Equine Gestalt Coaching in Hillsborough, NC

Equine Gestalt Coaching is a body-based, experiential approach to healing that partners you with a 1,200-pound horse to create breakthroughs that talk-only sessions simply cannot reach. At Stable Support Coaching LLC, certified coach Sarabeth Weber guides you through 90-minute somatic sessions in a 100-year-old peaceful barn, where the intuitive presence of an equine partner helps you move past repeating cycles and reconnect with who you truly are.

Why Somatic Equine Coaching Works

Certified Equine Gestaltist purple logo with “touched by a Horse” text and horse outline

Certified by Melisa Pearce The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™ 

The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™ was developed by Melisa Pearce, a core founder since 1989 of the horse-human healing movement. The experiential nature of the method involves the horse as an active partner with the coach in the client’s exploratory process. The integrative approach of the equine’s interaction combined with positive coaching, somatic awareness guidance and Gestalt methodology, assists the client in examining their life and choices made with a focus on designing a positive future. 

Somatic Equine Coaching in Hillsborough, NC

What Is Gestalt Coaching with Horses?

The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® is a certified, somatic approach developed through the Touched by a Horse® program. Unlike traditional coaching or talk therapy, it brings the healing process out of the office and into the body. Working alongside a horse, you receive immediate, non-judgmental feedback that bypasses cognitive defenses and reaches the root of emotional patterns. As founder Melissa Pierce puts it: "You never forget the lessons learned alongside a 1,200-pound animal." Sessions take place outdoors under a covered barn at our Hillsborough location, creating a grounded, safe environment for real emotional work.

Horse-Based Gestalt Coaching for Real Change

Who This Work Is For

This work is especially well-suited for adults who feel stuck in repeating cycles, even after years of traditional therapy. If you understand your patterns intellectually but still find yourself living them out, somatic equine coaching offers a different path. Stable Support Coaching serves stay-at-home moms, empty nesters, parents of high-level athletes, and anyone who feels disconnected from themselves or "lost" at a crossroads in life. If you have ever thought "this is not who I recognize in the mirror," this work was built with you in mind.

Equine-Assisted Gestalt Therapy Sessions

What to Expect in a Private Session

Each private session runs 90 minutes and is conducted one-on-one with Sarabeth and one of the equine partners at our Hillsborough barn. Sessions take place outdoors under a covered structure, so clients are asked to dress in weather-appropriate layers and wear closed-toed shoes. Fans and heaters are provided for comfort. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your session starts. Upon arrival, park in the designated area and a staff member will meet you to escort you down to the barn. The introductory session rate is $200, with the standard rate at $250 per session. For deeper, sustained progress, 3-session bundles and 3-month transformational packages are also available.
Two horses standing by a wooden fence in a green pasture

A PURPOSEFUL SPACE FOR MINDFUL TRANSITION

What to Expect When You Arrive

Your session takes place at our peaceful, century-old barn in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The property has been intentionally designed to create a welcoming environment where you can slow down and settle into the experience.


Please arrive approximately 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Park only in the designated parking area, where a member of our team will meet you and walk with you to the barn before your session begins. This helps create a calm transition into your coaching experience.

Why Somatic Equine Coaching Works

The Case for Body-Based Healing

Horses are intuitive partners. They respond to your emotional state in real time, offering honest, non-verbal feedback that no human practitioner can fully replicate. This is the core of horse-based gestalt coaching: the animal acts as a biological accelerator, helping you access awareness at a body level rather than an intellectual one. Combined with Sarabeth's two-year Touched by a Horse® certification and her background in education and caretaking, each session is held within a framework of genuine expertise and personal understanding. The result is healing that sticks, because it happens in the body, not just the mind.

Why Somatic Equine Coaching Works

What is Equine Gestalt?

Common Questions About Equine Gestalt Coaching

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do I need any experience with horses to participate in an equine gestalt coaching session?

    No prior experience with horses is required. The sessions are designed to be accessible to people who have never worked with horses before. The equine partners are not ridden or handled in a traditional sense. The work happens through proximity, observation, and the natural interaction that unfolds between you and the horse during the session. Sarabeth guides the process throughout, so you are never left to figure out the horse side of things on your own. The focus is entirely on your emotional awareness and what comes up for you in the presence of the animal.

  • How does equine gestalt coaching differ from standard talk therapy?

    Talk therapy primarily works through conversation and cognitive processing. Equine Gestalt Coaching is a somatic and experiential method. Rather than talking through your history in an office, you engage with a living equine partner whose intuitive responses reflect your emotional state in real time. This body-based approach is specifically intended for people who already understand their patterns intellectually but find themselves still repeating them. The horse provides immediate, non-judgmental feedback that helps you access awareness at a physical and emotional level that conversation alone often cannot reach.

  • What should I wear and bring to my session at the Hillsborough barn?

    Closed-toed shoes are a strict requirement for all sessions. Open-toed footwear and sandals are not permitted for safety reasons. Because sessions take place outdoors under a covered barn structure, you should dress in weather-appropriate layers. The barn is equipped with fans and heaters to help with comfort, but personal preparation for the conditions outside is important. Arriving dressed appropriately helps you stay focused on the session itself rather than physical discomfort. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled start time.

  • What happens when I arrive at the barn for my first session?

    When you arrive at our location in Hillsborough, NC, park in the designated parking area. A staff member will meet you there and escort you down to the barn. Do not attempt to find the barn on your own or enter the property without being met first. Arriving 15 minutes before your session gives you time to settle in, meet your escort, and make your way to the session space without feeling rushed. Specific directions and arrival details will be provided when you book your appointment.

  • What is the Touched by a Horse® certification and why does it matter?

    Touched by a Horse® is the organization behind the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method®, founded by Melissa Pierce. Sarabeth Weber completed the two-year certification program through this organization to become a Certified Equine Gestalt Coach. The certification represents a high level of specialized training in somatic, equine-assisted coaching and distinguishes this work from informal or uncertified practitioners. The two-year training requirement ensures that certified coaches have a deep grounding in both the methodology and the ethical standards of the practice.

  • Is equine gestalt coaching available in group settings, or only as private sessions?

    Both formats are available at Stable Support Coaching. Private sessions run 90 minutes and are one-on-one with Sarabeth. Group coaching is also offered as an ongoing weekly format, with sessions running approximately 3 hours and a maximum of 10 participants per group. The group setting is designed for people seeking shared healing and community connection, particularly those who feel isolated or are looking for support beyond what individual sessions provide. Group coaching requires an inquiry form submission rather than direct booking, in order to preserve the chemistry and safety of the group.

  • What pricing options are available for private sessions and packages?

    The standard rate for a private equine gestalt coaching session is $250. An introductory rate of $200 per session is currently available for new clients. For those looking for sustained progress, 3-session bundles and 3-month transformational packages are also offered. The 3-month package includes three sessions combined with weekly phone calls and ongoing coaching work. Group coaching is targeted at $200 per month. Specific pricing for packages, events, and workshops can be discussed during the inquiry or booking process.

Client Experiences

What Our Customers Say

Stable Support Coaching is built for people seeking a grounded, body-based path beyond talk-only approaches. If Sarabeth and the horses have supported your growth, clarity, or next step forward, we would be grateful for your review.