Question 1

What is Equus Coaching?

Accepted Answer

Equus Coaching is a unique, transformational experience that blends life coaching with the intuitive wisdom of horses. It’s not about riding, it’s about partnering with horses on the ground to gain powerful insight into your inner world. Horses are deeply sensitive, non-verbal beings who respond honestly to the energy, emotions, and presence we bring into their space. In an Equus session, the horse acts as a mirror...revealing unconscious patterns, emotional blocks, or areas where you’re out of alignment with your truth.

As your coach, I guide you through this experience to help you:
Recognize where you’re giving away your power.
Strengthen your boundaries and confidence.
Reconnect to your body’s wisdom and intuition.
Return to the truth of who you are..before the world told you who to be.

Whether you’re navigating a life transition, healing emotional wounds, or simply longing to come home to yourself, Equus Coaching offers a deeply grounded, soul-led path forward.

Question 2

How is Equus Coaching different from equine therapy?

Accepted Answer

Equus Coaching is designed for cognitively and physically healthy individuals who are seeking support in their own personal growth. They have a desire to better embody genuine personal leadership, improve the quality of their relationships, and explore a deeper level of trust to their own spiritual connection.Equine therapy has a slightly different focus. Equine therapy tends to focus therapeutic approaches towards physical and physiological rehabilitation of a challenged patient. Equine therapy will often seek to partner with licensed family therapists or mental health practitioners to support the client’s needs.

Question 3

Why horses?

Accepted Answer

Horses are uniquely powerful partners in coaching because of their sensitivity, presence, and non-judgmental feedback. As prey animals, horses are wired to be highly attuned to their environment, especially to the emotional and energetic states of those around them. They can sense what’s happening beneath the surface, often before we’re even aware of it ourselves.Unlike dogs, who tend to please, or cats, who tend to detach, horses respond to humans in a completely honest and grounded way. They don’t care about your job title, your story, or whether you’re “getting it right.” They care about congruence...is your energy matching your intention? Are you present? Are you in integrity with yourself? This makes horses exceptional mirrors. They reflect back our unconscious patterns, boundaries, leadership styles, and emotional blocks..not to judge, but to invite us into deeper truth and alignment. Their size and presence also create a natural space for:Somatic awareness (you feel your body differently near a 1,000lb being).Emotional regulation.Embodied learning, not just thinking about change, but experiencing it.In short: horses show us what we can’t always see in ourselves and they do it without saying a word.

Question 4

Do you do online coaching sessions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I do! Depending on your needs and goals, I often incorporate online coaching sessions in between in-person Equus sessions to support integration, reflection, and continued growth. If you’re not local, we can also work fully online. These sessions are held via Zoom and run for 50 minutes. While they don’t include direct interaction with a horse, they are still deeply powerful offering space for clarity, transformation, and meaningful breakthroughs.

Question 5

What is a Psychic + Spiritual Guidance Reading?

Accepted Answer

A Psychic + Spiritual Guidance Reading is a 40-minute Zoom session that combines psychic insight with a personalized spiritual guidance conversation.For the first 20 minutes, I focus entirely on the psychic reading. I tune into your energy and the situation you're bringing forward and share the impressions, messages, patterns, and intuitive insights that come through. You can come with a specific question or situation, or allow the reading to unfold naturally.For the second 20 minutes, we shift into a one-on-one conversation about what came through. This is where we explore the insights on a deeper level and connect them to what you're currently experiencing. We can talk through patterns, relationships, decisions, transitions, spiritual questions, or anything that surfaced during the reading. This portion has a coaching element, but the focus is on spiritual direction and helping you find clarity through the information that came through in your reading.The goal isn't to tell you exactly what to do or give you a predetermined answer. It's to offer another perspective, bring what's beneath the surface into awareness, and help you connect with your own intuition and sense of direction.40 minutes · Zoom · 20-minute psychic reading + 20-minute spiritual guidance conversation · No discovery call requiredThis offering is separate from My Equus Coaching and Zoom 1:1 coaching.

Question 6

Where are you located? Are you willing to travel?

Accepted Answer

I’m based in beautiful Laguna Hills, California, where I work alongside my two incredible horses, each offering their own unique energy and wisdom.Most sessions involve working with one horse at a time, though occasionally, both may be incorporated depending on the flow and intention of the session.In special circumstances, I’m open to traveling to you. If I come to your location, there must be at least one horse available for the session, as I do not trailer my horses away from their home environment. For all off-site sessions, travel expenses, per diem, and accommodations (if needed) are the responsibility of the booking client.

Question 7

Do I need to have horse experience?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. No prior horse experience is necessary.All of our work takes place on the ground, there’s no riding involved.Whether you’re completely new to horses or already comfortable around them, I’ll guide you through the experience step by step. Your comfort and safety are always the top priority, and we’ll begin with a clear safety orientation before any interaction takes place.

Question 8

Do we ride the horses? What do we do in a session?

Accepted Answer

No, we do not ride the horses. Equus coaching sessions take place on the ground, not on horseback. Instead, you’ll be engaging with them in a way that’s relational, intuitive, and deeply revealing. Horses are incredibly attuned to energy, body language, and intention. In a session, you’ll be guided through a series of mindful, in-the-moment interactions with the horse..this could be as simple as walking together, observing how the horse responds to your presence, or exploring how your internal state influences their behavior. Through these gentle, often surprising moments, the horse reflects:Where you’re in alignment (or out of it).How clearly you’re communicating.Whether you’re leading from confidence, fear, over-efforting, or grounded presence.As your coach, I help you interpret and integrate what the horse is showing you, and we explore how those insights connect to your life, relationships, leadership, or healing journey.

Question 9

Can I use my own horse?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely! Many of my clients have experienced powerful, even miraculous breakthroughs working with their own horses—often discovering things they never expected, even if they’ve known their horse for years. Your horse knows you deeply, and in a coaching setting, they often respond in surprising, insightful ways. The familiar bond becomes a powerful mirror for personal growth, healing, and transformation.

Question 10

How long are the Equus Coaching sessions and/or online sessions?

Accepted Answer

Equus sessions typically range from 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the flow of the session and what arises during the work with the horse. I allow spaciousness for each client to move through the experience without feeling rushed.Online sessions are approximately 50 minutes and are conducted via Zoom. These are focused, supportive sessions designed to help you integrate insights, gain clarity, and stay aligned with your growth between Equus sessions, or as a standalone option if you’re not local.

Question 11

How should I prepare for my Equus Coaching session?

Accepted Answer

Please arrive in comfortable, casual clothing that you don’t mind getting a little dusty, this is a barn environment. Be sure to wear closed-toe shoes that are sturdy and okay to get dirty. For safety and comfort, avoid strong perfumes or scented products, as horses are highly sensitive to smells. It’s also a good idea to bring water, especially during the warmer spring and summer months. While there are no restrooms directly on-site, there are public facilities located just across the street. To stay comfortable, I recommend not drinking too much liquid beforehand. Sessions are held outdoors, so please dress appropriately for the weather. Layers, hats, sunscreen, or jackets may be needed depending on the season.If you need to reschedule, I ask for at least 24 hours’ notice so we can honor each other’s time and the energy of the space.

Question 12

How many sessions do I need?

Accepted Answer

Whether we work together online or with the horses, I recommend committing to at least three sessions to begin. Lasting transformation doesn't happen in a single conversation. It unfolds over time as we build trust, explore deeper patterns, and put new insights into practice.After your initial three sessions, we'll reflect on your progress and create a coaching plan that's tailored to your goals, whether that means continuing with a customized package or concluding our work together.

Question 13

Will you tell me what to do?

Accepted Answer

Horses are masters at showing us what’s true, but they never force it. I follow that same ethic. Together, we create space for you to feel, choose, and remember. My role is as a guide and mirror, not an authority.

Question 14

What if I’m just looking for clarity or answers?

Accepted Answer

You’re in the right place, but the clarity we find will come from within you. I’ll help you access it gently through horse-guided reflection, somatic awareness, and intuitive insight. If you’re looking for someone to tell you what to do with your path, I may not be the best fit. But if you’re ready to explore your path with courage and curiosity, I’d be honored to walk beside you.

Mary Ellen Coaching

FAQ's

Frequently asked questions