Horses are among the most communicative animals I work with. They are sensitive, intelligent, highly attuned to the humans around them, and they have a great deal to say. In over 20 years of animal communication practice, some of my most profound sessions have been with horses: horses who were resisting training not out of stubbornness but out of pain or misunderstanding; horses who had something specific they needed their rider to know; horses whose emotional worlds were far richer and more complex than anyone around them had fully recognized.
I'm Michelle Hawk, a professional animal communicator and pet psychic based in Portland, Oregon. I offer in-person horse communication sessions throughout the greater Portland area and Columbia River Gorge, as well as remote sessions for horse owners and trainers worldwide. This post is for anyone in the Pacific Northwest who has wondered whether their horse might have something to tell them.
What Is Horse Communication?
Horse communication (sometimes called horse whispering in popular culture) is a form of animal communication that works by forming an energetic connection with a horse and receiving what they want to convey. It's not about body language reading or behavioral analysis, though both of those can complement the work. It's a direct, intuitive conversation with the horse in as close to their own words as possible.
Horses communicate through pictures, feelings, body sensations, words and phrases, and a sense of direct knowing. Some horses are highly verbal and articulate. Others communicate primarily through images or feelings. All of them have opinions, preferences, and experiences they want their humans to understand.
What makes horse communication particularly valuable is that horses cannot fake or suppress what they share the way humans sometimes do. What comes through in a session is authentic, which is why the information is often startlingly specific and verifiable.
What Can Horse Communication Help With?
Training Resistance
This is one of the most common reasons horse owners and trainers contact me. A horse is refusing a specific movement, balking at a particular obstacle, clashing with a rider, or simply not progressing the way everyone expected. From the outside this can look like stubbornness or a training problem. From inside the horse's experience, there is almost always a specific reason: physical discomfort, confusion about what's being asked, a past experience that created a pattern of fear or avoidance, or a communication breakdown between horse and rider that has compounded over time.
Once we understand what the horse is actually experiencing, the path forward becomes much clearer, and sometimes changes remarkably quickly.
Rider and Horse Relationships
The relationship between a horse and their rider is one of the most nuanced partnerships in the animal world. When that partnership is working well it's extraordinary. When it's out of alignment — even subtly — it affects everything: performance, behavior, trust, and the emotional well-being of both horse and human.
Horse communication can illuminate what's happening in that relationship from the horse's perspective. What does the horse appreciate about their human rider? What do they find confusing or difficult? What do they need that they're not currently getting? These conversations often shift something fundamental in the partnership, not by changing the training, but by changing the understanding.
Health and Physical Discomfort
Horses who are in pain or physical discomfort often express it through behavior: reluctance, irritability, resistance, or a subtle flatness in their energy that experienced horse people can sense but can't always identify. I can ask a horse directly how their body is feeling, where they're experiencing discomfort, and what, if anything, might help.
This kind of session works beautifully alongside veterinary care, particularly for mystery lameness, performance issues with no clear diagnosis, or checking in on whether a treatment plan is actually helping from the horse's perspective.
Emotional Well-being and Herd Dynamics
Horses are profoundly social animals with complex emotional lives. When a horse is grieving, anxious, or struggling with a change in their herd or environment, it can affect everything about how they show up. Communication sessions can explore what a horse needs to feel safe, settled, and supported, and can often illuminate dynamics in a herd that the humans around them hadn't fully seen.
One memorable session took place many years ago with a horse at a therapy riding facility in Hillsboro. Luke’s human contacted me because Luke was behaving unpredictably, especially when being ridden. When I met Luke, he shared that there had been a lot of upheaval in his life and he now felt unsure about his purpose and role, which was causing him to behave erratically. His human was very receptive to Luke’s feelings and wanted to know how felt about his purpose and what he wanted to do. Luke expressed his desire to work with certain kinds of riders and a preference for particular activities. His human assured him that they could accommodate his requests, and reported in an email the following week that Luke was “a totally different horse” after our session.
What Horse Trainers in Oregon Say
Several of Michelle's most enthusiastic clients are professional horse trainers and riding instructors who originally came to sessions curious, and returned as long-term collaborators.
"Michelle, I want to tell you that Luke is a totally different horse now. He is calm and relaxed when we ride him. Your work was amazing! I would love for you to come out for another session for Luke. It has helped him so much. Thank you."
— Anke B., Horse Trainer and Riding Instructor, Hillsboro, OR
"Michelle, I cannot thank you enough. I am working on talking to Matti about what we discussed in our session with you. I am filled with joy to say that today we counter cantered!!!!! Big hugs to you and can't wait to have you meet some of my clients and come back out again."
— Bernadine D., Horse Trainer, Aurora, OR
"I was interested in animal communicators and wanted to see how Michelle worked, so I asked her to come out and talk to my ten horses. I was impressed how well Michelle would ask my questions and how persistent she was with getting an answer, even when one of my horses was hesitant at first. My favorite part of the experience was how the horses would line up to take their turns talking to Michelle. Their eyes bright, heads wagging, they each seemed to really enjoy the experience in their own unique ways. I was super impressed."
— Silvia T., Horse Trainer, Hillsboro, OR
Where Michelle Offers In-Person Horse Sessions
Michelle is based in Portland, Oregon and offers in-person horse communication sessions throughout the greater Portland metro area and the Columbia River Gorge. She regularly works with horses in the Willamette Valley, including Hillsboro, Newberg, Aurora, Oregon City, and Corbett, and along the Gorge in communities like Hood River and White Salmon, WA.
In-person horse sessions are available for:
Individual horses with specific training or behavior challenges
Barn visits with multiple horses in a single session
Rider-horse relationship work
Health concerns or mystery lameness consultations
Herd dynamics and integration of new horses
End-of-life and transitional support for aging horses
For horse owners outside the Portland area, remote sessions are available via Zoom and work just as effectively — the energetic connection does not require physical presence.
How an In-Person Horse Session Works
When I visit your barn or property, I typically begin by spending a few minutes simply being present with the horses before the formal session begins. Horses are highly perceptive and appreciate being given a chance to get a sense of who I am before I begin speaking with them.
During the session, I connect with each horse and convey what they want to share — opening thoughts first, then your specific questions. For horses in particular, what comes up unprompted at the start of a session is often the most important part. They frequently lead with what matters most to them, which is sometimes different from what their owners expected.
In-person sessions also allow for hands-on energy healing work alongside communication — Reiki and Shamanic energy work — which can be particularly supportive for horses dealing with physical pain, emotional trauma, or long-held patterns of stress.
In-person horse sessions require a 90-minute minimum to allow enough time for travel, presence, and thorough communication, especially with multiple horses. Additional travel charges apply depending on your location.
How to Book a Horse Communication Session
For remote sessions available immediately, book online here — choose the 60-minute session for a single horse or brief check-ins with multiple horses, or email for longer custom arrangements.
For in-person sessions in the Portland, Oregon and Columbia River Gorge area, email Michelle directly with your location, the number of horses, and a brief description of what you'd like to explore. She'll respond with availability and pricing.
Sessions start at $100 for a 20-minute remote session and $250 for 60 minutes. In-person barn visits are priced by arrangement.
Michelle Hawk is a professional animal communicator, pet psychic, and biologist based in Portland, Oregon. She offers in-person horse communication sessions throughout the Portland area and Columbia River Gorge, and remote sessions online worldwide. Learn more about Michelle →