by June Voldseth, Cowgirl Retreats, True Grit and Grace Coaching
Introduction: This capstone focuses not on the coaching horse working with the client in the round pen, but rather on the behavior of a herd of 30 horses. These horses have the freedom to roam across 500 acres, yet they choose to come together and observe. They actively participate in coaching sessions, engaging in gestalt practices to facilitate healing.
Significance: The significance is to acknowledge and honor the horses’ innate desire, understanding, and willingness to help the human heal and to engage in the gestalt process.
Purpose: The goal of the project was to investigate horses’ preferences for participating in gestalt sessions, to observe how different horses interacted with various clients, and to determine the increased effectiveness of sessions when multiple horses were involved.
Setting and Participants: The setting for this experience was Bonanza Creek Ranch in Montana, specifically in the covered arena. Several coaching horses were kept in a corral approximately 40 feet away, while the remainder of the herd, totaling around 30 horses, grazed in a 500-acre pasture. During the retreats, these horses typically gather at the nearest fence to the arena, which is about 60 feet away.
Each retreat accommodates eight participants who sit in a circle under the covered arena every morning for three days. One participant at a time works in the round pen with a coach and a coaching horse, while the other participants observe from the circle. This inquiry was conducted during 10 retreats (for a total of 30 sessions) in 2023 and 2024, as well as a few private sessions.
Capstone Description/Process: There are eight clients at a retreat, participating in a three-hour session that includes both group discussions and individual coaching sessions.
For each session, a horse is chosen from a selection of about four horses known as “good coaching horses.” The other coaching horses remain in a nearby corral, available for use by other clients later. The remaining horses are in a large pasture, where they typically graze, but today they have wandered back to take part in the activities. As different horses are selected to participate, a wrangler notes which horse is chosen, what they are doing, and who the client is.
Capstone Results/Impact: The results were incredible! Different horses in the pasture and corral would step forward for various clients, stretching over the fence or nudging the gate to be the chosen one to help and heal. Others would pantomime, lie down, listen, open their hearts, or simply hold space. Sometimes, they would all run off and then return, often guided back by one horse.
The client group in the circle was in awe as they observed the work and healing facilitated by so many horses. The power and willingness of the horses to offer support had a significant impact.
The effect on the clients was the gift of strength, courage, and healing from multiple horses. Although the clients were generally unaware of this process as they focused on their session, the experience held profound depth.
Capstone Evaluation: It was a fascinating exploit that highlighted the love horses have for humans and their remarkable ability to heal us.
Future Directions: I will read more to better understand horses and their interactions with humans. I will continue to observe, appreciate, and honor their willingness to participate, while also recognizing the strengths of each horse. Additionally, I will allow them to engage more with the clients.
Acknowledgments: My love and appreciation first to Melisa Pearce for her insight into and sharing her knowledge of the horse/human/healing relationship through Touched by A Horse, and for her encouragement and kindness in opening my mind and heart to do this work.
A huge thank you to Bob McArthur for his patience in being my first coach, to Peggy McArthur for her beautiful guidance through EGCM™, and to Marsha Bresseck for guiding me with love and honesty through GCM™. And to Tom and Jaclyn Manzione for helping me through this project. My appreciation to Taylor Berg and Pam Burr for taking notes on the behavior of the horses and loving it as much as I do. My appreciation to my husband David for his support in building a lodge, cabins, a herd of horses and living in such a beautiful healing place.
References:
Pearce, M (2015). Equusology. Touched by a Horse, Inc.
Pearce, M. (2019). What the Heck is Gestalt? Touched by a Horse, Inc
Rashid, M. (2015). Horses Never Lie. Skyhorse Publishing