That was the motto of the equine-assisted training program held as part of the Interdisciplinary Weeks (IDW) at the University of Applied Sciences (HAW Kiel). A total of 7 students from three departments took advantage of this opportunity to engage intensively with how others perceive them and their own effectiveness in communication situations.

The students came from the departments of Business, Health and Social Sciences, as well as Mechanical Engineering and Media/Civil Engineering. A diverse group that embarked on an intensive reflective experience.

I can reveal that this process of self-discovery continues to have an impact.

In the cold, sunny October weather ☀️ at Ms. Ruth Kukla’s small, private riding facility in Sören, we spent 1.5 days learning a great deal from one another and through our work with the horses.

This training reminded me once again just how powerful this method is when you really open yourself up to it—and how closely communication and leadership are linked to the constructive use of impulses.

But it also showed me just how often I’ve had to deal with these prompts myself 😅.

Spoiler: October 31 is still a new holiday for me, and I hadn’t realized that so many restaurants would be closed on that very weekend 😮.

Don’t worry: we finally found a pleasant atmosphere and good food at Antik-Hof Bissee.
Many thanks to the participants, Ms. Kukla, and of course a big thank you to Montego, Instatanz, and Rheingold 🐎.

Photos: personal collection