Tiger Tales

My Hometown: Nancy H Verhoeven

Never work with children or animals… unless you’re Nancy H Verhoeven, who sometimes does both. Nancy is the founder of Vincere Coaching, which specialises in areas of leadership, team development and interpersonal relationships. For the past 13 years she has focused on coaching senior executives for Forbes 1000 corporations with a presence in Asia. These days, she doubles as the operator of Equina Horse- Assisted Coaching sessions with the help of her trusty steed Galloping Glory – “GG” for short.

WHAT IS EQUINA HORSE-ASSISTED COACHING?
I set up activities for individuals and groups to interact with the horse on the ground (usually without touching the horse). The horse mirrors your body language and can give you amazingly honest feedback about how authentic you are in your behaviour and how clear your intent is. For individuals, I focus the sessions on self- awareness and leadership and for groups it can be a team development and leadership exercise. Because I’ve worked closely with horses for so long, own a horse and compete in equitation (horsemanship), I’m familiar with how horses communicate. I combine this with my skills as an executive coach – helping people face and discover important truths about themselves and how they respond to situations. Together, this makes the sessions with the horse very powerful.

WHY A HORSE? WOULD ANY OTHER ANIMAL WORK?
Horses are herd animals and animals of prey so their instinctual intuitions are so acutely developed that they react to you according to where they see you in the pecking order of “the herd” – whether they see you as a leader and also whether they see you as a threat. This, combined with their uncanny ability to almost read what you’re thinking and respond to it without any pretence, makes them amazing animals with which to work. Because they have been domesticated and have such a long history of working with people, they consider us part of their herd. I think this psychology is unique to horses.

HOW DOES THE BEHAVIOUR OF HUMANS AFFECT THE HORSE? IS THERE ANY IMPACT ON THE ANIMAL?
I wouldn’t say they have an impact, but the horse does respond in its own way. Unlike people, horses don’t have an agenda. They don’t care about your feelings or what you think. So their reactions are pure. If you push a horse he might move, but he might also push back. Regardless of whether you’re a 12-year-old girl or a 50-year-old CEO, the horse doesn’t react to your status, age or looks, but to your demeanour, energy and the clarity of your intention.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EXTREME REACTION YOU’VE SEEN FROM A HORSE?
Once a client’s presence was so strong that the horse just started running around in circles in response to him just walking into the arena with my animal. I’d never seen GG react that way. It said a lot about my client’s need to tone down – as he was possibly coming across as intimidating or even scary. He said that he did have that problem with some people being a little scared of him.

CAN YOU ALWAYS COAX GG INTO DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT? DOES PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH HORSES HELP?
Not at all. I often see my clients get him to do things that I don’t think he would even do for me. Of course, carrots can achieve a lot. But in the Equina sessions no bribery is allowed. The outcome of the sessions is amazingly really only about what is going on inside you. Previous experience with horses may allow you to try some of the activities with more confidence, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the outcome will be any different.

WHY IS THIS STYLE OF COACHING SO EFFECTIVE?
Because the horse is such a big powerful animal, the interaction with him touches the emotional brain and that memory seems to go deeper and last longer. Everyone I have conducted sessions with remembers their session with the horse and the learning they drew from it.

WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMMES DO YOU OFFER?
I offer individual executive coaching sessions, and half- day, one-day or two-day group sessions. I’m also introducing a new programme for teenagers focussing on self-awareness and self-esteem.

For more information, visit www.vincerecoaching.com

INSIDER
Singapore

The Lion City is American-born expatriate Nancy’s second home. Here are her top tips for visitors

Best Places to Eat?

I love the black pepper crab at Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood (122 Casuarina Rd, tel: +65 6452 2824). For value-for- money, try the Japanese at Matsuo Restaurant (Goldhill Plaza, tel: +65 6356 2603).

Best Ways to Relax?

I love going for walks at the Singapore Botanic Gardens and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Both places are peaceful, have wonderful greenery and give you a feeling of escaping from the city.

Best Spots for Sightseeing?

The Little India and Chinatown neighbourhoods – for all the colour, culture and, of course, the cuisine.

Best Spot to Escape?

Bukit Timah Saddle Club for rides on my horse GG, and breakfasts at Rider’s Café by the stables. The stable is my No 1 escape place.