8 ways to improve your leadership skills by riding a horse

Riding a horse can increase your leadership success

Training and interacting with horses generates positive emotions, increases self-esteem, increases awareness of hidden body language, improves clarity of thought, and helps with self-control and confidence to achieve goals.

Therefore, entrepreneurs and executives may be interested in learning coaching, leadership and communication techniques through horses.

Why horses?

As prey animals, their “instinct” instantly becomes a mirror mechanism for humans. Horses feel and respond to a human's intentions, emotions or thoughts through their body language. By observing a horse's response to directions or commands, each person will learn to communicate more effectively, face their fears and control their emotions.

What is a leader and what is the purpose of leadership?

A leader is someone who directs and knows how to lead their team towards a goal. Leadership is the set of skills: the ability to direct, guide people or groups, delegate, take the initiative, manage, convene, promote, incentivize, motivate effectively and efficiently.

The rider directs their horse with tact, balance and patience; in other words, qualities that a good leader must also have. Horse riding helps to enhance leadership skills in the following aspects:

It builds trust: Working with a horse helps to build trust in each other.
Teamwork: You are two beings who must work as a team to achieve a goal.
Decision making: You will make decisions about where to go, and the horse's reaction will depend on how you make the move.
Execution: You must know how to make the movements so that the horse responds.
Understanding: Understanding the environment and the situation makes it easier to lead.
Order and priorities: Horse riding has a certain protocol that you must follow, for your safety and that of the horse.
Passion: Being passionate about what you do is a fundamental factor for success.
Gratitude: When you finish a route or a job with your horse, you know that you didn't do it alone and the reward belongs to both of you. This fosters the relationship between rider and horse, as well as the spirit of teamwork.

The practice of horse-assisted coaching

You must pay close attention to the horse's mood so that the horse feels safe, optimistic and connected. The feelings and tone of the trainer or rider create the horse's mood.

Attention to training is secondary to attention to keeping the horse in the right mood, safe and focused.

Having this focus shortens the overall training of the horse and produces an incredible association in the performance that you share with the horse.

Horse riding helps to increase leadership skills, as it is one of the essential factors in achieving optimal performance from the horse.

You can practice your leadership skills, and your ability to read the horse and know how to provide it with a sense of well-being will grow.

The same well-being can be applied to your life after practicing the lessons you learned while riding a horse. Who knew that riding a horse could strengthen our leadership skills?

What a pleasant way to enjoy the scenery on an adventure among the hills, with our beloved “coach,” the horse!

Have you ever had a horse as a “coach”? Tell us about your experience!