Trust a Horse to Find its Way Home

I was raised with horses in my early years and Milton Erickson's (American psychologist) wonderful story of the wandering horse is one of my favourites. It's an excellent analogy for coaches and counsellors on how we support change through trusting our clients, as they are the experts on themselves.

It goes something like ...

Erickson was walking home from school with his friends when a horse trotted past him looking for water in a yard and then a field. He looked lost, but he did not belong in the yard or the field. Erickson and his friends cornered the horse, and he hopped on its back and nudged him to walk on.

They started the road together, but every now and then, the horse stopped to eat or wander up a path or two. Whenever this happened, Erickson would nudge him on to keep him on the road. He knew if he kept the horse on the road and moving, it would find its way home.

After about four miles, the horse finally trotted into a yard and the farmer recognised him immediately and asked where he had found him. Erickson explained i

t was about four miles away and then he asked “How did you know to bring him here?”

Erickson replied: “I didn’t know the horse knew. All I did was keep his attention on the road.”