“The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom.”
– Sharon Ralls Lemon

EFLC

What is EFLC?

 

Equine Facilitated Learning and Coaching (EFLC) is based in the philosophy that through interacting and creating relationships with horses a person may explore and learn new ways of understanding how they interface with themselves and the world around them. Horses are nonjudgmental beings that facilitate learning in a positive and immediate experiential manner. The Horses are amazing teachers, enabling fast, clear and sustainable learning. It is often easier to learn a life lesson from a 1000 pound horse, than through a friend, supervisor, business partner or counselor. There are no pre-established judgements or defensive posturing that often block learning experiences with our human counterparts.

 

During sessions with horses, the horse’s nature brings to the surface aspects of the client (beliefs, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, habits, skill levels) that they may have previously been unaware of. Once the person reaches new levels of awareness of self, higher levels of trust, intimacy and respect are reached with the horse. The learning happens on a visceral experience and lodges deeply into the memory cells of the body. Through understanding the horse and the horse’s nature, and learning in the moment how best to communicate with horses, the human’s growth is exponential. It is only through great levels of understanding and mutual acceptance and awareness that higher more intelligent levels of communication can emerge.

 

The programs I provide honor the horse for the teachings they provide for the client and offer additional support through coaching conversations. As an experienced trained and certified coach I have the conversation and communication skills and tools to help the client have a full understanding of their equine experience and how to apply that experience into their everyday life. I am dedicated to providing processes of partnering with a horse to make substantial changes in a person’s health, relationships, career, and time/money freedom allowing them to step into a freer fuller expanded life they love.

WHY HORSES?

A horse in its natural state of being is a mirror, amplifier and teacher/guide for humans. Through interacting with a horse in an EFLC session guided by horse and human coach that encourage awareness of body, mind, heart and spirit, the horse acts as a conduit for authenticity, learning and change for the client. The client gains new awareness, insight, knowledge, skills, behaviors and understanding about self and others during the interaction. The coach applies powerful coaching questions to help integrate and apply the learning with the horses during and after the session. The coach also helps the client see how they can take their new learning and apply it into other areas of their life.

 

Horses are prey animals and as such, are masters of multi-sensory somatic awareness. They possess a strong flight response, spending the majority of their time in their reptilian brains (amygdala) where they sense and feel what is happening in their environment. Their innate senses have remained highly tuned, their bodies acoustical instruments reading all that is around them. In addition, their eyes are on the sides of their heads, giving them a wide view of all that is occurring. Their survival in the wild depends on their ability to “read” subtle cues in the behaviors and intentions of predators and react immediately to keep themselves safe. As body centered beings, they live fully in the present moment and are models of mindful, heart based, body centered awareness. Domesticated horses have not lost this ability.

 

In relationship with humans (predators), they will use their innate intuition and natural state of presence to evaluate a person’s energy (beliefs, thoughts, emotions, feelings), intentions and body language. They reflect the truth of the physical, mental, and emotional state of the humans around them: the imbalances and incongruities, as well as the strengths and gifts. They engage with the true being that lives inside, demanding we “get real” and express authenticity and congruence at every level. Horses never try to please you, they are fiercely independent, never lie, responding immediately with honesty and accuracy, without agenda or judgement (about age, gender, intellect, social status, disability, right or wrong, good or bad). The horse may choose to move away, not move, connect with you, walk with you, or ignore you completely, providing dynamic information moment by moment. They don’t ask that your energetic state change or be different, it just needs to be acknowledged. The moment the mask is removed and authentic feelings are acknowledged, an agitated horse will sigh, lick its lips or show some other sign of release.

Humans by nature are predators with our eyes in the front of our heads, looking forward, making things happen, focused on our goal in a linear fashion. Often we ignore what our body system is telling us about a person or situation, and we rely only on what our logical brain is processing.

 

The result is that we cut ourselves off from accessing all the information available to us. Learning to be more horse-like, quieting the monkey mind, being present in this moment gives access to our bodies sensations, feelings and emotions offering a broader range of information and a wider view.

 

Horses are social beings creating and sustaining close relationships with other herd members based on authenticity, acceptance, cooperation and deep affection. They highly value their social structure and their ability to work as a team. In the herd, there is a clear hierarchy of leadership where the herd leader (many times a boss mare) is responsible to remain on alert, allowing the rest of the herd to rest and eat. They rely on each other and once their positions are clear, and respect is earned, then they relax and work together as a team. Without it their survival is threatened.

Humans are also social. Horses have much to teach us about how we interact with one another by bringing our awareness to the impact our non-verbal communication, energy, intent and leadership styles have on those around us.

Research has shown that simply being around horses lowers blood pressure and heart rate, increases beta-endorphin levels, decreases stress levels, reduces feelings of anger, tension and anxiety. They take us much more quickly down the path of changing old patterns that no longer work and creating new ways to thrive.

 

The beauty of learning experientially with the horses is that it really sinks in. You don’t have to remember what the book or experts say. You have a deeply felt experience with the horse and it stays with you.

HOW THE EFLC SESSIONS ARE STRUCTURED:

Private EFLC mini retreat: $500

 

  • 30 minute phone or zoom discovery session to explore your needs prior to the session.
  • Client pre-session documents that will be emailed to you to review and complete.
  • 3 hour (approx) onsite mini retreat EFLC session: You will be given the essential teachings of the horse and then will meet the herd. Once you have chosen your horse, I will review round pen safety. You will then experience a mind-body integration process outside of the round pen followed by your reflective round pen session with the horse. After the round pen session is complete, we will take some coaching time to integrate your experience and you will complete a worksheet to take home with you.
  • 30 minute follow up coaching call to help integrate your experience and answer any questions.
  • Additional private EFLC sessions: $350
  • 2 hour EFLC session designed specifically for your needs
  • 30 minute follow up coaching call to help integrate your experience and answer any questions.

 

Multiple sessions (3-6) are highly recommended to experience additional teachings of the horses and continue the expansion of your awareness and ongoing support.Choose from the following prepaid special offers:

 

Initial EFLC session and 2 additional EFLC sessions (SAVE $120)          $1080

Initial EFLC session and 3 additional EFLC sessions (SAVE $230)          $1320

Initial EFLC session and 4 additional EFLC sessions (SAVE $380)          $1520

Initial EFLC session and 5 additional EFLC sessions (SAVE $560)          $1690

 

  • Whether you have worked with horses your whole life or are unfamiliar with them, are inspired by them or are frankly scared of them, this coaching experience can benefit you. I am honored to coach and witness the process of every client. Each session is always perfect. I trust my client’s inner knowing and the wisdom of the horse.
  • Individual sessions are tailored to your needs and occur onsite at MoonDance Ranch. Sessions may include: Reflective Grooming, Reflective Round Pen, Active Round Pen, Opportunity Course, Meditation with Horses, and much more!
  • Coaching sessions are hands on with horses on the ground and no horse experience is necessary.
  • Custom combinations of Life Coaching, EFLC sessions and Medicine Horse sessions are available and custom group playshops can be designed for your specific group and goals (2-8 people, 1-3 days).

Discover what the Horses have to teach you!