss your additional facilitation needs.

Where can I learn more?

Visit us at Leadership with Horses on Facebookand LinkedIn.

For last the fifteen years I’ve been blessed to work with Amanda as my executive coach (at least three times!), strategic planner, and trainer. Now, she’s helping me build the most amazing leadership team. Her huge heart, and willingness to call it like she sees it, are the perfect combination for a coach. She really believes in me/us/you.  I’ve always enjoyed her style, but over the last couple of years she’s helped my team grow into even more amazing leaders. My organization is a team of do-gooders fighting for what’s right.  We’re doing in it a complex political environment. Each week, we’re faced with institutional racism and human suffering.  Lots of people intend to do good, but change is hard. Her work with the leaders on my team has been game changing. Not only are we finding better ways to take care of ourselves, we’re also finding and honoring the parts of us that make us who we are. There aren’t enough accolades to share my profound gratitude for her work with me and my teams.

Alison Poulson

Executive Director, Better Health Together

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