A TEN-WEEK EQUINE-ASSISTED LEADERSHIP JOURNEY

OPUS Equus — WHOA!

From Ground to Sky

An experiential leadership and personal development program where horses become your honest mirror, and the arena becomes the practice ground for the leader you are actually becoming.

Developed by Eva Finnan in partnership with the Gary Finnan OPUS Practice. PATH-certified instructors and certified CLC/CPC (ICF) coaches.

Ground-based work only — no riding experience required.

Reserve Your Place in the Next Cohort

10 weeks · Small cohorts of 8 · Weekly 60–90 min sessions

WHY HORSES. WHY NOW.

Leadership cannot be lectured into you.
It has to be lived.

Horses do not respond to titles, credentials, or the story you tell about yourself. They respond to your presence — to the coherence between what you feel, what you intend, and what you actually do. That immediate, non-judgmental feedback creates an environment where authentic leadership can no longer be performed. It must be practiced.

OPUS I Equus integrates the OPUS Murmuration Activation Practice (MAP) with the WHOA (Working with Horses for Outcome and Awareness) Groundwork Program. Together, they create a rhythm of reflection and embodiment — moving you from unconscious reaction to conscious intention, one weekly session at a time.

“The arena becomes a place where awareness becomes action, action becomes habit, and habit becomes identity.”

WHO THIS IS FOR

Built for those ready to lead through presence, not control

OPUS I Equus welcomes individuals and small groups seeking meaningful personal or professional growth through embodied learning.

Students & Practitioners

Deepen your EAL practice with a structured 10-week framework that integrates reflection, groundwork, and coaching methodology.

Veterans & First Responders

Rebuild trust, regulate the nervous system, and rediscover purpose alongside horses who meet you exactly where you are — no explanation needed.

Leaders & Educators

Executives, healthcare professionals, educators, and teams seeking authentic communication, resilience, and healthy boundaries.

THE JOURNEY

Ten weeks. Three developmental stages. One embodied practice.

Participants move progressively through ME → BE → WE, guided by mindfulness practices, OPUS coaching, equine groundwork, facilitated dialogue, and reflective journaling.

WEEKS 1–3 · ME

Discover

Recognize what is authentically alive in you. Observation, grounding, and boundary setting build self-awareness.

Observation & presence
Boundary setting
Grooming & connection
Reflective journaling

WEEKS 4–7 · BE

Nurture

Name what you are becoming. Leading, obstacle navigation, and target training refine communication and intention.

Leading with intention
Obstacle navigation
Target training
Emotional regulation

WEEKS 8–10 · WE

Activate

Realizing you don't transform alone. Liberty work and herd dynamics reveal connection, contribution, and belonging.

Liberty work
Herd dynamics
Integration circle
Daily rituals to sustain

PARTICIPANT OUTCOMES

What participants carry forward

Unlike traditional classroom learning, OPUS I Equus transforms insight into lived experience. Participants leave with more than knowledge — they leave with an embodied understanding of authentic leadership.

“Horses respond not to status or words, but to authenticity, intention, and presence.”

→ Greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence
→ Authentic leadership and communication skills
→ Confidence, resilience, and sound decision-making
→ Healthy boundaries and stronger relationships
→ Improved emotional regulation and stress management
→ A clearer sense of purpose and authentic identity
→ Practical daily rituals that sustain growth
→ A deeper sense of connection and belonging

MEET EVA FINNAN

Eva Finnan

CEO and PATH Instructor

As a therapeutic riding instructor, Eva feels privileged to work with children and adults with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. As a young girl, she realized how incredibly special horses are and admired their ability to mirror what humans were experiencing and feeling, along with the physical benefits of the sport of riding.

Years later, after a successful retail management career, she took the opportunity to volunteer at a therapeutic riding school, Giant Steps in Sonoma County, California. It was there that she realized that working and qualifying as a PATH International therapeutic riding instructor was how she could attend to her own spirit and share that experience with others.

She knew horses can be the catalyst for positive change and personal growth. Powerful equine-assisted activities are an effective way to reach people who may be struggling to fully express themselves.

Eva lives and works with her husband and two daughters on Sparkleberry Farm in Aiken, South Carolina.

TESTIMONIAL

A practice that leverages mission and momentum

As equestrians, we all know what it feels like to be unsure, personally or professionally. It takes a certain courage to be prepared to stop and re-calibrate our desires and objectives. However, a shared expectation and clear direction make it possible to live fully in your element and creative expression when working and communicating with horses.

As an active, practicing, and certified PATH Intl. CTRI, ESMHL, Eva Finnan knows how horses can be the catalyst for positive change and personal growth. Powerful equine-assisted learning is an effective way to reach people who may be struggling to fully express themselves.