Principles & Standards
The Foundation of The Freedom Way®
At The Freedom Way®, our work is guided by a clear set of principles and standards that inform how coaches are trained, how horses are honored, and how this work is carried into the world.
This is the ethical and philosophical foundation beneath every program we offer. It is what ensures our training remains grounded, heart-centered, and professionally sound—while honoring the depth and responsibility of equine-assisted coaching.
This page reflects the ethical and philosophical ground beneath all Freedom Way® programs.
A Heart-Centered, Ethical Approach
We believe meaningful change happens through presence, connection, and care. Our standards balance professional rigor with compassion, structure with intuition, and skill with heart.
These principles are not a technique to follow—they are a way of being in the work.
Client-Led, In-the-Moment Work
The client’s needs come first. Coaches trained through The Freedom Way® learn to meet clients where they are in the moment, allowing sessions to unfold organically rather than following a scripted agenda or predetermined outcome.
By attuning to what is present—within the client, the horse, and the relational field—coaches create space that feels safe, responsive, and supportive of authentic growth, healing, and transformation.
Horses as Sentient Partners and Co-Facilitators
The client’s needs come first. Coaches trained through The Freedom Way® learn to meet clients where they are in the moment, allowing sessions to unfold organically rather than following a scripted agenda or predetermined outcome.
By attuning to what is present—within the client, the horse, and the relational field—coaches create space that feels safe, responsive, and supportive of authentic growth, healing, and transformation.
Adaptability and Individual Expression
There is no single right way to be an equine-assisted coach.
Your experience, background, intuition, and unique gifts are welcomed and integrated into the work. Rather than asking coaches to conform to a rigid model, The Freedom Way® supports each coach in discovering their way of practicing equine-assisted coaching.
For coaches, healers, and therapists, this means integrating equine-assisted work into existing modalities and client niches. For those new to the field, it means building a grounded, ethical, and sustainable practice from the start.
Intuitive, Connected, and Responsive Facilitation
Our training emphasizes facilitation rooted in connection rather than scripts.
Coaches develop the capacity to guide sessions through presence, empathy, skilled listening, and attunement with both the client and the horse. This supports work that is responsive, alive, and deeply meaningful—without reliance on formulas or predetermined outlines.
Horse Welfare and Well-Being
The well-being of the horse is foundational and non-negotiable.
All training is grounded in respect for the horse as a sentient being with physical, emotional, and energetic needs. Coaches learn to recognize consent, stress signals, communication, and boundaries—ensuring that horses are supported, respected, and never asked to give more than is appropriate.
Safety for All
Safety is woven throughout every aspect of The Freedom Way®.
We emphasize physical, emotional, and relational safety—for clients, horses, and coaches alike. Coaches are trained to hold sessions responsibly, with awareness, care, and clear ethical boundaries.
“These principles are not techniques to follow. They are a way of being in the work.”
How These Principles Show Up in Our Programs
“This is not theory taught in isolation—it is practice lived in relationship.”
These principles and standards are not abstract ideas or theoretical concepts. They are embodied, lived, and practiced through experience—showing up consistently across all Freedom Way® offerings, including:
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Equine-Assisted Coach Certification
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The Freedom Way® Mentoring Program
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The Freedom Way® Book Club
Each program reflects the same commitment to integrity, presence, sentient partnership, and heart-centered professionalism.
A Living Standard
Our principles are not static. They are lived, refined, and upheld through continued learning, mentorship, and relationship with horses.
This is how we set the standard—by honoring both the heart of the work and the responsibility it carries.