Recently, a friend of mine—Diego, a coach and colleague—invited me to spend some time at one of his favorite places in the world: an equestrian center.

I assumed Diego simply wanted to visit his favorite horse, Erik, and maybe do some riding. Since I have zero experience with horses, I figured I’d go along, enjoy the fresh air, and bring my camera to take some photos under the golden sun.

Little did I know, this was a trap—a beautiful one.

An Unexpected Journey into Horse Coaching

What followed was an unplanned journey into Horse Coaching. Had I not experienced it firsthand, I wouldn’t have understood its depth. But through it, I discovered that Horse Coaching is another powerful way to work with the subconscious mind.

Before this experience, I only knew horses as part of pet therapy. I thought that being around a sensitive animal like a horse helped people reconnect with their bodies and the present moment, allowing them to focus on their body sensations.

As a matter of fact, there’s much more to it than that.

Meet Erik

Erik isn’t just any horse—he’s a therapy horse. Diego affectionately calls him Magic Erik, and after what happened, I can confirm: the name is well deserved.

From the moment we arrived, there was no horseback riding involved, just 'hanging out'. Erik is old, calm, and incredibly kind. I was surprised at how quickly I felt at ease around him, despite being slightly intimidated by his sheer size.

We spent our time quietly—Diego brushing Erik, gently petting him, while I captured their connection through my lens. Now and then, Diego invited me to interact more closely, but I was content behind the camera—observing and admiring.

Towards the end of our visit, Diego asked me,“Would you like to take a short walk or run with Erik?”

He showed me how simple it was: Erik on a lead, jogging beside you like a giant dog. I decided to give it a try. At moments, it felt more like he was walking me! But it went well. We finished our little run and paused.

I placed my hand on Erik’s nose—my favorite part of a horse—and smiled.
Then… something shifted.

One Energy Field

Erik, who had been gentle and still all day, suddenly began sneezing sharply, almost agitated. Then, he started stomping his back leg against the ground.

I instinctively turned to Diego and said, “Something’s wrong. He’s stressed.”

Diego nodded—surprised, too.

He had told me that horses are prey animals, and because of that, they have developed a strong sensitivity to energy and the ability to attune to emotional states in their environment.

He explained that when horses are in a group, and one of them isn’t feeling well, the others try to improve that horse’s state—for the wellbeing of the herd, because it means a higher chance for survival.

I thought about it. In that moment, I turned inward and ran a quick body scan. I realized that Erik’s behavior could very well be a response to my energy.

And there it was: A dense energetic block in my stomach.

It was me. I hadn’t noticed it.

The joy and calm I had just felt probably allowed this old wound to surface. The feeling wasn’t connected to anything in my present—it was an old imprint, a deeply rooted emotion from childhood that, in my body, felt like facing death.

The Mirror of the Horse

I told Diego about the energy block. It was overwhelming.

Erik was absorbing the emotional charge—and was trying to let it go. Just like wild animals shake off stress after escaping an attack, Erik was releasing my stress through his own body.

As the intensity grew in me, Erik gently backed away and moved about 5–6 meters from where I stood. Diego observed and said:

“That’s his way of saying, This is too much.”

I was stunned.

It felt as if a unified energy field had been created through our proximity. His larger body and steady nervous system had likely helped me enter a deep state of calm—and in that calm, my subconscious allowed the buried impression to rise.

Just like in Vipassana meditation, where after days of practice the stored sankharas (mental impressions) begin to dissolve...

This happened in an hour,
under the sun,
next to a horse.

Space, Stillness, and Surrender

At the peak of it all, not only did Erik step away—but Diego began to feel discomfort too, and gently moved back as well.

I stood there, alone in the wide field, under the bright daylight. Eyes open. Glasses on. Present.

I allowed the sensation to unfold. I didn’t resist it—I simply stood, feeling, witnessing. The way I would in my Body Integration practice.

I could feel the emotional charge, but I wasn’t allowing it to be fully visible on the outside. I felt vulnerable. Diego noticed and asked,“Why won’t you let it out? I can see you crying.”

He could sense the sorrow, the grief rising through my body—even if I wasn’t visibly showing it.

Then, as the charge softened little by little, Erik returned. Calm. As if nothing had happened.

So What Was That?

This wasn’t just an emotional release, it was Horse Therapy in its truest form.

By simply being himself, Erik mirrored my subconscious and helped bring a deep, dormant mental impression to the surface. It’s an emotion I’ve met before in meditation—One I remember well.

Erik felt it.
Held it.
Stepped away when he needed to.
And came back when it was safe.

Why It Matters

This experience taught me that horses are effective healers.

• They hold a larger, more coherent energy field than we do. Their electromagnetic field—due to their size and openness—can hold space for us in ways we cannot predict. A horse’s presence alone can reveal what is hidden within us, bringing it to light.

• Their hearts are steady. Their presence is pure. Horses live in their subconscious. As animals, they don’t have an analytical, thinking mind, like humans. Because of this, being near a horse can slow down our heartbeat, their nervous system helps regulate our own.

Horse coaching isn’t simply about being present. It’s about allowing a gentle prey animal to offer its gift: To help release what no longer serves us.

Because healing doesn’t always happen in isolation.
Sometimes, it happens under the sun,
beside a gentle horse,
with a magic heart.

If this resonates with you, I wholeheartedly recommend exploring a session—whether with Diego, or a trusted horse coaching practitioner near you.