On Friday, June 20, our Young Professionals traveled to the green and peaceful Den Bommel for a special leadership training. The training took place at Eco farm De Kinderpit, idyllically situated in nature. Together with Joris van Diermen, a Young Professional, we look back on this day.
Equistatera is managed by Femke and Sebastiaan, who specialize in leadership training using horses. Their approach perfectly matches their passion and expertise in both horse behavior and personal development.
The location contributed greatly to the impact of the training. The peace, space, and presence of the horses immediately created an open and reflective atmosphere. The name Equistatera is an amalgamation of the Latin words equista (horse) and statera (balance). This is the theme that formed the thread of the day: balance in leadership.
Understanding through experience
The day began with a round of introductions in which the trainees got to know the trainers and explained what brought them to this training. It was explained how horses communicate, sense each other and, most importantly, how they respond to human behavior.
“Horses are masters at reading body language and respond exclusively to what a person actually radiates, not to what is said. This makes them an honest mirror for leadership behavior.” – Joris
After this introduction, the trainees observed the herd, and each developed a natural click with a horse. This first contact offered insight into group dynamics within the herd and personal preferences in teamwork.
A group lunch was followed by the core part of the training: working a horse loose. Here each trainee stood in the roundpen and tried to control the chosen horse exclusively through body language, without voice commands or physical aids. This showed how attitude, energy, and intention directly influence the horse’s behavior.
The trainers gave practical guidance for this: the position determines direction and tempo; the energy determines the intensity. Inconsistency between attitude and intention creates confusion both in the horse and in the leadership style.
Leadership in practice and theory
What makes this training unique is that the effect of behavior becomes immediately visible. Where other trainings often remain theoretical, working with horses lets you feel what effective leadership entails: steering, tuning in, connecting, and giving clear signals.
Under Sebastiaan’s guidance, the trainees linked their experiences with the horse to their personal Lumina profiles, which had been established earlier in the traineeship. This gave them insight into their own leadership style and its impact on others.
The training showed that people can ‘get moving’ without pressure or coercion, purely by consciously dealing with their own energy and intention. Also, the importance of balance between steering and letting go, leading and following became clear.
“For me personally, it was an eye opener to see how essential it is to align your communication (verbal and non-verbal) with your goal. I take this with me in my daily work, for example when having conversations or managing a team.” – Joris
Conclusion
The leadership training at Equistatera was not only instructive but brought theory and practice together in a special way. Through the interaction with the horses, the Young Professionals came to valuable insights into their behavior, leadership, and cooperation. It was a day full of reflection, experience and personal growth in a place where balance was literally and figuratively central.
