Leading with Hooves: Exploring the Transformative Benefits of Equicoaching in Business

What if we could learn from animals? A client asked us for an equicoaching experience in order to integrate it into an iNNERSHiP change program in her company. Caroline Jost, co-founder of iNNERSHiP, spent a day with the participants to explore, with them, this very fashionable coaching.

Equicoaching, also known as horse-assisted therapy, is a form of coaching that involves the use of horses to help people better understand their behavior and communication.

 The adventure begins at Wasabi Coaching, in the Laurentians in Quebec. The horses are free there. Horses are prey animals. For their safety, they stay in herds. Quickly, it is easy to understand that each horse has a well-defined role within the group. The exercises are chosen according to the audience and the objectives. At first sight, it seems easy to do but the participants fail very quickly.

‍Why ? The reasons are specific to each: disconcentration, listening problem, willingness to do too well, non-alignment, fear... This innovative approach is increasingly popular with business leaders, and is often chosen particularly for the development of soft skills. Here are three of the main benefits detected by leaders during this session:

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Discover your type of communications and leadership

Horses are very social animals that communicate primarily through body language. They can be very expressive and responsive to non-verbal cues from humans. This coaching can help leaders develop their non-verbal communication and leadership skills by helping them understand how their behavior and body language affect their team.

The horse is a magnifying mirror of your authenticity

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Manage stress and pressure in change

Business leaders often face high levels of stress and pressure, which can affect their performance and their ability to make informed decisions. Equicoaching can help reduce stress by providing a break from professional life and creating a calm and soothing environment in the company of horses. Horses have a unique ability to sense and react to human emotions, which allows leaders to better understand their own behavior and better manage their stress.

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Develop emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage one's own emotions, as well as those of others. It's an essential skill for business leaders because it allows them to better communicate with their team, resolve conflict, and inspire others. Equicoaching help leaders to develop their emotional intelligence by teaching them to better understand their own emotions and helping them to interact with horses effectively.

At the end of the session, we have seen concrete results. The participants testify to having considerably improved their self-confidence, make progress in realising his/her leadership style and improve their ability to solve problems, after a single session of equicoaching. Additionally, participants reported improved nonverbal communication, ability to connect with others, and ability to work in teams.

That is why we have decided to add one session of equicoaching to one of our iNNERSHiP development program because it was aligned with the company's objectives. Discover the Women Leaders program designed especially for a video game group in Montreal to grow and gain impact as a leader. A positive and concrete impact on the soft skills of the participating leaders, as well as on the corporate culture (video in french).