🦄 Join the Movement—The Herd Is Calling.
Before we dive in, have you subscribed to our FREE Substack community yet?
It’s the official home of:
🎙️ The Herd is Calling Podcast
✍🏼 The Healing With Horses Compass Newsletter
When you subscribe, you’ll get:
✅ Instant access to every podcast episode
✅ Exclusive behind-the-scenes content you won’t find anywhere else
✅ Full video versions of every episode
👉🏼 Subscribe now—it’s fast, free, and your ticket to a deeper conversation.
🐴 For Coaches & Therapists: We’ve got something special for you:
Download our First Session Template—a simple, trauma-informed framework to build trust and safety from day one, without overwhelming yourself, your clients, or the horses! 100% free, but only for a limited time! Grab it now and set the foundation for impactful equine-assisted sessions.
Dr. Veronica Lac, founder of The HERD Institute, challenges traditional norms in favor of a more inclusive, relational approach—one that prioritizes attunement, adaptability, and social equity in healing with horses.
🎧 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
✅ Why the dominant equine therapy model falls short—and what needs to change
✅ How cultural competency shapes the horse-human relationship in ways most practitioners overlook
✅ The power of language in equine-facilitated work—why words like “using” horses subtly reinforce outdated hierarchies
✅ What it truly means to “partner” with horses—moving beyond tools and techniques to a more ethical, embodied approach
✅ How belonging, social justice, and equine therapy intersect—and why this conversation is long overdue
⏳ Episode Breakdown
00:00 | Introduction & Welcome
Josh and Victoria introduce Dr. Veronica Lac and set the stage for a deep conversation about equine therapy beyond technique.
01:55 | Veronica's Personal Journey with Horses
Dr. Lac shares her early experiences with horses, the cultural significance of equine relationships, and how her background shaped her approach.
08:17 | The Role of Embodiment in Equine Therapy
A discussion on how working with horses is deeply embodied and how this principle shapes The HERD Institute’s model.
12:32 | Cultural Competency & Power Dynamics in Horsemanship
Dr. Lac breaks down how cultural experiences shape interactions with horses and why traditional training methods often fail to consider these nuances.
21:14 | Moving Beyond Technique: Why Attunement Matters
Why a flexible, attunement-based approach is more effective than rigid exercises in equine therapy.
31:20 | Horses as Partners, Not Tools
Challenging the dominant mindset of "using" horses and shifting toward a true partnership model.
39:18 | Belonging, Social Justice & Equine Therapy
How systemic change in the industry ties into broader conversations about diversity, inclusion, and social justice.
44:51 | Creating Change: The HERD Institute’s Vision
How The HERD Institute is actively working to shift the paradigm of equine-assisted therapy through education and community building.
51:10 | Final Reflections & How to Connect
Dr. Lac shares final thoughts and invites listeners to explore The HERD Institute’s programs, books, and resources.
🔥 Final Thoughts & Call to Action
Dr. Veronica Lac doesn’t just challenge the status quo—she offers a roadmap for change. This episode is an invitation to rethink how we engage with horses in therapeutic spaces. Are we truly honoring their agency? Or are we still centering human needs at their expense?
📚 Grab Veronica’s book: Obviously, I'm Not From Here—Embodying a Sense of Belonging with the Help of Horses, It's Not About The Activity—Thinking Outside The Toolbox In Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy & Learning, & MORE! Get Books Here
📍 Explore The HERD Institute’s groundbreaking work & Resources: herdinstitute.com
🎧 Tune in, join the conversation, and step into a new era of healing, connection, and purpose.
🚀 Ready to go deeper? Join us on The Healing with Horses Compass—our new Substack for raw reflections, real conversations, and a community built on belonging.
PS—When You're Ready...
Ready to lead your first equine-assisted healing session? Download our First Session Template—discover how to build rapport, safety, & trust on day one, without overwhelming your client and horses! 100% free, but only for a limited time—Check out a new approach to first sessions, no matter your experience level. Get Your First Session Template Here!
Share this post