Learning in the Right Direction, Possibilities and Discovery, with Michaelah Robinson, MACP

At Honos Nutrition Co., we’re passionate about horses, science, and doing the best we can do for our horses, while empowering others to do the same. The goal of our collabs is to support like-minded individuals and convey the importance of compassionate, evidence-based horse care, while coming back to the passion and curiosity that is driven by the love of the horse.

This month, we were fortunate enough to have Michaelah from Robinson Riding Academy, join us for an interview. Michaelah is a dedicated student of the horse, and loves to create educational opportunities for fellow perpetual learners. She is an equine therapist (MACP and Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)), hosts and teaches clinics on various equine subjects, and is a valuable asset to the mission of improving equine lives. We highly recommend you follow her on socials!

How did your business get started? Was there a specific horse who sparked inspiration?

Robinson Riding Academy was started through pursuing opportunities as they were available. I would say that my inspiration was sparked by the lifestyle more than anything else. Growing up, my family took in a lot of horses, some of whom needed homes or understanding, and others who were in the right place at the right time. It was very hard to say no to bringing a horse home

with us. Accumulating knowledge and skills through lessons, clinics, 4H, Canadian Pony Club, and daily practice, we had a lot to share with other people who also had an interest in horses. I grew up training my own ponies and began freelance coaching/training by the age of 12. In 2016, I participated in the government Summer Company program where I received mentoring in the vast world of entrepreneurship. Covid restrictions forced a lot of change that, in

retrospect, created space for a deeper understanding of what it was that I was looking to convey in the context of horses: a way of being. I currently support a few students working with my horses, some off-property students and training horses, and am enjoying the world of equine-assisted psychotherapy.

Why are evidence-based practices important to you?

I have a deep view on evidence-based practices. I believe they are important because life is filled with so many layers of energy interacting in all sorts of intriguing ways, and if we aim to make sense of how one thing relates to another, we have a lot of information to unravel. Seeking evidence is the best way that we know how to sort out such details, and evidence-based practices develop from our understandings. I have a special respect for anecdotal

evidence. Things that may not have been explained methodically through formal research yet, and still, they seem to work. I think there is a lot that we still don’t know, and I think that’s okay. It’s part of the adventure. To me, it’s very important to understand how evidence is collected. What were the conditions and other factors at play? Other variables that we might not think

contributed to the end results because we have more to learn? For this reason, I like to understand the whole story. Sometimes the science needs time to catch up!

How have horses shaped your love for learning?

Horses have held a space for me to learn that there are infinite levels of learning. They have taught me how to apply myself to the art of learning, to trust myself in the process, and to tune in with my inner compass that tells me when I’m learning in the right direction. Ultimately, horses have taught me to ask, What is possible? To discover less trodden paths, core values, a connected sense of knowing, and just some of the possibilities of better ways of working together.

What advice would you give your younger, horsey self?

My younger, horsey self had a lot of things going for her. A strong work ethic, dedication, love of the horse above all else, and the determination to keep showing up no matter what problems arose. The advice I would offer probably couldn’t be accepted but would instead have to be earned: slow down and listen to yourself because you might be right.

This is a great example of where science is catching up today. There have always been incredible horsemen and horsewomen who have known and done this, although not all would have had the language to explain what exactly they were doing. Through attuning with our own nervous system, we gain access to conflicting parts (thoughts, beliefs, values, behaviours, etc.) within ourselves.

These conflicts and misunderstandings can often be reconciled by acknowledging and accepting the role that each thought, belief, or behaviour played, realizing that our circumstances might have required compromise rather than offering a space for total congruence. Self-acceptance soon follows that self-understanding, and a state of system coherence raises our energetic existence to a level nearer that which our horses live in.

What has been the most rewarding part of fostering this mindset?

The most rewarding part of my equine journey has consistently been the realization of new possibilities. New possibilities for opportunity, connection, partnership, self-understanding, energetic resonance, and all of the possibilities that I don’t know about yet but which I trust I will find in good time.

Thank you for your incredibly thoughtful and reflective answers, I'm sure readers will have a lot to think about. Are there any links or resources you would like to share - where can interested parties learn more?

For anyone seeking more information about equine-assisted psychotherapy, self-discovery, energetic resonance, or other topics relating to a better connection with horses, feel free to check out my Facebook account (Michaelah Robinson), The Journey Counselling and Psychotherapy website, and stay tuned for upcoming video content!

Thank you again for your time - we are so grateful for your time & valuable insights! Horsey friends, we highly recommend you follow Michaelah on socials!