Amanda Held

By Amanda Held | Equine Wisdom Institute Nervous System Ethics, Energetic Load, and Integration in Equine-Facilitated Work Within the Equine Wisdom Integration Method™ (EWIM™), horses are understood as sentient, relational beings whose nervous systems actively participate in every interaction. This framing is not philosophical rhetoric. It is an ethical position grounded in biology, ethology, and nervous system science. Horses are not passive mirrors, emotional containers, or therapeutic...

By Amanda Held | Equine Wisdom Institute Every horse moves through distinct seasons of life. There is the season of becoming, when a young horse is developing their sense of self and learning how the world works. And there is the season of healing, when a horse who has experienced stress, instability, or past hardship is rebuilding trust in their environment and in the humans who guide them. These seasons require the highest degree of emotional intelligence and sensitivity from us. They are...

By Amanda Held | Equine Wisdom Institute The Farce of the Present Moment There is a phrase passed around the horse world like gospel. "Horses live only in the present moment. " It is repeated so often that it feels like the truth. It sounds peaceful. It sounds spiritual. It sounds clean and simple. But it is not the whole story. In fact, this belief is quietly shaping how we train, interpret behavior, and even facilitate healing with horses. And this myth is causing real harm by leading...