Oct 14 • Lessons from the Herd
The Science of Calm Connection: HeartMath® Principles in the Horses Connect Model
A friendly guide for Horses Connect coaches, participants, and horse-loving humans 🙂
At Horses Connect, we believe that how we show up matters just as much as what we do.
Our work is built on connection between people, horses, and the quiet intelligence that lives in every heartbeat.
Recent research from the HeartMath® Institute and others helps explain why the calm, grounded presence we practice in every session is so effective. HeartMath® explores ‘coherence’, which is a state where our breathing, heart rhythms, and nervous system settle into a smooth, balanced pattern.
When we enter this state, we think more clearly, feel more balanced, and communicate more authentically. Horses, with their finely tuned sensitivity and honest feedback, respond almost instantly to these shifts in us.
Within the Horses Connect Model, coherence isn’t just a scientific term. It’s a lived experience.
Coherence is what allows both human and horse to relax, trust, and connect at a deeper level. Whether through a quiet moment of grooming, mindful breathing beside a horse, or the subtle rhythm of shared movement, coherence transforms simple interaction into meaningful connection.
What ‘Coherence’ Means in People and in Horses
Coherence can be measured through heart-rate variability (HRV) - the tiny beat-to-beat changes in heart rate.
When we feel calm, appreciative, or connected, HRV forms a smooth, wave-like pattern. When we’re stressed or anxious, it becomes jagged and erratic.
Horses also have HRV and remarkably sensitive nervous systems. Researchers have found that a person’s and a horse’s body rhythms can influence each other, and that simple practices like steady breathing and focused attention can help both move toward calmer, healthier patterns. (MDPI)
What the research says
- Human–horse HRV can ‘sync up.’ In sessions with older adults and other groups, studies have found that a person’s and a horse’s HRV show synchronised peak frequencies during calm, guided interaction (e.g., mindful grooming). This suggests a real-time social/physiological connection rather than coincidence. (PubMed)
- EA work can increase healthy HRV in people without adding stress. Multiple studies led by Ann L. Baldwin, PhD, report that during EA sesions, participants’ heart rhythms shifted toward a more balanced, relaxed nervous system, and that participants described more positive sensations afterwards, e.g. animated, not agitated. (Purdue e-Pubs)
- Horses participating in EA sessions are not usually stressed by this work. Several investigations looking at horse HR and HRV, (and sometimes cortisol levels) found no evidence of chronic stress in well-managed EA horses, while also noting that context and handling matter. (Ethics and choice still come first! (ScienceDirect)
A friendly caveat: some equestrian writers have questioned over-generalisation and urged careful reading of what was (and wasn’t) measured in particular studies.
Why this matters for Horses Connect Coaches
Our work involves shared regulation, safety and authentic connection. When a coach models coherent breathing and a steady presence, participants often relax, and horses typically mirror that state.
If the herd shows unease, we notice it early and respond accordingly.
Coherence is not about forcing calm. It’s about creating conditions where calm and clarity can naturally emerge for both species.
A simple coherence practice you can use today
Try this before entering the yard, and again beside the horse (at liberty or in-hand), always respecting the horse’s choices and boundaries.
1. Posture and pause
Stand grounded, soft knees, long spine. Let your out-breath get a tiny bit longer than your in-breath.
2. Heart-focused breathing (60–90 seconds)
Imagine breathing in and out through the area of your heart. Breathe in for 5 seconds, and out for 5–6 seconds. If it helps, rest a hand lightly over your sternum.
3. A genuine, easy emotion (30–60 seconds)
Recall something uncomplicated, like appreciation for the horse, a warm memory, gratitude for fresh air. You’re not ‘performing’ a feeling; you’re re-orienting attention.
4. Invite connection, don’t demand it
Notice the horse’s eyes, ears, muzzle, breath, and postural shifts. If the horse steps away, that’s information. Choice is always part of safety.
Why these steps?
They’re consistent with HeartMath-style techniques shown to shift human HRV toward coherence, supporting self-regulation and clearer thinking, which are vital when we’re collaborating with prey animals who read our internal state so keenly. (MDPI)
Signs it’s working (for people and horses)
- You: clearer head, easier breathing, softer face/shoulders; a sense of ‘spacious focus.’
- Horse: softer eye/blink rate, licks/chews, sighs, lowered head/neck, weight shift into a resting hind, curious approach—or, sometimes, a calm decision to keep comfortable distance. (All are valid; our job is to listen.)
Using coherence within EA sessions
- Arrival and transitions Open and close every session with 60–120 seconds of heart-focused breathing. It sets tone, supports learning, and helps the individual or group co-regulate before interacting with the equine team. Findings with older adults suggest mindful grooming plus paced breathing can increase healthy HRV and positive body awareness. (Purdue e-Pubs)
- Mindful grooming and leading Pair a participant with a horse who has already signalled willingness. Prompt slow strokes that match the breath. Watch for mutual relaxing. You may notice your own exhale naturally lengthen as the horse softens.
Studies have observed synchronised HRV peak frequencies during this kind of calm, guided interaction. (PubMed)
- Coach modelling If the energy rises (windy day, new space), as coaches we return to visible, audible coherence breathing.
EA sessions are never about ‘fixing’ anyone. As Coaches, we’re offering a regulatory anchor that the human and equine can join, if it feels safe.
Safety and ethics (our non-negotiables)
- Horse choice and consent Even with reassuring data, we protect the horses’ welfare by giving them clear options to approach, stay, or leave. Choice supports welfare and aligns with research showing that horses in EA work are not inherently over-stressed by this work when conditions are right. (ScienceDirect)
- No ‘magic or mystical’ claims needed The science is exciting and still developing. We talk about co-regulation, HRV patterns and attuned presence, not telepathy. Balanced summaries (including critical viewpoints) keep our integrity strong. (Horse Sport)
- Fit the practice to the person Some participants (especially those with trauma histories) may find ‘heart focus’ language intense at first. Offer neutral cues: ‘Let’s try a steady, gentle breath while you notice the horse’s shoulder moving as it breathes.’
What it is not
- A guarantee that ‘your heart will always sync with the horse.’
- A replacement for veterinary, medical or mental-health care.
- A trick to ‘calm a horse down.’ Coherence is shared; we listen and adapt.
Why it works (summary)
Horses have physically bigger hearts and naturally stronger electromagnetic fields.
Horses already have natural coherence and a more stable baseline.
Horses live in embodied presence so provide instant nervous-system feedback.
Humans are easily distracted and dysregulated by many factors.
How coherence supports learning
High-quality HRV and coherent states are associated with executive function, emotional flexibility, ‘and social engagement, which happen to be some of the capacities we aim to strengthen through Horses Connect’s experiential coaching. When our nervous system is settled and curious, insight lands more easily, and communication gets cleaner.
Quick Coach Reminders
- Ground – feet steady, soften jaw/shoulders.
- Breathe – ~5-second in, 5–6-second out, 60–90 seconds.
- Appreciate – recall something simple that warms your heart.
- Invite – approach with consent; watch the horse’s micro-signals.
- Adjust – if energy spikes, step back, breathe, re-orient.
- Close well – end with 60 seconds of shared breathing and a thank-you.
Bottom line for Horses Connect Coaches:
For us, coherence is more than a body process, it’s an intentional practice of presence. When we slow down, breathe with awareness, and truly appreciate the horse beside us, something powerful happens. Human and horse begin to harmonise.
HeartMath® research offers language and data for what we see every day: that calm is contagious, and connection can be measured not only in smiles and sighs but in the rhythm of two hearts finding balance together.
By weaving HeartMath® principles into the Horses Connect Model, we continue to bridge science and soul honouring both the evidence and the lived experience that teach the same truth:
When hearts align, learning deepens, healing unfolds, and real connection begins.
Want to know more?
- Read peer-reviewed work on HRV synchrony in horse–human pairs and EAL outcomes by Baldwin and colleagues. (PubMed)
- Explore accessible HeartMath articles on human–animal ‘heart-to-heart’ effects and global coherence research (with a critical, curious eye). (HeartMath Institute)
- Balance your reading with thoughtful critiques so your practice stays evidence-informed and ethically grounded. (Horse Sport)
References
- Baldwin, A.L., et al. (2018). Equine Facilitated Learning with Older Adults. Reports increased HR/HRV ‘ positive affect during interactions. (Purdue e-Pubs)
- Baldwin, A.L., et al. (2021). Physiological ‘ Behavioral Benefits for People… Overview linking HRV to wellbeing; discusses EAL effects. (MDPI)
- Baldwin, A.L., et al. (2021, NIH/PMC version). Study aims ‘ findings regarding HRV changes ‘ participant experience. (PMC)
- Baldwin, A.L., et al. (2023). Equine Interaction with Older Adults… Mindful grooming with paced breathing increased healthy HRV ‘ pleasant body awareness. (Purdue e-Pubs)
- Malinowski, K., et al. (2018). Effects of EAAT on Horse Cortisol ‘ HRV. No adverse stress markers in therapy horses studied. (ScienceDirect)
- Gehrke, E.K., et al. (2011). HRV in Horses Engaged in EAT. Baseline HRV characteristics of therapy horses. (ScienceDirect)
- HeartMath Institute articles on human–animal HRV entrainment ‘ global coherence (popular science context). (HeartMath Institute)
- Balanced commentary: ‘Human/Horse Heart Math: Does it Add Up?’ (2024). (Horse Sport)
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The Science of Calm Connection: HeartMath® Principles in the Horses Connect Model
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