A Window Into a Different Rhythm
As I looked out my office window the other day, a deer ran across the pasture. Moments like that remind me why I love living here. It’s not unusual to see wildlife moving through the land—turkeys strutting along the fence line, coyotes slipping through at dusk, and the occasional skunk, opossum, or groundhog wandering past.
A few days ago, a raccoon casually sauntered across my back patio as if it owned the place.
These small encounters with nature enhance my life in ways that are hard to fully explain. There’s something about the rhythm of the land and the quiet presence of animals that shifts your perspective.
But the greatest gift is something even closer.
The Horses Outside My Window
From my windows, I can see my horses.
For more than 30 years, I didn’t live in the same place as them. Being able to look up from my desk and see them grazing in the pasture is something I never take for granted.
Their presence alone changes the atmosphere. I believe it reduces anxiety simply to be able to be with them every day. That doesn’t mean anxiety disappears completely—life still happens—but it softens. It settles.
Horses have a remarkable ability to regulate the energy around them. When we spend time with them, our nervous systems often begin to mirror their steadiness. Our breathing slows. Our thoughts become clearer.
Many people report that their energy shifts simply by being near them.
Getting to the Point
One of the things horses do extraordinarily well is help people get on point about decisions they’ve been struggling with.
When something is circling endlessly in your mind, horses often help cut through the noise.
They have an uncanny ability to help you discover where a reaction is really coming from. Maybe it traces back to a traumatic moment in childhood. Maybe it’s something that happened only a few years ago that still lingers beneath the surface.
As people talk through what they’re experiencing, horses respond to authenticity. My mentor calls this the equidetector.
If someone is speaking their truth, the horse tends to relax and stay engaged. But when someone is saying what they think should be true rather than what actually is, the horse often shifts, moves away, or changes their behavior.
They know.
What Clients Report
The nature of the Gestalt work we share with people is both grounding and energizing at the same time. It helps people settle into themselves while also discovering new clarity.
Clients often report arriving feeling scattered or overwhelmed.
They leave feeling calm, centered, and very much on point.
I love a story about my horse Patty that demonstrates just how intuitive horses can be.
During a demonstration, I had a participant walking around the round pen doing simple math out loud. The purpose was to bring her into her head. Then I planned to ask her to share something emotionally meaningful to help bring her awareness into her heart and body.
But before I even asked that question, something interesting happened.
About a third of the way around the pen, the participant stopped and said, “This takes me back to third grade.”
I hadn’t asked for emotions yet.
But Patty knew her job.
She made a beeline straight to the participant, standing quietly beside her as if to offer support for the feelings that had already begun to surface.
They know.
A Different Kind of Conversation
Working with horses creates a window into ourselves that can be difficult to access through conversation alone. Their presence enhances awareness, gently reflects what we’re experiencing, and helps us discover clarity that was already within us.
Sometimes all it takes is slowing down long enough to notice.
If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply curious about what horses might help you discover, let’s talk.
Sometimes one conversation is all it takes to see if this kind of work might be the right fit for you.
Every story needs a soundtrack.
This is the one I’ve chosen for this post—sometimes because of the title, sometimes the lyrics, sometimes simply the feeling it stirs in me.
The Stable Song – Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony
