The business clarity you're chasing
won't come from thinking more…
The Business Owner's Permission Slip
A half-day equine facilitation experience designed to give you the one thing you've stopped making room for: space to breathe, think, and hear yourself again.
Upcoming event dates:
Monday September 14th, 11am - 3pm
Monday October 19th, 11am - 3pm
Friday December 4th, 11am - 3pm
Where: Herd Harmony, Willindi Estate in Tyabb, on the Mornington Peninsula.
Who it’s for: Business owners who are practitioners, consultants, coaches, speakers, mentors, authors and facilitators.
We only have space for 6 humans, this event is intentionally designed to be intimate for a full and deep experience.
The experience…
Our day will start with a group welcome and connection over a cup of tea and snack. Followed by a wander in the paddock to meet the horses that will support our day together, and begin with a regulation and capacity building activity.
From there you will be supported to craft an intention for your permission slip day, and supported by the facilitation of Katee and the herd of Horses to ensure you’re ready to be guided by your intuition, rather than your thinking mind.
Then we will have the foundations to deepen into a business design session focused on what you need to make the shifts in your business to feel more aligned and fulfilled.
The horses and I will support you in noticing what's running underneath the decisions you've been circling, the patterns you keep bumping into, and where your thinking has been getting in the way of your knowing.
My business design expertise means what surfaces doesn't stay as an insight, we will work through what you need to implement and integrate strategically so you’re not leaving with a head full of “todo’s” and more overwhelm.
And finally, we'll gather together over a cheese board and a glass of wine (or something equally good without the alcohol), and take the time to integrate what came up, connect with the other business owners, and let the afternoon settle before you head back into your world.
What you can expect to take away from this Permission Slip experience…
What you will leave with is a felt sense of clarity and alignment with key business decisions you’ve been wanting or meaning to make.
The felt shifts: You'll likely feel lighter, with a deeper sense of self trust in the business moves you want to make.
The practical outputs:
Specific insight into the pattern, belief, or behaviour that's been keeping you stuck or in overwhelm.
Key decisions around your team, pricing, capacity, offers, or processes
Because the group is small, and the horses leave no room for inauthenticity, you'll also leave knowing you're not the only one carrying what you've been carrying.
Listen to Kat’s reflections as a business owner experiencing equine mentoring for the first time…
I designed this experience with you in mind if…
You simply can’t get your nervous system to catch up to where you’re head is at (a million different places and ideas).
Business is feeling reactive and decisions are driven from pressure, not alignment or intuition
You want space to work on your business but you don’t need more productivity, more doing, more actions - you’re craving simplicity, ease and clarity.
You want to understand the patterns, beliefs and behaviours that seem to run on repeat and keep you stuck in busy-ness
Your business is bleeding into your personal world and you’re done with that approach
Most business owners are remarkably good at pushing through, and success has come as a result of this high performance drive.
AND there is a cost when it starts showing up in the decisions you're making from depletion rather than clarity, the leadership that's reactive rather than considered, and a business that's growing but not in true alignment right now.
You have to step out of the reactivity and be deliberate, and most business owners never give themselves permission to do that, which is why this experience exists.
Equine Mentoring and Facilitation video testimonial from Adele - Marketing Consultant for Katee Gray
You don’t need to have an exact “thing” to work through, that clarity will come on the day as needed. But here are some common scenarios that come up for business owners who experience pivotal moments in the paddock;
"I know I need to hire someone but I keep putting it off - wondering if it’s about being able to accept support."
"I'm the bottleneck in my own business and I want to stop the cycle of reliance on me."
"I've hit a level of success that feels nothing like I thought it would - I’m feeling flat and restless”
"I can't figure out if I want to grow the business or simplify it - and I've been going over all the scenarios in my head”
"I know I'm undercharging or over delivering but I can't bring myself to change it."
what we can work through together
mentor, coach & equine facilitator
I’m Katee. (Yep, like “Katie” but with two E’s)
I work with people whose situations are complex — businesses, leaders, lives that don't fit neatly into a single category.
I don't pretend things are simpler than they are. And I don't leave you drowning in the complexity either. There's usually a clear path through it when we can hold both.
I specialise in working with coaches, facilitators, speakers, authors and practitioners running expert-led businesses — and the people beside them.
Based on the Mornington Peninsula, lands of the Bunurong People, Australia. Working nationally and internationally with clients. (And in the paddock, with horses, when the work calls for it.)
Sustainable business, for your growth, reflected by your life by design goals
horses & me
I've been a participant in equine facilitation and therapy for nine years. Prior to that I had tried most approaches, those grounded in deep science like CBT and ACT, through to spiritual and somatic practices. Nothing came close to what happened for me in a paddock with the herd.
The breakthroughs, the clarity, the shifts, the grounding and the boundaries clarification all changed the way I live and work. Honestly, it's something I find hard to convey. It's something to experience.
I formalised that by training as an equine facilitator with Meg Kirby and Noel Haarburger at the The Equine & Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Institute. Now I bring this work into business coaching and mentoring, to support business owners making moves they trust.
This is not therapy, and it doesn't require a saddle. You won't be asked to ride. You don't need prior experience with horses — I just ask for openness to what might unfold.
This is not a retreat either. The work is grounded in equine-assisted learning methodology, trauma-informed facilitation, and the same nervous system science that underpins somatic coaching and high-performance psychology.
What you'll find is an environment where your body responds differently than it does in your office or on a walk. And a structured process for making that useful.
If you're sceptical, bring that. The horses won't mind, and neither will I.
This is not for you if…
You're looking for practical solutions only - that's better suited to the online mentoring space.
You're not open to what could unfold, or willing to stay curious rather than arrive with a fixed idea of what should happen.
You need a structured agenda with pre-set outcomes - the most valuable thing that happens on this day rarely arrives on schedule.
What this is not
Get your permission slip
Event date options to choose from:
Monday September 14th
Monday October 19th
Friday December 4th
Time: 11am - 3pm
Introductory rate for first 6 people to register: $490 + GST
Standard rate: $880 + GST
Location: Herd Harmony, Willindi Estate in Tyabb, on the Mornington Peninsula
Places are limited to 6 people per event to intentionally allow for depth on each of your businesses and individual intention.
Tea, Snacks, Cheese board and glass of wine are also included (Vegan and non-alcoholic options available).
Listen to Charlottes’s reflections as a business owner experiencing equine mentoring for the first time…
kind words, from wonderful humans…
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![Charlotte Squires Business owner and doula testimonial for Katee Gray Equine mentoring]()
I walked away with a sense of knowing that simply wasn't there before.
What surprised me most was how much feedback the horses gifted me. I hadn't anticipated that — the sheer abundance of information that came through them — and I feel so grateful walking away with it. I'd wondered whether I'd even be able to understand what they were communicating. But it was clear. Direct. To the point. I thought I'd be searching for the meaning, and instead it felt like they spoke my language.
I expected to have to earn their trust, to build it slowly — and they gave it in droves. That felt really special.
If you're moving through a time of transition, seeking the kind of confirmation and affirmation we all need from time to time, this is the most perfect place to come. What's beautiful about this work is that the guidance never feels like it's coming from anyone else.
The feedback loop with your own inner knowing just becomes stronger. I left more connected to my own desires, my own knowing, my own truth.
Charlotte Squires - The Living Doula - Business owner, facilitator and doula
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![Kat Wheeler Reconnected Woman testimonial for Katee Gray equine mentoring]()
I walked away trusting myself in a way I hadn't before.
What surprised me most was how present the horse was. I'd assumed she'd wander off and do her own thing, but she stayed with us the whole way through. At one point I was building a little supportive environment for myself, and she came over and moved the blanket, pushed a few things around, as if to say it doesn't have to be perfect, which created a mirror for the perfectionism that has been keeping me stuck, and here was this horse making the point for me.
Being out in the paddock let me step out of the confusion and chaos that comes with running your own business. The questions Katee asks reach the things you can't quite get to when you're only thinking with your mind.
What came through didn't come from my head. It came from my intuition, and it felt more grounded as a result.
If you run a business and you've done all the cerebral work but something still isn't clicking, this is the place to come. You stop asking what you're supposed to be doing and start asking how you actually want to feel. I left more connected to my own knowing, and trusting that I already had what I needed.
Kat Wheeler - Womens Embodiment coach and business owner -
![testimonial for Katee Gray equine mentoring fac]()
From the moment I first saw Katee work with the horses, I immediately felt drawn to her. She created a sense of ease and comfort, both around the horses and within the space as a whole.
Katee consistently demonstrated a strong depth of knowledge and practical skill when working with horses. This was especially evident in the way she approached and integrated the horses into sessions, showing confidence, awareness, and a natural ability to read both the animals and the people involved.
I felt safe and supported in her presence, and I had full trust in her to guide me through a session. Her competence, calm approach, and understanding of equine-assisted work were clear and reassuring.
Tia - Equine Psychotherapist and Provisional Psychologist -
![Michael Brandsdon-Smith - Equine Facilitator testimonial for Katee Gray]()
Katee was a natural during our equine learning experience. She brings attentiveness, depth and a kind presence to sessions that enable you to dig deep and grow safely.
Michael Brandsdon-Smith - Equine Facilitator
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![Jess Lauria - Equine Facilitator and Counsellor testimonial for Katee Gray]()
From the very beginning, Katee's presence was something truly special.
Katee has a magnetic energy that draws people in and creates an immediate sense of connection and safety. Her kindness and deeply empathic nature are evident in the way she communicates, holds space, and delivers her intentions with such care and authenticity.
Katee showed me what it truly means to feel seen. She supported me through emotional moments with patience, compassion, and unwavering presence, gently guiding me to express myself in a way that felt safe and empowering. She didn't try to fix or rush the process, she simply stayed beside me, which is a rare and powerful gift.
Katee is a genuinely kindhearted person with a natural ability to understand people on a deeper level. She leads with curiosity, compassion, and a sincere desire to support others in meaningful ways.
In addition to her emotional intelligence, Katee brings valuable skills in business development and growth, making her not only a beautiful facilitator but also someone who understands how to build and sustain impactful work.
Her lived experience with equine assisted learning adds another layer of depth to what she offers. She truly understands the power of horses, not just in theory, but through her own personal journey, which allows her to connect others to that experience in a grounded and authentic way.
Jess Lauria - Equine Facilitator and Counsellor
The horse as partner, not prop
The horses I work with are not tools or therapy aids. They're sentient animals with their own preferences, boundaries, and ways of communicating and their participation in this work is always on their terms.
That's an ethical consideration, but it's also a practical one. A horse's response to you is honest in a way that humans — including coaches and therapists — simply can't replicate. They're tuned into congruence. They respond to your presence and your nervous system, not the version of yourself you think you need to put forward to perform as a high achiever.
Working with horses as partners is what makes this work unique. It requires presence and awareness. And that presence and awareness is what allows for sustainable high performance, particularly for business owners navigating the full complexity of life alongside their work.
Frequent asked questions
Katee Gray is an accredited EAL (Equine Assisted Learning) practitioner, trained through the Equine and Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Institute (EAAPI) and accredited Nutritionist with Nutrition Society of Australia.
Sessions are held in the Balnarring or Tyabb on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria - Confirmed at time of booking.
Understanding Equine Mentoring
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Equine mentoring and facilitation is a form of experiential learning and mentoring that takes place in the presence of horses, on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. It is not riding or horse therapy. Sessions focus on present-moment awareness, nervous system regulation, and practical business or leadership insight, guided by how horses respond to your state, patterns, and presence. You don't need horse experience. You bring what's live for you. The horses respond to what's real.
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Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is present-moment, capacity-building work. It focuses on awareness, patterns, and practical development, what's happening now and how to work with it.
Equine Assisted Therapy or Psychotherapy (EAP) is a clinical modality that explores the origins and history of patterns, typically within a therapeutic or counselling framework.
EAL is what's offered here. If your needs are better suited to a clinical or therapeutic pathway, I'll tell you that and point you toward the right support. -
No. Equine mentoring is experiential learning, not counselling, not psychotherapy. It works with what's present and alive right now: how you're functioning, what patterns are showing up, what capacity you need to build. It is not a space for excavating your past. If that's what you need, I'll refer you to someone qualified to do that work.
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Look for accreditation through a recognised training body. I hold accreditation as an EAL practitioner through the Equine and Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Institute (EAAPI), completing Foundation Training with senior trainer Meg Kirby. EAAPI is one of Australia's leading equine-facilitated training institutes. Accreditation requires demonstrated competency in facilitation, horse welfare, safety, and ethical practice, not just horse experience. Specifically we focus on i-thou principles where the horses are invited into the work, and not forced to do anything.
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No horse experience is needed. Most clients arrive without any. Everything you need to know to be safe and engage with the session is covered at the start. If you're an experienced horse person, that's welcome too, the work operates differently from horsepersonship, so prior experience doesn't determine what you get out of it.
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Equine mentoring on the Mornington Peninsula with Katee Gray is used for: burnout recovery and capacity building, business strategy and decision-making, leadership presence and congruence, pricing and confidence, nervous system regulation, and patterns in how you work and relate. Most people arrive with a business or leadership question and leave with a deeper understanding of how they're operating underneath it.
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Yes. Burnout is one of the most common reasons people book. The work is specifically designed for cognitively dominant, high-functioning people whose nervous systems are running on empty. Horses are acutely attuned to nervous system state, they respond to what's actually happening in you, not what you're presenting. That makes burnout visible in a way that's hard to argue with, and creates conditions for genuine regulation rather than managed performance.
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Horses are prey animals. They're highly attuned to their environment and to the nervous system states of the people around them. They respond to what's real, not what's performed.
For people who are articulate and cognitively fluent - who can describe a problem in detail without actually feeling it - that's the point. Horses don't respond to your words. They respond to your state.
That kind of feedback is hard to argue with. And it creates insight that conversation alone often can't reach.
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Yes. The nervous system co-regulation that occurs between horses and humans is documented in research. The physiological shift in humans, measurable changes in heart rate variability and stress hormone cortisol, when in proximity to horses is well established. Sessions are grounded, observational, and practical. You won't be asked to do anything that doesn't make sense to you.
What to expect from the experience
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Sessions run for 90 minutes on the Mornington Peninsula at either a location in Balnarring or Tyabb - confirmed upon booking.
They follow a consistent flow: check-in (what's present for you, what you want to work with), time with the horses (which might include observing the herd, meeting a horse at liberty, grooming, or a more structured experience depending on what's relevant), and integration (what did you notice, what does it mean, what do you take with you).
You’ll also receive integration support via WhatsApp, Marco Polo, or email after each session. -
No. Everything is offered as an invitation, not a requirement. You determine how you engage. All current sessions are ground-based — there is no riding.
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Mention it during or before you book in. Some nervousness is normal and often part of the work.
A significant fear or phobia may mean we need to approach the first session differently, or have a conversation about whether this is the right fit right now. -
It absolutely can be, and it requires honest conversation upfront. The work is not trauma therapy and does not explore trauma origins. However, it is designed to be nervous-system aware, non-coercive, and paced to what's manageable for you. If you have a significant trauma history or are currently under the care of a mental health professional, please mention this when you enquire or book in so I can best support you.
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One session can shift something significant, many people notice a difference in clarity or capacity immediately. The monthly retainer (2 sessions per month with ongoing support) suits people working through something over time, or who want regular capacity support built into their practice. There is no lock-in commitment.
practical logistics stuff
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Sessions are held in the Balnarring and Tyabb area on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, approximately 70km south-east of Melbourne. Exact address and parking details are confirmed at booking.
I can arrange airport transport as part of your booking - just send us an email with your travel details: hello@kateegray.com -
Closed-toe shoes are non-negotiable, no thongs, sandals, or heels.
Comfortable layers for being outside in variable weather. You'll be on the ground for 90 minutes, potentially in wind, sun, or cold, so dress practically.
We do have undercover options and some cosy spaces for warmth.
If you arrive in unsuitable footwear the session may need to be rescheduled. -
— with awareness. Horses are large animals and their behaviour, while predictable when you understand them, is never entirely controlled. Every session begins with a safety briefing that gives you the information you need to be safe and make good choices. Horses are specifically matched to the work and to each client. Your safety, and the horses', is the first priority in every session.
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It absolutely can be, and it requires honest conversation upfront. The work is not trauma therapy and does not explore trauma origins. However, it is designed to be nervous-system aware, non-coercive, and paced to what's manageable for you. If you have a significant trauma history or are currently under the care of a mental health professional, please mention this when you enquire or book in so I can best support you.
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Sessions can often be adapted for your needs. Please reach out on email with your preferred accomodations so I can confirm which location may be better suited. That conversation is better had upfront than on the day.
hello@kateegray.com -
Book directly at kateegray.com/book-equine-mentoring. You'll receive a confirmation with all session details. First-time clients will be sent a services agreement and safety check — both must be signed at least 48 hours before the session.
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Please cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours before your session. Cancellations within 48 hours forfeit the 50% deposit. If I need to cancel due to illness or weather, you'll be notified as soon as possible and offered a full rebook or refund.
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No, this is for the scope of Equine Therapy (EAP)