Editor's Note
Welcome to the premier issue of Equine Leadership. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lynda Watson. I am the founder and editor of the magazine you are presently reading. This publication came into being from the collaborative relationship I have with horses. Spending a good part of my life with horses in their environment I learned about the world they live in, their community model so to speak. They share leadership, they work in partnership; they are emotionally resilient and live in a non-judgemental, truly caring environment. They have to for their safety as prey animals. From this model we can learn so very much.
Horses are mirrors that reflect what is going on inside of us. With that reflection we can learn about ourselves and how we relate to others. To learn about ‘why horses’ and the details of how it all works check out; The Science Behind it All. Self Leadership is key to personal growth and horses are masters at offering us wisdom and guidance in that realm and the miracle of it all is that they can do it just by being themselves. Yet horses touch another part of us; our essence, our soul. Check out: Embracing the Spirit of the Horse to connect with a deeper bond we can all have when we spend time in reflection with a horse. You Walk With Me shares the wisdom of how native teachings co create with horses to assist us on our journey HOME. Equine Leadership is about a ‘soft’ kind of leadership that has implications for every aspect of leadership. For corporate leaders and teams, Bringing horses into the Boardroom, we can learn to lead from the heart in a manner that considers all team members. One can only lead a horse if one is coming from a place of authenticity and true empathy. Horses can lead us through trauma, Horses Healing Trauma, and show us a place of safety and peacefulness. They can also assist health practitioners become better communicators with their clients, Returning the Favour, by reflecting areas of growth needed for the practitioner to improve their personal and relational skills. Another demographic where horses make quite a difference is youth. They provide a non-judgemental, caring and honest environment for them to explore their beliefs, their actions and most importantly themselves. Jessie’s Story: A Youth Perspective delves into the field of EFL and youth. What would a magazine about a particular model of leadership be without words from those that have experienced it? You will find testimonials and quotes throughout and one very special story from a woman that graciously has shared her story in, The Gift of Reflection. A truly special account of a truly special connection. Of course horses love the camera. Many a photo has been captured of very profound moments between horse and human. In, Iceland is an Equine Photographer’s Dream, our resident equine photographer recounts his travels to Iceland to photograph the Icelandic horse and suggests the necessities for an equine photographer’s kit for the island of the north. It is our joy to bring this model of leadership to you and now that we have perhaps sparked your interest one last article on choosing a facilitator for Equine Facilitated Learning: Experiencing the Magic of the Horses for Yourself.
I would like to take this time to thank all of the contributors and those that have assisted in making this publication possible. Your knowledge, creativity and time are greatly appreciated. And Thank YOU, for taking the time to hear the call of the horse. For your curiosity of Equine Leadership and for opening your heart to the possibilities of a ‘soft’ way to lead that offers positive and peaceful leadership for ALL. Most of all, thank you to the horses that have inspired this work, guided my life and shaped my existence. It is my hope that this is the first of many issues that delve into the many facets of leadership that horses can model to help us create change. We have included a survey link at the end of the publication for you to go to and add your thoughts as well as ideas for future issues. What would you like to learn about in regards to equine leadership? In the meantime, enjoy Equine Leadership, don’t hesitate to connect with one of the contributors (all of their contact info is in their bio) and perhaps you hear the call of the horses. Don’t hesitate to answer that call, you will be forever changed!!!
Lynda Watson
Horses are mirrors that reflect what is going on inside of us. With that reflection we can learn about ourselves and how we relate to others. To learn about ‘why horses’ and the details of how it all works check out; The Science Behind it All. Self Leadership is key to personal growth and horses are masters at offering us wisdom and guidance in that realm and the miracle of it all is that they can do it just by being themselves. Yet horses touch another part of us; our essence, our soul. Check out: Embracing the Spirit of the Horse to connect with a deeper bond we can all have when we spend time in reflection with a horse. You Walk With Me shares the wisdom of how native teachings co create with horses to assist us on our journey HOME. Equine Leadership is about a ‘soft’ kind of leadership that has implications for every aspect of leadership. For corporate leaders and teams, Bringing horses into the Boardroom, we can learn to lead from the heart in a manner that considers all team members. One can only lead a horse if one is coming from a place of authenticity and true empathy. Horses can lead us through trauma, Horses Healing Trauma, and show us a place of safety and peacefulness. They can also assist health practitioners become better communicators with their clients, Returning the Favour, by reflecting areas of growth needed for the practitioner to improve their personal and relational skills. Another demographic where horses make quite a difference is youth. They provide a non-judgemental, caring and honest environment for them to explore their beliefs, their actions and most importantly themselves. Jessie’s Story: A Youth Perspective delves into the field of EFL and youth. What would a magazine about a particular model of leadership be without words from those that have experienced it? You will find testimonials and quotes throughout and one very special story from a woman that graciously has shared her story in, The Gift of Reflection. A truly special account of a truly special connection. Of course horses love the camera. Many a photo has been captured of very profound moments between horse and human. In, Iceland is an Equine Photographer’s Dream, our resident equine photographer recounts his travels to Iceland to photograph the Icelandic horse and suggests the necessities for an equine photographer’s kit for the island of the north. It is our joy to bring this model of leadership to you and now that we have perhaps sparked your interest one last article on choosing a facilitator for Equine Facilitated Learning: Experiencing the Magic of the Horses for Yourself.
I would like to take this time to thank all of the contributors and those that have assisted in making this publication possible. Your knowledge, creativity and time are greatly appreciated. And Thank YOU, for taking the time to hear the call of the horse. For your curiosity of Equine Leadership and for opening your heart to the possibilities of a ‘soft’ way to lead that offers positive and peaceful leadership for ALL. Most of all, thank you to the horses that have inspired this work, guided my life and shaped my existence. It is my hope that this is the first of many issues that delve into the many facets of leadership that horses can model to help us create change. We have included a survey link at the end of the publication for you to go to and add your thoughts as well as ideas for future issues. What would you like to learn about in regards to equine leadership? In the meantime, enjoy Equine Leadership, don’t hesitate to connect with one of the contributors (all of their contact info is in their bio) and perhaps you hear the call of the horses. Don’t hesitate to answer that call, you will be forever changed!!!
Lynda Watson