Experiences

Horses as spiritual teachers

Orlando is my great spiritual teacher. I mainly listened to my intuition when I bought him as a foal. Not knowing exactly what this journey would bring us together. I dreamed of walking and riding together for hours through the woods, dunes, and on the beach. But we’re not there yet…

Orlando has taught me to be patient and adjust my expectations. And to reflect deeply on why things are not always going the way I would like them to. During my shamanic trance journeys, the snake and the owl often appeared; 2025 was a year of a lot of shadow work and letting go. Not my favorite year, but a year that has brought me a lot. My connection with Orlando has also grown enormously, from fear and uncertainty to more trust and surrender.

2026 is the year of the horse, and I am very excited to see what that will bring!

Shamanism and equine assisted coaching

In shamanism, the basic principle is that we live in harmony with our true nature and are connected to our environment. Shamanism is a technique for making contact with the spiritual world. During a trance journey, the rhythm of the drum causes the brain to enter a different state of consciousness, making it possible to travel to different dimensions.

In my trance journeys, I work with various spirit helpers and power animals; they give me messages and insights.

 

Horses are spiritual beings that naturally have access to different dimensions. During my sessions, the horses will respond to the energy, the elements, and the wind directions (of the medicine wheel).

It is about a deeper connection with your wisdom, which will make you feel more grounded and dare to trust more on your inner voice and the wisdom of your body. You will feel more powerful and more connected to yourself and your environment.

In the summer of 2024, I started the year-long Shamanism training course at Moon’s Farm. In the fall of 2025, I continued with the Shamanic Practitioner training course at Moon’s Farm.

Orlando has moved

Orlando has moved from the place where he was born and raised with his mother and half-brothers, to a large herd of geldings that live together 24/7. It’s a big transition and he needs time to get used to it. But he is growing tremendously, both physically and mentally.

The place is beautiful, a large stable with extensive pastures, bordering a nature reserve that stretches all the way to the sea.

In your personal power with equine assisted coaching

Horses are herd animals and prey animals. This makes them very sensitive to changes in mood and energy. Depending on your energy, the horses keep their distance or come closer and show certain behavior. I translate this behavior to you so you can think and feel what the horse wants to show you.

Each session is personalized. If you might find the horses a little exciting, we start with contact at a distance until you are more confident. The idea is that you can work on yourself in a safe and relaxed way.

Horses by nature depend on the herd. The stronger the herd, the greater the chance of survival. In the coaching session, you and the horse form a herd, so to speak. The horse will heal what needs healing the most at that moment. This will reveal patterns so that you can learn to step out and break through them. And so you come more and more into your personal power.

Equine assisted coaching session with Spike

Meet Spike, one of the horses of the same barn as Orlando. We gave a beautiful session together last week. Here is what the client wrote to me afterwards:

“After the session, I felt incredibly light as I walked home, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I also felt much more in tune with my surroundings, as if my intuition had sharpened. It’s remarkable how Spike’s restlessness and intensity mirrored the fears, anger, and sadness I’ve been carrying that I wasn’t aware of. The image of him stomping is so vivid in my mind now. And when he stood between us, it felt like something outside of myself was helping me release those emotions, allowing me to let go just a little more.”

Natural Horsemanship in California

Throughout August I am in California to further develop in Natural Horsemanship. The basis is to communicate with horses in the language that horses also use with each other. 7 games are central: horses play these games together to determine who the leader is. I use these games during the coaching session, which often gives beautiful insights about themes such as setting boundaries, standing up for yourself, and giving direction (to your own life).

Coaching with horses in Senegal

For 25 years I have been living and working partly in Senegal, West Africa. My son has a Senegalese father and since his birth, the bond with Senegal has become even stronger. I love the people, the culture, the nature, and the spirituality. Me and my son have been to a beautiful place on the ocean where beautiful horses and people live ~ a great place to give horse coach sessions, in combination with yoga. I aim to offer my first retreat in Senegal in 2026.