Episode Overview

In this episode of The Centaur Podcast, host Camron Adibi sits down with Kate Nelligan, an equine-partnered coach and facilitator based in California. The conversation dives deeply into the unique world of horse-human relationships, focusing on the healing, transformative power of working with horses (and goats!) for personal growth, presence, and emotional regulation. Kate shares her experience using equines as co-facilitators in coaching—going beyond traditional talk therapy—and offers insights into animal communication and the practicalities of her sessions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Choose Equine-Partnership Over Traditional Coaching?

• Somatic & Kinesthetic Presence: Kate explains that traditional therapy is typically “mental processing” (02:19), while her work with horses is fundamentally somatic. Nature, touch, breath, and presence are central to the experience.
• Horses as Co-Facilitators and Teachers: Horses aren’t just bystanders; they role model ways of being and offer lessons on emotional regulation and presence.
• Direct Quote (02:19):

  “...you have all of the somatic elements. So the touch of what happens when you're with a horse, the breath, the regulation from heart to heart, you have the grounding, you have to stay present to keep yourself safe with horses.”
  — Kate Nelligan

2. Horses as Meditators, Mediators, and Intuitive Beings

• Meditators vs. Mediators: Kate clarifies a website typo, explaining she meant “meditators”—but horses act as both. They model nervous system regulation and can mirror or reveal hidden dynamics in humans.
• Uncanny Intuition: Horses often sense issues like epilepsy or pregnancy before they're disclosed, “mediating” the emotional field of those around them (08:53).
• Direct Quote (06:46):

  “They live in the space of regulation, nervous system regulation most of the time... They know how to switch from that fear response to their back to their calm centered response because they have to for their guts. Right. So they don't get sick and they don't colic.”
  — Kate Nelligan

3. Animal Communication vs. Psychic Work

• Listening More than Speaking: Kate distinguishes between animal communication (an interspecies, present-moment connection) and "psychic" or mediumistic work (often future-oriented or with the deceased).
• Letting Animals Speak Through Her: She describes herself as a channel, often allowing the animal’s “voice” or wisdom to come through her intuitively (16:28).
• Direct Quote (14:33):

  "I think all of life is communicating all the time. It's just, are we listening?... Mine's clear audience. So I can hear words. I always have been able to. So I just turned it off for a while." — Kate Nelligan

4. What Does a Typical Session Look Like?

• Start with the Goats: To lower inhibition and open hearts, Kate often begins sessions with goats, which help clients—especially children—access curiosity and their inner child (11:32).
• Mostly Ground Work: Few sessions involve riding. Instead, the focus is on eye contact, breathing, and mindfulness alongside the horses.
• Clients’ Emotional Process: Emotions naturally arise around the animals, supporting clients to reduce stress, process blocks, and gain clarity.
• Interactive Exercises: Kate sometimes sets up choices and lets clients (with horse input) explore which resonates most.
• Direct Quote (11:32):

  "People get closer down to the ground with [the goats]... more into that inner child space, more into that curiosity space. And then it's easier for the horses to really work their magic when you go in with them."

5. Common Client Challenges and Outcomes

• Life Transitions: Most clients are navigating significant changes—divorce, loss, moves, career shifts.
• Intuition Building: Kate’s main goal is strengthening clients' connection with their own intuition, moving beyond “shoulds” and social conditioning.
• Emotional Intelligence: The horses model and support emotional regulation, compassion, and authentic presence.
• Blending Modalities: She supplements equine work with techniques like Emotion Code and Access Consciousness for deeper emotional clearance (18:10).
• Direct Quote (18:10):

  "My role in that is really helping people with their own intuition so that they can hear their higher self, their path that's best for them. And they're not just making decisions based on old shoulds or have to's or societal or parent programming..." — Kate Nelligan

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Horses' Intuitive Abilities (08:53):

  "I've seen them know when a woman is pregnant. I've seen them know where cancer is in a body. Like they'll go right to the spot before I know it and then I'll ask so and so is that where your cancer is? Yeah." — Kate Nelligan

• On the Timelessness of Horse-Human Bond (10:13):

  "These horses, their ancestors have been around longer than us... They've been with us from the start of our existence and they've seen us all through these transitions and they've been there right by our side, just patiently observing." — Camron Adibi

• A Personal Story—Hunter the Master Meditator (10:41):

  "Hunter. Oh, my God. Hey, Hunter. I'm still thinking of you... He is a master meditator and he meditates. He teaches the other horses how to meditate. I believe that's how I witnessed it at least." — Camron Adibi

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Why equine-partnered coaching?
  [02:19–03:47]

• Horses as meditators & mediators
  [04:46–07:39]

• Uncanny intuition of horses
  [08:53–10:13]

• Personal connection to horse Hunter
  [10:13–11:32]

• Structure of a session; use of goats and horses
  [11:32–13:52]

• Animal communication vs. animal psychic work
  [14:33–16:28]

• How horses model emotional intelligence; common client challenges
  [18:10–...]

Tone and Style

The tone throughout the episode is open-hearted, reflective, and quietly mystical, blending practical insights with a sense of wonder and humility before the sentience of horses and the wisdom they offer.

Takeaway

Through thoughtful conversation and moving anecdotes, Camron and Kate illustrate that awakening with equines is not just about therapy or coaching—it's a journey into deep listening, presence, and rediscovering the authentic, intuitive self with the profound assistance of our animal partners.