ONE STEP, ONE BREATH
A structured series of transformative sessions. Taking healthy steps back to yourself.
I have been sober for over twenty years. I know what it is to white-knuckle your way through a hard day, to reach for something outside yourself just to feel steady, and to slowly — one step, one breath at a time — learn how to find that steadiness within. The 12 steps taught me humility, accountability, and how to ask for help. Horses taught me the rest.
When my mother died, I didn’t pick up a drink. I went to the barn. Something about standing near a horse — their warmth, their rhythm, their solid size, and their absolute indifference to pretense — settled me in a way that nothing else could. I didn’t have words for it then; it was a somatic knowing that came to me. Now I know: horses require us to regulate. They respond to what we bring into the space, honestly and without judgment. When we’re braced, they step away. When we soften, they move closer. It’s not magic — it’s relationship. And learning to be in that relationship changes you.
One Step, One Breath is a 12 part series of small-group sessions — no more than four women at a time — designed for women who are in early recovery and ready to deepen their healing through experiential work with horses. No riding. No prior horse experience needed. Just you, the ground beneath your feet, and an animal who will meet you exactly where you are.
The parallels between recovery and horsemanship run deeper than you might expect. Both ask you to release the illusion of control. Both require honest self-inventory. Both reward presence over performance. And both — when practiced with humility and care — build the kind of quiet confidence that no substance ever could.
This program is offered in partnership with local recovery organizations, and is also available to individuals seeking one-on-one support. If you’re in recovery and something in you is drawn to horses, trust that pull. It might be exactly what your next step looks like.
Who It’s For
One Step, One Breath is built for women who:
- Are new to recovery or are just returning to sobriety
- Have committed to working the 12 Steps and have a sponsor
- Are looking for experiential support that goes beyond talking and into a new body-centered awareness and action
- Want to work with a small group of Women in Recovery to peel back the layers of misaligned coping mechanisms to reveal true and lasting ways to face the challenges of life
- Are curious about how spending time with animals can enhance the inner work that they’re doing as they move through the Steps
The horses show us the truth about ourselves when we take the time to listen.
What to Expect:
Safe space to explore the fundamental steps in sobriety through the lens of Equine-Assisted Learning.
With your One Step, One Breath cohort, you will:
- See how your energy influences the horses and learn to adjust that energy in the moment
- Learn self-regulation tools that work in the paddock and can then be brought into every day life
- Experience communication that doesn’t require words to achieve true connection
- Feel the exhale that comes with slowing down, honing perception, and being present for what’s unfolding here and now
- Let go of expectations and step into curiosity and flexibility
- Rediscover the parts of you that can embrace life with joy and resilience, one day at a time
“Before taking Volunteer Training, I had only a little horse experience—but Polly’s guidance changed everything. This experience truly and I’ll always be grateful.”
— Lenore I. Volunteer hired as Staff
What People Say
Let’s Talk.
Let’s create something that lasts—solid systems, supported staff, and a herd that feels safe, seen, and respected.
Ready to start with a foundation that grows into transformation?