Our Mission
Our Mission
To help people live more fulfilling lives by realizing their intrinsic gifts of strength, wisdom, and peace. To inspire participants to deepen self-awareness through interaction with horses. To support helping professionals in their work with others.
History
My family's business was a conference center outside of Washington, DC. in the foothills of northern Virginia. My childhood job was taking conferees horseback riding. A diverse and fascinating array of people came for conferences from The Department of Defense to the NAACP, as well as medical groups, statesmen and politicians. I grew close to many of the conferees over the years. It didn't seem odd to me that a child and these amazing professionals could become friends; connecting was easy because it came from the heart. We connected through horses.
Matching a horse to the right person was an important part of the job, teaching the essence of horsemanship on the fly and reading the capabilities of adults regardless of what they claimed as their horsemanship skills. As it turns out, the elements of these skills are essential to my EFL practice at Equinection.
In the 40 years that followed, among other jobs, I worked on a cattle ranch, acted and directed in the theatre, won an Emmy working on documentary films, and raised a family. In 2004, Equinection officially opened for business. I had two horses on less than four acres in the city limits of Asheville, NC. and offered one workshop on personal development.
Today, Equinection is located on 112 acres in Yancey County, NC and has a heard of 11 horses. It took six years to build the facility - a barn, 100-square foot indoor arena, meeting space, outdoor classrooms, round pens, lovely gardens and grounds. Participants spend most of their time outdoors on the land working with the horses, journaling, or walking quietly on the trails. The beauty and serenity of the farm has become integral to the Equinection experience.
I now offer seven workshops for personal development, leadership and recovery, among others. The programs developed over the fullness of time, as I integrated my life experiences and education into enriching and transformative experiences for participants.
Just as horses have curious natures and are natural explorers, I continue to push the boundaries of EFL and expand my teaching to better help people feel rooted in and nurtured by life.
To me, Equinection represents a kind of divine balance because my work with people has come full circle. For now, just as when I was a child, I connect with people's hearts through grace offered in the form of the horse.
