About Us
What We Do
I am a certified facilitator of Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning ("FEEL"). FEEL is a modality where the participant is in the centre of their own experience with the horse as teacher. I facilitate learning by providing observations and feedback.
Horses as Teachers
Horses engage in experiential learning by doing. Participants gain knowledge and acquire skills from direct experience. I have noticed that horse assisted learning effects personal changes more quickly.
My horses, Jack and Luke provide different teachings depending on the participants.
Horses Help People Reconnect to their Lives
Horses offer unconditional love and support without judgement. People often understand their own behaviour when they see it reflected from a horse. Being around horses brings feelings to the surface. The large presence of a horse allows people to confront their fears and gain more confidence and courage.
Leigh Hodgins
About Me
My love and passion for horses was kindled when I was five years old. My Dad took me to visit Shetland ponies belonging to his friend, Mr. Johnson. From that day forward, horses were a part of my life. If I wasn’t dreaming of horses, I was drawing them, riding or collecting toy horses. To me, there is no other feeling in the world like spending time with horses.
As an adult, my passion for animals continued. While my career took me into the corporate world, my home was on acreage with a donkey, dogs and the horses I adopted.
Over the years, there were some major personal changes in my life and I gradually retreated into myself. Struggling to work through my emotional pain, I withdrew from social interactions, friends and family, and shut down my emotions. It wasn’t until I started spending more time with my horses that I became grounded and started to ‘feel’ life again, with renewed mental and physical energy. I recognized that something had shifted within me through my time with the horses. I had more empathy for people and became more social and outgoing.
Eventually I decided to take some time off work and during this time I came across the program to train to become a facilitator in FEEL (Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning)®, a form of equine assisted therapy. Something about this program spoke to me – an opportunity to bring my passion for horses and donkeys together to help people live their best life. Having experienced the healing wisdom of the horses directly, I felt the call to bring this gift to others. Becoming a FEEL Practitioner was a life-changing journey that allowed me to partner with my horses and fully develop my intuitive skills and compassion.
In my experience, every FEEL session is unique, connecting directly to each client’s needs. I work in partnership with my horses, Jack and Luke, who both enjoy their roles as teachers and provide amazing feedback to my clients.
In addition, I am a certified Chopra Instructor of Ayurveda (health), Meditation and a Well-Being Coach. These modalities combined with working with the horses, help people find their best wellness practices to flow with the waves of life in order to live a long and healthy life.
