EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING & COACHING
lEADING THE DISCOVERY OF RELAtional trauma
Wonder what
You're Missing?
Sometimes the question isn't "What's wrong?"
It's something quieter —
“What happened to me?” • “Why am I like this?” • "Is this as good as it gets?” • “Is this all there is?”
Dayspring invites adults and youth to explore the relationships that shape who they are — and find transformation through the healing connection of an equine partner.
Explore Your Story •
Discover WHAT’S Possible
Do you feel safe, seen, and HEARD — free from Judgment and Shame?
How we show up in relationships — at home, at work, with ourselves — is often shaped by patterns we learned early. Do any of these feel familiar:
Recognizing those patterns — and replacing them through experience, not just understanding — is the work at Dayspring.
Change doesn't happen through insight alone.
Lasting change happens when your body learns something new.
That's where the horses come in.
Sentient Beings, Hardwired for Connection
Horses have opinions and feelings, can express them in many ways, and want to have a choice in the relationship — just like humans.
But as prey animals, they have a heightened sensitivity to detect danger and mixed signals. This requires us to pay particular attention to how we show up, how we make requests, and how we respond to the horse's answers and requests.
This is where we discover our patterns, explore our options, and learn and practice new behaviors.
Each session unfolds at your pace — a natural progression from arriving to becoming.
You arrive as you are
No experience needed. Sessions begin with slowing down — learning to notice what's present before doing anything else.
You learn the principles of connection
Through guided groundwork (no riding) with your equine partner. Old patterns emerge in real time, offering the chance to notice them and try something different.
You practice new patterns
You regulate. You clarify your intention. You soften around a boundary or hold one. With a horse as your partner, this is unmistakably real.
New capacity forms
Through experience — not explanation. You don't just understand your patterns — you realize you've outgrown them, and you replace them.
Where to begin
Many pathways.
One foundation.
Whether you're a parent looking for support for a young person, or an adult ready for something that works differently — Dayspring offers trauma-informed, equine-partnered opportunities for all ages and needs.
Progressive equine-assisted learning activities for children and teens, each building on the last. Kids practice real skills like how to handle big feelings, ask for what they need, or staying calm under pressure — while forming a real relationship with a horse. Not in a chair answering questions.
Transformations
A coaching pathway for adults ready to explore the relational patterns shaping their lives and find the skills to embody lasting change. THE GROUNDWORK builds a foundation for FINDING YOUR RHYTHM where practicing new relational skills creates LIVING IN CONNECTION with the relationships that matter most.
Transformations
A structured somatic practice that helps grief move through the body — using breath, chair-based movement, and sound. No physical fitness required. Available in person or online.
Learn more →Restorative experiences for caregivers, first responders, healthcare workers, and helping professionals. Individually or as a team. Inquiry-based booking.
Inquire about programs →
Disclaimer: I will not look like this when you see me at the barn!
Audrey Schmidt
Founder · Dayspring Equine Assisted Services · Bryson City, NC
I came to this work through a divine plan that led my husband and me here to escape the Texas heat, a plan far greater than I ever imagined. Becoming a dually certified Equine Professional and Trauma Recovery Coach has equipped me to pour my lifelong passion for horses into a practice centered on improving relationships.
Tragedy brought an awareness to understanding MY grieving process and how to recognize those things that need grieving. I realized the importance of grieving well, accepting the feelings.
I built Dayspring around the core belief that we are all seeking connection, and it began with connecting with my true self and flows into how I connect with the horses and everyone that crosses my path. I have found a new way of being in the world.
CREDENTIALS:
NLC-P, EP · Natural Lifemanship Institute
CTRC · International Association of Trauma Recovery Coaches
Grief Movement Guide Facilitator
Find a Different Way of Being in the World.
Whether you come as an adult seeking clarity, a parent seeking support for your child, or someone navigating grief —
the foundation remains the same:
Safety first — both emotional and physical
Exploration and growth at your pace
Connection is always the goal
CURIOSITY IS ENOUGH TO BEGIN.