A partner in healing

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

With a nearly 30-year career dedicated to wellness and spiritual restoration, Lauren Ruby is a sought-after healer from coast to coast. Her passion to guide individuals through physical, emotional and spiritual transitions led her to establish Equine & Evolve, a series of retreats coming to Sandpoint from Sunday-Wednesday, June 2-5 and June 9-12, in which participants partner with horses to inspire personal, lasting change.

Lauren Ruby and her equine partner. Courtesy photo.

“I started volunteering at a horse rescue and in that process I got inspired to do this type of interaction with a horse that’s ‘at liberty,’ which means that you’re with a horse with no halter or lead lines,” Ruby told the Reader. “You develop such a relationship of trust and connection with this horse that the horse, all on their own, is choosing to interact with you.”

Ruby experienced profound change after seeking out equine companionship on her own healing journey, and shortly after earned her Equine Assisted Coaching Certificate so that she could share her experience with others.

“Horses become these amazing partners in our healing process, or just our personal growth journey, because they’re herd animals, and that enables them to communicate through energy and body language,” said Ruby.

“The field that they emit energy through is five times larger than ours, so they have the ability to feel our emotions way sooner than we feel theirs. Their physical heart is around five times bigger than ours, and they can hear our heartbeat from four feet away.”

Horses’ ability to hear human heart rates allows them to sense emotions like anxiety, and can therefore respond to suppressed feelings, according to Ruby. They’re especially attuned to emotional changes and often support humans as service animals or partners in physical and psychotherapy.

“There’s this thing that’s called co-regulation, and it also happens with people and your animals at home,” Ruby told the Reader. “Our energy system and our nervous system will match theirs, and vice versa, so that becomes this really unique place of connection. When we’re in a coaching or healing session, the horses hold this space of calm, where we have the ability to drop our nervous system into a much softer, healing place.”

Their natural regulatory ability and emotional honesty make horses valuable allies during Ruby’s exercises, which employ guided meditation and physical tasks to overcome limiting patterns and belief systems that prevent people from moving forward in life. Sometimes participants will use the repetitive motions of grooming to meditate on problems while others might lead their horse through a course representing their spiritual or emotional journey. Regardless of the situation, you’ll never ride a horse at an Equine & Evolve retreat.

“Horses are in a place that, when they come into contact with humans a lot of their lives, there are expectations of how they’re going to perform and what we’re going to be asking of them. When we partner with them in this healing way, they actually get to show up how they want to — they can just give and receive love,” said Ruby.

The Sandpoint retreats are limited to five people and designed for women over the age of 18, though male applicants will be considered for the June 2-5 session. Participants will have their own room and ensuite, and chef Alana Joy Eckhart will cater every meal with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

“The perfect participant would be anyone in a space of transition. I’m always in a space of transition because I’m always looking to step into that continual version of myself where I’m more alive and authentic,” said Ruby.

Whether seeking greater happiness and confidence, stepping out of an old relationship or career, or simply wishing to form community and lasting relationships in a safe space, Ruby tailors her retreats to best suit the needs of the group. The entire session, including room and board, costs $3,500. Register by early May at equineandevolve.com.

“It’s my intention and my life’s work to hold space where people can show up, heal and create the lives they want,” said Ruby. “Every time I get to share the horses in that way, it’s such an incredible gift to me, and I feel so honored to be able to participate in people’s transformations.”