What is horse-assisted coaching?
Horse-assisted coaching at a força is body-based coaching in which you work with a horse from the ground, in The Hague and Leiden. No riding, no grooming: exercises that show how you set boundaries and react under pressure. It gets past your words, your strategies and your masks.
Working with the body, not just the head
Horse-assisted coaching is a form of coaching in which you work together with a horse. Not riding, not grooming, but doing exercises on the ground that show you something about yourself. About how you set boundaries, how you react under pressure, how you relate to others.
The horse doesn't respond to what you say. It responds to what your nervous system is doing. That takes it past your words, your strategies, your masks. It shows what is really going on.
That makes it confronting. And effective.
What happens when words stop helping
Sometimes it isn't in your head. It's in your body, in patterns you can't explain but can feel. The tension that won't lift. The pattern you keep falling back into. The sense that you're functioning but not living.
Horse-assisted coaching offers a different way in. No riding, no grooming. Instead, exercises on the ground that show you something about yourself. About how you set boundaries, how you react under pressure, how you relate to others.
The horse doesn't respond to what you say. It responds to what your nervous system is doing. That takes it past your words, your strategies, your masks.
That makes it confronting. And effective.
How does it work?
Horses are prey animals. They scan their surroundings for safety continuously — not with words, but through body language, heart rate, breathing and muscle tension. If you are tense, the horse notices before you do.
As a coach I translate what happens between you and the horse. Not for you. I help you see what the horse is showing you — and what you can do with it.
The way a força works is grounded in body-based insights into nervous-system regulation and interoception. We follow the science critically — including where it is still developing.
Who is horse-assisted coaching for?
Individual
One-to-one programmes for burnout, trauma, neurodivergence or personal blocks. Tailored, at your own pace. With no pressure to perform.
Teams and organisations
Team days and leadership programmes. Psychological safety, collaboration and neuro-inclusion — made visible by the horses.
Coaches and professionals — Train-the-Trainer
Training for coaches and mental health professionals who want to learn the three-axes methodology. With or without horses. CRKBO-registered.
Specialisms
Neurodivergence
For high-masking professionals with autism, ADHD or giftedness. Low-stimulus, body-based, with no pressure to perform.
Trauma and PTSD
Body-based support alongside or after therapy. Boundaries, safety and release at the level of the nervous system.
Which horses do you work with?
I work with Myrna and Easter, two mares with very different characters.
Myrna is a wise 25-year-old Haflinger. She offers protection, calm and connection. Especially at the start of a programme.
Easter is a Shetland pony and a born leader. She challenges, mirrors directly and won't settle for half measures.
Together they create a dynamic that makes every session different.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Can't find your question here? Book a free, no-obligation introductory call through my online calendar at the bottom of this page.
Do I need experience with horses?
No. You don't have to ride and you don't need any knowledge of horses. Everything you need, you'll learn on the spot.
What exactly happens in a session?
You do exercises on the ground with the horse. There is no riding. I guide you and translate what happens between you and the horse. Every session is different, depending on what is at play for you.
Is horse-assisted coaching therapy?
No. It is coaching, not therapy. It works well alongside or after therapy. For serious symptoms I refer on and coordinate with your practitioner.
Who is it not suitable for?
If you have acute psychiatric symptoms or are in crisis, horse-assisted coaching is not the right first step. Please contact your GP or practitioner first.
How long does a programme last?
Most programmes consist of 4 to 8 sessions of 90 minutes. We decide together what fits your situation.
Which languages do you work in?
Dutch, English and French. And soon Portuguese as well.
Where do the sessions take place?
In The Hague (Poeldijkseweg 47) and Leiden (Vlietweg 82). From spring 2027 also in Tomar, Portugal.
Curious?
Click the calendar icon to schedule a free, no-obligation introductory conversation with me quickly and easily.
You're welcome to come to the office, or we can meet by phone or video call.
