This International Women’s Day, I’m celebrating this year’s theme: Give to Gain.

And in the spirit of giving — I’m gifting three women in leadership a private coaching experience of four equine-enhanced executive coaching sessions.

Why three? Because 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse — a rare, high-energy year aligned with momentum, courage and bold forward movement. In Chinese astrology, the lucky numbers this year are 3, 7 and 8, symbolising confidence, growth and financial prosperity.

Three represents momentum in action. Expansion. Progress. It felt like the perfect number.

And of course — it’s the Year of the Horse. The alignment with equine-enhanced leadership coaching couldn’t be more powerful.

Women are breaking barriers in leadership every day. Yet many still navigate imposter syndrome, bias, visibility challenges, and the constant juggle of work and life.

Research shows executive coaching can increase:
• Self-confidence by 80%
• Career advancement by 82%
• Work–life balance by 67%

Now imagine combining that evidence-based coaching approach with the wisdom of horses. Horses respond to our energy, presence and communication in ways humans simply can’t.

In our sessions together, you’ll experience:
• Greater self-awareness – horses reflect both strengths and blind spots
• Confident leadership presence – clear, grounded communication earns trust
• Stress reduction & resilience – working alongside horses naturally regulates the nervous system and builds calm authority
• Empowered decision-making – the insights translate directly into leading teams with clarity and impact.

And just to be clear — this isn’t about horsemanship or riding.
You don’t need any horse experience at all.
It’s about what horses teach us about ourselves.

Through specifically designed interactions on the ground, you’ll uncover your authentic leadership, strengthen boundaries, and step into boldness with clarity and courage.

Why “Give to Gain”?

Because when women rise in leadership — teams thrive, organisations strengthen, and communities benefit. When one woman gains confidence and clarity, the ripple effect is extraordinary.

So this year, I’m giving. And I know the gain will extend far beyond these three places.

This is for women currently in leadership roles — executives, founders, senior managers, emerging leaders ready for their next level — who are ready to:
• Lead with grounded confidence
• Strengthen boundaries
• Reduce overwhelm and increase clarity
• Expand their impact

If this speaks to you — or to a woman you deeply respect — I invite you to reach out.

Let’s honour International Women’s Day 2026 by stepping forward with balance, boundaries and boldness.

The Fire Horse rewards courage. 🔥🐴

Are you ready to lead with presence, courage and clarity?

Uncertainty has become a defining feature of today’s business environment. Markets shift, technologies evolve, and external pressures often create ambiguity for teams and organisations. In these moments, leaders play a critical role in fostering clarity and confidence. Interestingly, some of the most effective lessons on leadership under uncertainty come not from the boardroom, but from the barn — working alongside horses.

Horses are highly attuned to energy, intention, and consistency. They respond immediately to how we show up as leaders, making them powerful barometers for our communication, presence, and decision-making. Here are three proven practices leaders can use to build confidence during uncertainty, and the parallel lessons we learn from working with horses.

1. Communicate Clearly and Frequently

In times of ambiguity, teams need direction and clarity. Similarly, horses rely on precise, consistent cues to understand what is being asked of them. If our signals are muddled or inconsistent, the horse becomes hesitant and disengaged — much like a team unsure of its leader’s expectations.

Leaders build trust by:

• Sharing what they know and acknowledging what they don’t.
• Being transparent about challenges and decisions.
• Reinforcing consistent messaging to reduce confusion.

Just as horses gain confidence when our body language and cues are clear, people feel more secure and engaged when communication is open and dependable.

2. Model Calm and Decisive Behaviour

Horses are prey animals with a finely tuned ability to sense instability and incongruence. When a leader demonstrates calm, grounded presence, horses feel safe. When a leader brings anxiety or erratic energy, horses respond accordingly.

In the workplace, the same principle applies. Leaders who stay composed under pressure, avoid reactive behaviour and make decisions anchored in values, set the tone for their teams. Calm is contagious — and so is panic. The steadier the leader, the more resilient and confident the team becomes.

3. Empower Others and Encourage Adaptability

Effective leadership is not about control; it is about fostering partnership. Horses have survived for millions of years under a system of shared leadership. They share the responsibility for the health and wellbeing of the herd.

In organisations, confidence grows when leaders empower their teams:

• Involving them in problem-solving.
• Recognising progress and small wins.
• Encouraging resilience and adaptability.

Horses remind us that leadership is not a top-down directive, but a shared process. When people feel capable and included, they step forward with greater initiative and confidence.

Leadership during uncertainty is not about having all the answers. It is about how we show up — with clarity, composure and humility.

By communicating consistently, modelling steadiness, and empowering others, leaders create the conditions for confidence to thrive, even in challenging environments. Just as horses in their herds, teams look to their leaders to navigate uncertainty with presence and purpose.

Self-awareness is a cornerstone of personal growth, effective communication, and strong leadership. It has two distinct but interconnected dimensions: internal self-awareness (understanding our own values, goals, emotions, strengths, and weaknesses) and external self-awareness (recognising how others perceive us). When these two areas are balanced, we gain clarity about who we are and how we impact the world around us.

Internal Self-Awareness

Internal self-awareness allows us to connect with our inner world—our motivations, passions, and limitations. With it, we can make better decisions, set realistic goals, and build resilience. For example, someone who recognises that they thrive in collaborative environments can actively pursue roles that play to this strength. Without internal self-awareness, however, we risk chasing goals that don’t align with who we really are.

External Self-Awareness

External self-awareness focuses on how others experience us. Leaders, for instance, may believe they are being “direct” when in reality they come across as harsh or intimidating. Honest feedback is crucial here, as it reveals blind spots and helps us understand the ripple effects of our behaviour. Those who develop strong external self-awareness foster trust, collaboration, and psychological safety in their relationships and workplaces.

The Balance Between the Two

The challenge lies in maintaining balance. Overemphasising internal self-awareness can make us self-absorbed, while relying solely on external feedback may cause us to lose authenticity. True self-awareness emerges when we integrate both perspectives—knowing who we are internally while staying open to how others see us. This balance requires humility, curiosity, and a willingness to act on feedback.

Where Equine Assisted Learning Comes In

Horses offer a unique pathway to developing both forms of self-awareness. As highly sensitive, non-judgmental beings, they respond immediately and honestly to human behaviour, providing a kind of feedback that is both powerful and compassionate.

• Internal self-awareness through horses: Working with a horse requires presence, clarity, and emotional regulation. Horses mirror our internal state—if we are anxious, unfocused, or inconsistent, the horse reflects that back to us. This immediate feedback helps participants recognise their emotions, body language, and energy levels, deepening their understanding of themselves.
• External self-awareness through horses: Because horses are attuned to subtle cues, they reveal how our actions and energy are perceived. A person who thinks they are being calm and approachable may find that the horse keeps its distance, signalling a mismatch between intention and impact. This mirrors the human experience: how others perceive us may not always align with how we see ourselves.

Building Awareness Through Action

Unlike traditional feedback, which can feel uncomfortable or judgmental, equine-assisted learning provides experiential feedback in a safe and non-verbal way. Instead of asking “Why do I always struggle in these situations?” participants are encouraged to reflect on “What happened in this interaction with the horse?” and “What can I adjust to create a better connection?” This shift from “why” to “what” transforms self-reflection into constructive action.

The Bigger Picture

Equine assisted learning reinforces the principle that self-awareness is not just about individual growth but about fostering connection, trust, and collaboration. Just as effective leaders put the success of their teams above individual wins, working successfully with a horse requires partnership, respect, and clear communication.

Self-awareness—both internal and external—is a lifelong journey. By working with horses, individuals gain an experiential, embodied understanding of how they show up in the world and how they affect those around them. This balance of self-knowledge and relational awareness not only strengthens personal growth but also enhances leadership, teamwork, and authentic human connection.

Executive coaching has become a vital tool for leaders navigating the complexity, pace, and demands of today’s business environment. It offers a reflective space to develop self-awareness, clarify direction, and refine leadership presence. There are many coaching approaches—and all are—but some go deeper than conversation alone.

One such approach brings leaders out of the boardroom and into the paddock—working with horses as “co-coaches” in the coaching process. This is where powerful transformation begins.

Coaching Beyond Words

Traditional executive coaching often focuses on mindset, goals, and strategies—important areas, no doubt. But many leaders struggle with challenges that live beneath the surface: managing energy, navigating relationships, building trust, and leading with presence.

That’s where equine enhanced executive coaching offers something profoundly different. Horses don’t care about your resume. They respond to how you show up—your energy, intention, and authenticity. They reflect back your inner state with clarity, without judgment.

This makes horses powerful barometers for leadership behaviour, especially in areas that are hard to access through thinking alone.

Why Horses?

Horses are highly attuned to their environment. As prey animals, their survival depends on their ability to read non-verbal cues and respond to emotional congruence. If your body says one thing and your mind says another, a horse will pick up on that dissonance instantly.

In an executive coaching context, this becomes a powerful way to explore:

• Presence and Focus: Are you grounded? Distracted? Fully engaged?
• Energy and Intention: Are you pushing too hard? Holding back?
• Clarity and Communication: Are you setting a clear direction others can follow?
• Authenticity and Alignment: Are you leading from your values? Do your inner and outer expressions match?

These aren’t just concepts. When you work with a horse, you feel them.

A Deeper Coaching Experience

This coaching method blends traditional coaching frameworks with real-time, embodied experiences. Leaders don’t just talk about challenges—they experience them in action and get immediate, non-verbal feedback.

As HR Director Investment Banking, Alice said, “Working with the horse helped me see patterns I hadn’t recognised in myself—where I hesitate, where I overcompensate, and what happens when I lead from a calm, clear place. It made things real in a way that words alone never could.” 

This is especially powerful for executives who are often in high-stakes, high-pressure environments. The horse provides a moment of honest reflection that cuts through noise and helps leaders reconnect to what matters most.

For the Health of the Whole

Whether it’s part of a larger leadership journey or a focused executive coaching engagement, the goal remains the same: to develop leaders who are self-aware, congruent, and able to lead in a way that fosters health, harmony, and effectiveness for themselves and their teams.

Coaching with horses isn’t about being an animal person. It’s about being a whole person. And in a world that increasingly demands agility, empathy, and authentic leadership, it’s an approach that is proving highly effective. 

I read a great article from the Centre for Creative Leadership (CCL) this week on the 4 Keys to Success for Women Leaders. CCL’s research found that women leaders embrace:

• Agency,
• Connection,
• Authenticity, and
• Wholeness

in their approach to work and life in general.

Agency empowers us to act with intention and decisiveness. Connection brings us closer, fostering meaningful relationships that drive success. Authenticity encourages us to lead with our true selves, building trust and respect. Wholeness reminds us to balance all facets of our lives, creating a more fulfilled self.

“These four themes are woven into (women’s) career decisions and leadership styles. Collectively, these themes reveal deeper, more complex images of successful women and offer opportunities for reflection and insight for those who are navigating their leadership journeys.”

These themes resonate with me personally and with the work we do in the leadership space with our horses. In fact, our equine enhanced experiences parallel the four principles beautifully. Working alongside horses promotes Agency by challenging participants to lead with confidence and clarity in their interactions. Connection is deepened as learners develop an understanding of their horse teammate, mirroring the power of relationships in leadership. Authenticity shines as horses respond to genuine human emotions, encouraging leaders to be their true selves. Lastly, Wholeness is achieved through the reflective and holistic nature of working with horses, encouraging a balanced approach to leadership and life.

Let’s embrace these keys to success to unlock our leadership potential. Here’s to empowering women leaders everywhere!

Working with purpose leads to a happier work life, better functioning teams and superior leadership.

Research suggests that most people value meaning in their work, and it can in fact be a greater motivator than other elements like money. And, for leaders, a big factor in the quality and success of their leaderships is how they are able to also help their workplaces become ‘abundant’ with meaning and purpose.

Thinking about purpose look different for everyone, depending on who you are, what you want and your personal circumstances.

Finding our purpose is a journey. I feel blessed that I am doing what I truly believe I was born to do. A bold statement but my purpose has evolved – from the little girl who spoke to animals (and fully thought she understood their answers lol) to running leadership development programs where horses are the teachers. Everything in-between – school, university, work in Australia and overseas for large and small companies, my birth family and the family I birthed – has shaped where I am today.

So, regularly taking a step back and examining your purpose may:

• Remind your why you do your job, refreshing your enthusiasm and drive
• Make you shift your focus to align more closely with your purpose
• Set goals designed to lead you towards your purpose, or further into your purpose
• Consider making a job or career change which gives you more purpose
• Take up a new activity, hobby or learning/course which helps you find or increase your feeling of purpose

How is your journey going? Have you found your why?

Last year, we had a man attend one of our team development programs who was very task-oriented and a high achiever in his role before he moved into leadership.

However, it was clear to us right away that the team he was now leading did not find him approachable. This was because he was so singularly focused on tasks that they were hesitant to raise issues that fell outside the immediate project at hand.

He had no idea this was the case, and had become frustrated because he couldn’t work out why nobody seemed to connect to him as a leader. However, when he started working with our horses, it was like a mirror was held up to his unconscious behaviour.

You see, horses are very in-tune with people’s approach to them, and if you do not respond appropriately they will not feel safe or comfortable. They may refuse to work with you by standing their ground, (and you can’t budge a 600kg teammate) or they may walk or back away from you.

💪 Making him conscious about how he was coming across to those he was managing ultimately lead to stronger leadership and a happier team overall.

Think about what behaviours of your own might impact your approachability. Do you have a short fuse when you’re stressed? Are you welcoming when approached? Do you get so focused at times that people think they can’t disturb you?