July 20, 2025 • 60 mins
Interview with Susan Glick - Heart song Equine
I came aware of Susan through a a post I saw on Locki Phillips page Emotional Horsemanship, where she wrote about how horses have changed and guided her throughout her life but also how a shift in consciousness/ humanity has also brought about a change, on how we view horses and interact with the magnificent beings.
After a brief conversation with Susan, I already knew there was more to this lady than meets the eye, so I was very excited to have Susan on as a guest and the fact that I wasn't even aware of who she was (prior to a few weeks earlier) just added to the excitement.
I was grateful for the opportunity to get to know more about Susan's personality and her love of horses.
She was a delightful young woman and her love and passion for the beautiful horses in her care came across in many ways.
So sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy this episode, chatting about horses, humans and so much more.
Video version (alongside applicable podcasts) can be viewed on facebook and YouTube.
https://www.facebook.com/equinevoices.co.uk
https://www.youtube.com/@equinevoicesuk
https://www.instagram.com/equinevoices.uk
Contact Ronnie.
mailto:equinevoicesronnie@gmail.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ronnie (00:00):
Hello and welcome to Equine Voices Podcast.
My name is Ronnie and I'm yourhost.
This interview is with SusanRegina Glick and she's an equine
assisted healing coach.
website on Facebook isHeartSongEquine.
I'm not going to do a long drawnout introduction.
I'm just going to get Susan onand she can introduce herself
(00:21):
and then we'll go from there.
Okay.
Hi Susan.
Susan (00:27):
Hi, I'm so happy to be here finally.
I feel like there is a lot goingon there for a little bit.
Ronnie (00:34):
Not going to lie, it's always a little nerve wracking.
But anyway, we're here now.
So, if don't mind introducingyourself, and say as much as you
like, and then we'll go fromthere.
Susan (00:44):
Okay.
it feels like introducing myselfshould be like an easy question
at this point I feel like Ishould know who I am and I
should know my identity and haveall of that figured out.
But I feel like, Even just inthe last several weeks, things
change really quickly andsometimes things come up and I
get to work through them allover again, but right now today,
(01:06):
who I feel like I am, is,someone who has been a part of
the world.
And I'm not just someone who hasbeen a part of the world for a
few years, but I'm a part I amamazingly blessed to have horses
in my life who have taught me alot of things, and people in my
life.
Horses have brought a lot ofdifferent people into my life
that have taught me a lot, andtoday I feel like I am, here to
(01:26):
learn.
And so that feels like a bigpart of my identity today.
Is that a weird answer?
I feel like it changes by theday sometimes.
But what's solid for me is thatI'm a believer, I'm a Christian,
I love love horses, and I lovemy family, and I love the people
that God has put in my life andis putting here and there on my
(01:49):
journey, that I get to interactwith and learn from.
I'm just really happy to be heretoday.
Ronnie (01:56):
That's perfect.
Let's start back at thebeginning.
So how did horses come into yourlife?
I know that you've had themaround for a long time, but if
you tell the listeners, how didhorses come into your life?
Susan (02:10):
Yeah, so I was raised in an Amish community.
So my family is still Amish.
So I grew up in the communityand horses, as a lot of people
know, are a big part of theAmish lifestyle as they don't
typically drive vehicles.
You know, they have the horseand buggies, horses are used, as
a big part of the farminglifestyle for the Amish who are
(02:30):
farmers and so, I grew up withhorses but the horses I grew up
with and the part of my lifethat horses were in is very
different than it is now for me.
Because at that point, as ayoung girl, growing up Amish,
horses are a part of your life.
I don't want to sound crude, butbasically, they're a way to get
around, right?
They're like a tool.
They're like a tractor we keepin the garage.
(02:51):
there's not much of a thoughtgiven to, the horse being a
living being with emotions andideas of its own.
You know, we raise them, wetrain them, they do their job.
And that's the part horsesplayed in my life.
As an Amish girl, but I was alsovery attached and attracted to
the idea of connecting withhorses from a young age.
(03:11):
I don't really know how thatstarted.
I just love being around horsesso pretty soon, you know, I knew
I was gonna have a pony, and thepony was gonna be my best
friend.
And, already at that point was alittle bit of a different twist
on, typical young Amish girlgrowing up with horses around.
That's how horses came to be inmy life.
And then, when I left the Amishcommunity, that was obviously a
(03:34):
choice I made to keep them in mylife.
And At that point, they were ahuge part of my life.
So, I guess there's kind of twodifferent phases of it.
But that's how it got startedfor me.
Ronnie (03:46):
I'll be honest, I don't know a huge amount about, Amish
communities.
Only what I've seen on films soI understand that horses were
there to farm the land to getaround, as you said, like a car.
So that's not a judgment thingor anything.
That's how it was.
And you can say the same forrural UK, England, you know,
horses were very much part ofthe farm.
(04:07):
They were there to do a job andit can vary between different
families, whether they were moreof a relationship built, Working
horse or just, you know, we feedthe horse, we look after it
because it's got to do a jobsort of thing.
So, yeah I understand that side.
When did it change for you?
When was the connection and whatdid that mean for you?
Susan (04:34):
So I don't actually know how old I was.
I was probably eight years old.
I was an avid reader.
I read all the horse books Icould get my hands on.
And I read books like, the BlackStallion and Misty of Shinkitig
and books like that, where, theperson and the horse had like
this magical connection.
And I was like, I really wantthat with a horse.
I really want to have a pony ofmy own and have that with my
(04:55):
pony.
And so, yeah.
I think that's part of where itcame from or where, the
recognition of it came from,inside of me, I guess, and then,
when I got my phony, thingsdidn't look like that, because I
got a two-year-old miniatureShetland cross, and she loved
her life, and I loved her, butshe was a handful for, a 10-year
-old who didn't really know howto work with horses, I shouldn't
(05:17):
say I didn't know how to workwith horses, because I knew how
to work with horses in the Amishsense, right?
Like, you tell them what to do,and they do it, and my pony
didn't do that.
And so I started learning I hadto be, her friend, so that she
wanted to be with me.
And, Now, to me, it looks like,at that point, it was a really,
a really...
selfish relationship, I waslike, okay, I'm going to be your
(05:39):
best friend so that you want todo what I ask.
And if we jump forward all ofthese years, now where I'm at is
like, I want to be everything Ican for the horses, just because
they are amazing, not becausethey can do something for me in
return.
Which is a huge, a huge switch.
When you make that switch inyour brain, it doesn't happen
(06:00):
overnight.
Like I'm still weeding out withthese.
Mindsets and the ideas aboutkind of an entitlement almost
like, well, I take care of you.
I do this.
I do that for you.
So you should be willing to, bemy course and do the things I
asked.
And now at this point, like Isaid, I'm still like weeding out
some of that.
But the difference in themindset when I started and from
(06:22):
what is now still a lot.
Of the outlook or the mindsetaround horses in the Amish
community, to where I am now.
Huge.
Like, there's no comparison.
And like you said, it's not ajudgment.
I had to get to a place where Iwas accepting, willing to face
that that's, how I used to beand willing to own that before I
(06:42):
could start thinking about waysto change it in order to help
horses.
Thank you for watching! In thecommunity and in my life.
Um, I feel like I kind of wenton a bunny trail there, but
maybe that answers yourquestion.
Ronnie (06:56):
No, that was perfect.
And I was smiling when you saidabout Shetland.
I think that's a universal,universal thing.
My friend here has Shetlands andYeah, they've got their own
mindset.
Well, Most horses do actually.
Susan (07:11):
Yeah, and you know, it was a great way for me to learn
that I don't get to always havemy way just because I'm the
boss, you know.
I think they're great trainingponies for young kids because...
They will probably Make you orbreak you as a horse person.
(07:32):
Yeah, you have a conversationwith him.
You don't tell him what to do.
Yeah, exactly.
Ronnie (07:39):
Absolutely.
So Gail, she's an animalcommunicator and Gail's been, an
honoured guest on my podcasttoo.
She's saying hi from Canada.
Hi Gail, lovely to have you joinus.
If anybody wants to ask Susanany questions, by the way,
please feel free to just drop acomment okay.
So this is my friend Sam, who'sat house I'm at now, and she's
(08:01):
got Shetlands.
Shetlands are the best.
She wants to heard theShetlands.
Susan (08:09):
I love that.
That's so cool.
I wish I could have a herd ofShetlands.
But...
I ended up, for some reason,collecting horses here and
there, and now I have oneShetland and one Minnie, and
that's probably all the ponies Ican handle for now.
Ronnie (08:22):
That sounds very much like Sam.
The Shetlands that she hasactually were, Party ponies.
They were used for, children'sparties.
And she ended up having them atthe farm where she used to live.
Because they didn't have a lotof grazing, the lady that owned
them.
But she passed away, so sheacquired these Shetlands.
Anyway so this is for thebenefit of the audio afterwards.
(08:43):
Hello, way to go Susan onrecognizing that horses have
feelings and could be ourwonderful friends.
So that's Gail again.
I was going to ask you aquestion, it's just gone out of
my head now.
Right, I'll tell you what we'lldo.
I know you do clinics and you doworkshops, and of course, I came
across you from Lockie's,website.
(09:05):
It was his Facebook page,actually, and you'd put a, a
beautiful post on there, which Idid share on my page and it was
just beautiful words.
So would you like to say in yourwords what horses mean to you?
Susan (09:16):
I think you're talking about the post that Lockie had
shared that you saw.
Ronnie (09:20):
Yes, it's a picture of you, and you wrote about the
meaning of God and what Godmeans to you within the horses
and how that brings, I'm notdoing it justice.
Do you know where I'm going withthis?
Yes,
Susan (09:32):
I think I remember the post.
I'm pulling it up on my phone soI can actually put myself back
in that space.
Ronnie (09:37):
It was very heartfelt.
It was just the feeling behindthat and that's what prompted me
to contact you and say, wouldyou like to do a podcast
interview?
Yeah.
Susan (09:48):
So, I think the feeling I was having when I wrote that
post was about how I was havingthis feeling like there's been
this clearing out happening andlike I was saying before where
I'm weeding out these oldmindsets and I'm seeing a lot of
what I thought I knew is beingreplaced, I think to be able to
articulate it well, I need tokind of explain some of the
process of what's been happeningin my life at the same time.
(10:11):
It's kind of mirrored my journeywith horsemanship has been this
journey of leaving the Amishlifestyle.
And it's kind of been likeparallel lines happening where
you know, Amish is supposed tobe a lifestyle, it tends to kind
of be conflated even in theculture as a religion instead,
and, that was something I had areally hard time with as a girl.
(10:34):
And at the same time that I wasprocessing through all of that
and weeding out some of that andworking through it, I was doing
the same thing in myhorsemanship where all of these
techniques and these rules andall of these mindsets I've been
taught in horsemanship werestarting to kind of fall apart
and not work anymore and notwork for me and my horses and I
was looking for somethingdifferent.
(10:55):
And I went to a few differenttypes of trainers who were more
gentle, right?
You know, more liberty, morefill in the blank.
And I thought it was better, butit still wasn't quite what I
wanted.
It sort of really felt like homefor me in horsemanship.
And kind of along the samelines, I looked for, different
churches and different places tocall, my community after I left,
(11:19):
the Amish.
And I've come to a point where Ibelieve that, I believe in God.
I am, very, very, confident inmy belief in God.
In my salvation in Jesus Christ.
But I believe that even a lot oftimes in the religious Christian
circle, we get it wrong.
(11:40):
Even after we are what peoplecall saved, we look for things
outside.
We look for salvation and peaceand everything outside of
ourselves.
And I've come to a place inboth, like, spirituality and
religion, in a sense, and in mypersonship, where I believe that
(12:02):
everything we're looking for isalready inside of us.
And that has probably been thebiggest thing.
Game Changer, the biggest, mindshift for me has been, realizing
that what we're looking for,what everyone is looking for, is
already inside of them.
Like, they already have it,because if you really think
about it, and this might begetting too, technical and using
(12:23):
too many you know, Christian-ywords or whatever for, for some
of your audience, because I'mvery understanding and
respectful of the fact that, noteverybody is on the same page
with it as as I am.
But there's something that wecall, sin, and in my mind,
that's just being not aligned.
To me, what that means is justbeing separated from God, which
(12:46):
is just being out of alignment.
And so that is probably one ofthe biggest, it feels like a
little difference, but it'sprobably the biggest difference
in how I, uh, I have come toconnect with God and the horses
and with other people and withmyself than the way I was
raised.
(13:06):
So I don't know if that reallycovers your question about the
post, but that's where I'm at.
Ronnie (13:12):
Yes it didn't as you were talking.
So you're aware that I use myown guidance, my intuition and
as you were talking, it waslike, it's the connection to
herself.
And you said that it's yourconnection to yourself.
And I think that's when you wastalking about you was trying
(13:32):
different, different ways towork with your horses and
different training things again,that's all external.
And yeah, as humans, we look forinformation to try to help and
guide us.
And it's brilliant as long as westart to feel that within us as
well, as long as it feels rightand resonates.
(13:52):
So what can work a few weeks agoand it's perfect once you move
on it might not be the same feelanymore so rather than stay with
something that's not working andit doesn't feel quite right
you'll start to listen to yourown guidance your own feel again
it's hard to put into wordssometimes and horses are very
(14:15):
good at showing us to be presentto be present at that very
moment because Five minuteslater, the whole story might be
completely different.
And if you reflect back on youand realize, where am I now that
the horse is showing mesomething?
Yes, I might want to go out anddo something, but am I listening
(14:37):
to what the horse wants to do?
And it's not a case of, well,you shouldn't let an animal tell
you what to do.
It's not that at all.
It's, are they ready?
Are they making sure that we'represent?
Are we listening?
Because if we're not listeningto ourselves, our own guidance,
which is from them too.
Then how can we communicate?
How can we be a partnership?
And where you are, is you're apartnership.
(15:00):
So it's not about you wanting todo something all the time.
It's you wanting to makesomething better, to have that
connection.
But Again, these are just words.
Sometimes words are not enoughand they don't quite put the
words together.
The picture, but that's all wehave, so that's what we've got
(15:21):
to work with.
Does that make sense, or have Igone off on a tangent, Susan?
Susan (15:26):
That, that was amazing.
I love that.
And it makes sense to me becauseI totally understand and totally
agree with what you're saying.
Cause it's almost like we, canlook all day for something
outside of ourselves and I thinkthere's probably some people who
are going to be like, how canyou say what you're saying and
still consider yourself aChristian.
(15:47):
Like I've had some conversationswith people who have asked me
that, like, that basically goesagainst what a lot of people
think of as a Christian and havebelieved themselves their whole
life that they're Christians.
I think that the church, if wewant to call it that, has a
really big problem with,teaching, like, they teach good
(16:09):
principles and they forget thatthe point of these principles is
not necessarily just, like, toget people to believe in you.
Somewhere, like to go to heaven,to go whatever, but it's so that
you can live fully alive in themoment.
I believe that's the purpose.
That's like the whole story isto be able to live fully alive
(16:29):
and horses have been huge withthat, like to teach me that, I
just don't think that we need togo searching for everything
outside of ourselves, because ifwe are living in our true
identity, our full trueidentity, we have everything,
because God is in us, God is inus.
Everything, it's all connected,and then it should just flow.
(16:53):
And I would say that's thebiggest thing that horses have
taught me in the last probablyfour years.
Probably they've been teachingme that all my life actually,
and it's come to this point now.
But they've been, especially inthe last several years, I've
been learning that from horses.
A really good tangent you justwent on.
Ronnie (17:10):
I do that quite often.
But then who's to say that'smaybe your journey, because
you've learned so much aboutyourself through that.
It doesn't mean to say that ifyou had another journey, you
wouldn't have learned that.
But at this present moment, yourpast is molded, where you are
now and today.
And your beautiful horses.
Shall we talk about Sundance?
Yes.
Yes,
Susan (17:30):
we shall.
We absolutely shall.
Ronnie (17:31):
So let's talk about Sundance and, the amazing
journey.
So again, I don't do too muchbackground because I want to
listen to you as, the listenersare.
But I know a little so if youtell us about Sundance and, you
two guys met yeah, a little bitof your journey.
Susan (17:50):
Yeah.
So Sundance came into my lifewhen I was, 12 years old.
My cousins who lived across thestreet from my farm, their farm
is right across the street frommy family's farm.
They bought her at an auction.
And she was sold as, suspectedpregnant, so she was in foal and
they brought her home, and theyrode her, and she did, okay, and
(18:14):
she bucked and whatever, but shedidn't hurt anybody.
She was just kind of, you know,in their minds being, like,
sassy, pony.
bratty little thing, you know,all of the labels that female
horses in pain get,unfortunately.
And so they had her for half ayear, she had her baby, and then
Half a year later.
(18:35):
So a full 12 months after theyhad bought her, they were going
to send her back to the sameauction because it was an annual
local, horse and pony auction.
They were going to send her backbecause at that point she had
become, unhandleable, basicallyunmanageable.
She didn't let anyone catch her.
She had had her foal andobviously, they were doing
things with the foal and she wasbeing a really, really
protective mom.
(18:57):
So they decided they were justgoing to resell her, keep the
baby.
And I, in the meantime, havebeen walking home from school,
past her pasture, and got toknow her, and I would feed her
my apple core from my lunchbox,or my leftover carrot sticks, or
whatever, just, hang out withher, and spend time with her,
and got to know her a littlebit, and I decided that this is
(19:18):
not something I'm willing to lethappen.
I don't want her to go back tothe same auction, and I'm never
going to see her again, and atthe time I wasn't going to buy
another pony or a horse, at thetime I had my little, my little
miniature Shetland and I wasgoing to keep her and, and maybe
get a bigger horse when I'm alittle older.
And this was when I was 13, andI went home and told my mom I
(19:38):
need to buy her, I don't want tolet her go.
And I had been saving up somemoney for a new saddle for my
pony.
And so, instead of buying a newsaddle, I bought Sundance for
$200.
And it took my dad, finally whenwe were able to catch her.
Which took probably a good halfhour or more for us to catch her
(20:01):
in her posture.
And then it took him...
Another half hour to 45 minutesto lead her like quarter mile in
my driveway.
So she was in a lot of pain anda lot of emotional discomfort.
She didn't like being aroundpeople at the time.
We don't know anything about herpast prior to my cousins getting
(20:22):
her at the sale or at theauction.
But I believe she had some kindof unfortunate experience.
men,because it was specificallymen she didn't really like.
My dad walked past her stall,she would turn around and double
barrel the door, just from himlike walking passed.
She was so...so not interestedin interacting with men and she
(20:44):
also had big version to WIPs.
So those 2 things combinedreally made me just feel like
she probably at some pointdidn't have a good experience.
I don't like just attributing orlabeling, horses feeling free to
share their opinions as, oh,they must be traumatized.
I don't like being the personwho is just labeling it as
(21:07):
trauma all the time.
But I believe she had somethingin her past.
I don't know what.
And We worked through some ofthat, just her and I.
I tried to connect with her,kind of the same as I tried to
connect with my pony.
And at the same time though, youknow, at that point my goal was,
ride her.
You know, do the things with ahorse that you do with a horse.
(21:29):
And she wasn't really having it.
Sometimes she was more agreeableto it, but she always protested.
I know now that she has a lotof, you know, physical issues,
like a lot of tension.
She carries a lot of tension inher neck and her head.
Um, and so looking back, she wasprobably in a lot of pain.
And she was just trying to tellme that, and I had a lot of,
(21:50):
riding accidents with her that Iwouldn't tell my mom about.
So, skipping through some ofthose years, because that's kind
of all a blur for me, we were,we were doing okay.
We had a lot of, discussions,her and I, about this, and, and
we would come to kind of anagreement, and we would go on
trail rides, and we had fun, Ihad fun, she tolerated it,
(22:12):
probably, and fast forward towhen I was 17.
I was at our, Horse World Expohere in Pennsylvania, and I saw,
for the first time, I had seenLiberty Work and Liberty
Training before, but I saw, apartnership type of Liberty,
There's different styles ofLiberty Work, and I had seen,
(22:32):
like, the really flowy, dancy,happy, where there's, like, ten
horses running around, and it'sreally pretty.
I saw for the first time, atrainer who looked like he was
just the same being as hishorse.
Like he was just working soclosely with his horse in a
partnership.
And I was like, that's what Iwant.
I'm going to do that.
Like that's the thing.
(22:54):
And I went home and it was like,okay, Sundance, we're going to
do Liberty work.
And Sundance was like, youdidn't ask me.
She was like, no.
I'm alright, thanks.
Um, And so, that kind of threwme for a whole other loop,
because I was like, Oh, like, ifI give her a choice, of course
she'll choose me, and she waslike, No, you've not been
understanding me, you're askingme for all these years, why
(23:15):
would I?
Now, choose you.
So, that was, oh, five yearsago?
Five or six years ago that westarted that.
And Sundance is now 24.
once I started learning aboutlike the emotional healing stuff
for myself and for my horses andworking through some of those
(23:38):
things with them together,that's when it really flipped a
switch for Sundance and shereally, that's when it really
flipped a switch for me.
She really started loving theLiberty work.
I learned different techniquesand different styles of Liberty
and training methods and thatkind of thing.
And so for Sundance, there'slike two different sides to her
(23:58):
Liberty work.
She's really good at just liketelling me off, being like, no,
if I am willing to hear it.
She's also at this point verywell-trained in certain liberty
things.
And so my challenge now with heris making sure I'm, open enough
(24:21):
to hearing her because I havetaught her that I hear her and
when I ignore her, sometimes shewould just go into like robot
mode and do the thing anyway.
And so I'm learning that some ofthe things we've been doing for
years at this point, she really,really hates to do.
And she's just done it because,you know, we've been doing
positive reinforcement.
(24:42):
She's learned that I like it andshe wants to please me now.
And so that's my recent,especially, with Working with
Locky a bit and getting to knowhim and his program a little,
that's been my eye-opener hasbeen that some of these things
she really doesn't like to do.
And she's currently 24.
So, I don't want to be forcingher to do things that are
(25:03):
painful or I don't want her todo things she doesn't want to do
at this point.
She's 24 years old.
I don't need her to perform sothat I can live.
She's 24 years old.
I don't need her to help me, youknow, go hunt or go to war.
She's my horse and I love her nomatter what happens or I'm her
person, I guess, more than she'smy horse.
And, uh, you know, I don't loveher because of what she can do
(25:26):
for me.
So.
That's probably the big shiftthat's been happening back to
like the post you were talkingabout.
The big shift that's beenhappening in my, life, just like
spiritually and emotionally andin person too.
Ronnie (25:38):
was lovely.
That was a great explanation andit's a big commitment.
So Horses take up a lot of timeand a lot of finances, and, it's
a 24-7 job.
It's not like you can get a dayoff it's something you do every
day.
And you've either got to love itor not.
as you said earlier, sometimesyour expectations, even with the
(26:02):
best will in the world, evenmyself at times, I'll go just
give us a break Toots you know,just give us a break.
I'm doing everything I possiblycan.
And she'll walk off and look atme and I'll go, okay.
And sometimes you get in.
Just doing mode and a littleexample is, she was having a
feet trimmed the day and sheadjusts her weight and she's
(26:25):
very good with the trimmerbecause she communicates.
But initially when the trimmercomes.
She'll go, uh oh, trimmer'shere, walk off.
And I'll go, toots, you know,Natalie's kind.
She listens to you because theprevious trimmer was very, very
good, but got very busy and itwas all a rush.
And you know what comes withthat sometimes and then she
(26:47):
stops and then she comes back.
And while she's being trimmed,she was rubbing her head on me
and she just said, and she, whatshe was saying to me?
because she's my horse.
So sometimes it's slightlydifferent is"I need to adjust my
body and it was the slightestthing.
And she lifted the leg up readyfor Natalie before she asked.
(27:11):
she has a few physical things,but again, like you are trying
not focus on them.
It's not a pity focus, that's adifferent thing altogether.
Anyway, she shifted away and itwas really subtle and I could
have missed that and to anybodyelse that wouldn't have been
anything that they maybe wouldhave noticed unless they're
aware of it.
So I said to Natalie, Oh mygoodness, I wasn't listening.
(27:34):
She just wanted to adjust herbody.
She says, she did really welland she picked her foot up
before I asked for it.
I says, yeah, because she knewwhat was coming.
But that's an example oflistening.
But you get into doing mode,which is what we all do with the
best intentions.
And my favorite thing is justwatching the horses.
(27:56):
I'll sit with them, especiallyevening time.
I love it.
And at the minute it'ssummertime and I'll just watch
them and listen and I get somuch from that because I'm just
observing and they communicateall the time.
So this podcast is about, horsesand communication and intuition
and everything else that goesalong with that.
(28:19):
But it's.
so much more because you arepart of them and they're part of
you and somebody told me once awhile ago when i used to get
into a bit of a a down and saywhy can't i do the same as i do
for other horses with my own andhe said because the flow through
(28:41):
you is very similar to Toots soyou can't always feel that but
because it feels like you andvice versa now that's quite a
statement without adding more toit but i can't at this time and
so the nearest thing i canexplain that to is when you're
riding a horse and you're outhaving a ride and you get into
(29:02):
that flow where you know thatyou're going to be riding a
horse and you know that you'regoing to be riding They just
want to go for a gallop or acanter and you start cantering
in the field or wherever and youjust feel at one with that
animal and it could be a fewseconds and there's no
separation.
You feel part of that animal'sbody because you're moving in
sync.
That is it.
That's the flow.
(29:22):
And then you get so excited thatyou lose it because you get
excited and you think, Oh myGod, I've got it.
Whatever that is.
I've got it.
I want that back.
So you try and it's the tryingsometimes because it's more
external trying rather thanpulling back and just going with
that flow again.
Does that make sense?
Oh,
Susan (29:42):
Absolutely.
I totally hear what you'resaying.
And I love the part about thetrying versus pulling back
being, because I think at thispoint I believe that this is
every part of our lives.
That when we try, we stop being,we can't just be.
And I'm not saying don't puteffort into things.
(30:03):
But there is, a lot of value instillness and presence, like you
were saying, like, likelistening to the horses and just
being present with them, andthere's, there's a lot of value
and, I've had thesebreakthroughs, spiritually and
emotionally with just, you know,Being present, and not even just
like being in stillness, but mymind is still going, like, I
(30:25):
mean, actually just stop.
And it does something, it alignssomething.
I don't know that I have the,the education or the knowledge
to really explain what'shappening all the time, but what
it feels like to me is that likemy spirit and my soul and my
body are coming into alignment.
My body is slowing down orstepping back into alignment
(30:46):
with everything else.
So that's what it feels like tome.
Ronnie (30:49):
Example as far as I'm concerned.
Um, because sometimes your mindhas an idea, but if you listen
to the quietness what feelsright, because sometimes you
think, no, I know I should bedoing that, and this should be
going on, but I don't feel that.
So why is that then?
It's because you connected tothis part, which is the all
(31:11):
knowing part of you
Susan (31:12):
right.
Ronnie (31:13):
Sometimes it's hard to put into words.
I was trying to give you anexample.
One example is, this is quite afew years ago.
I struggled to get on my horsebut I always knew it wasn't just
to do about with horses.
There was something within methat I needed to overcome.
Anyway, I'm going to condense itbecause, You don't get a whole
essay, I had somebody come andhelp me and he did an amazing
(31:34):
job and he did what I needed atthat moment, but I still knew I
had to do it.
Not somebody else, becauseagain, I wasn't trusting myself
and.
He did help me.
I got on my horse and there wasall this emotion but it was a
little while afterwards and itwas a friend actually.
She works with the mind and it'sthe programs that we have in our
(31:55):
mind and she helps bypass thatand put a slightly different,
Programming.
That sounded wrong, it soundedlike brainwashing, does it?
It's not like that at all.
It's just bypassing thattrigger.
There's always a trigger.
Oh, I recognize that motion.
Let's go there.
Don't do that.
It's dangerous.
We can't do that.
Let's stay safe.
Let's stay safe.
And went out to my horse and Itook, I used to take all my
(32:17):
things out and not have anagenda.
But if she was in the rightplace and I was, we'd have a go
getting on.
And getting on, I mean, justswinging my leg over and sitting
on my horse and getting off.
That was getting on.
Anyway, this day I'd usuallyhave, jelly legs.
You know, my legs would just goso weak.
And I was walking out the fieldand I thought, Well, I know I
(32:40):
should be having jelly legsbecause my mind's telling me
that, but there's nothing there.
I'm fine.
So I went out to the field.
Even though my mind was saying,no, no, you should be feeling
nervous by now.
I was going, yeah, but I don'tbecause I'd bypass that.
It was like, but you should feelnervous.
No, but I don't.
So basically.
I got on my horse too, and itwas like, I've done it.
(33:03):
I've bypassed that, that littlechatter that comes in every
time, with the right intentionsto start with, but then it gets
stuck on replay, replay, replay.
So this is what it means whenyou're listening to this,
because it can contradict this.
But if you.
Recognize your own feel, yourown inner guidance, your own
(33:25):
truth.
You know that that's the rightone to listen to.
And I'm not talking about fear-based listening there's no
agenda there, there's no rightor wrong.
It's just this.
And it's a calmness.
And the more you feel that, themore you recognize it.
(33:46):
But once you get to know thatand your horses know you know
that, they give you a quickreminder if you don't stick with
it.
As you said, Sundance said toyou, no, you didn't ask me.
Susan (33:59):
Yeah, absolutely.
And when you were talking, I hadthis sentence pop into my head
because I've heard my mentor sayit a lot and it's one of my
spiritual mentors when he ishelping me, work through
something or like you said, workthrough a trigger and bypass
that, it almost becomes like aninstinct.
He usually says, you're thinkingtoo much.
You're supposed to be feelingright now, like use your heart,
(34:20):
not your head.
And that's like, that's a bigone.
And I've actually startedapplying that sometimes with my
horses you know, when I'm justworking with horses.
Th ere's kind of two sides ofthis.
There's the side where I'm like,Oh, what's happening in me
that's making this come up inthem?
And then also sometimes it'slike, they are also their own
being.
We're all connected, and alsothey're their own being.
And if I can help them addressthings, by feeling and not
(34:43):
overthinking too much, becausesome of that is just what horse
training is, right?
It's like helping them overridethe instincts, so to speak.
And...
The best way to keep you safe isto be open to learning new
things and feeling new thingsand not being afraid of them.
So there's kinda two sides ofit.
And then I also thought ofsomething LockHee says sometimes
which is, Fear has kept yousafe.
(35:05):
These triggers, these patternshave built up a safety mechanism
in your brain, and this iskeeping you safe, right?
And so, he says very kindly tothe fear, Thank you for your
help, I don't need you rightnow.
That's a great line.
Yeah, like, thank you and thething is, if you do that, it all
(35:26):
makes sense in your head, youknow, it actually starts lining
up your heart in your head alittle bit and it's like, oh, I
see what's happening.
I can actually intellectualizeit and feel it at the same time
in a way and be like, Iunderstand what's happening and
I understand that these thoughtsare here because my brain slash
body thought they needed to behere to keep me safe.
(35:47):
And, because, you know,physiologically, it made your
legs turn into jelly and islike, no, we can't do this.
We're not gonna be safe.
And that's just like pattingfear nicely on the head and
saying thank you for your helpin the past.
Ronnie (36:01):
Being friends with your fear.
Well, it's part of who you are.
It's not somebody else.
It's part of you.
And like I said, it was therefor a reason.
It's just when it becomes aprison.
that you need to say okay.
You know, what's really goingon?
I'm safe right at this moment intime.
So what but it's reprogramyourself to think differently
(36:26):
which takes a long time and it'son-going.
Definitely ongoing.
Um, When you're doing a showwhat is it You're showing people
your relationship, obviously youdo demos, don't you, with
Sundance?
Susan (36:44):
Yes.
Ronnie (36:45):
Yeah.
Susan (36:46):
So, um, I'll give you the whole overview.
Basically, if somebody wants meto be a teacher or a
demonstrator or performer attheir show, we kind of, we have
different options.
We've like a few main teachingdemos that we'll do.
Usually it's in a smaller spacelike a round pen area, where I
teach and those main ones arepositive reinforcement made
(37:09):
simple because I do use positivereinforcement in my training.
The most popular one recentlyhas been, the power of choice in
the horse-human relationship.
And, oh, what was the other onewe did a lot in the past?
I think it was foundationalliberty.
Those are the three main onesthat we've done at different
(37:29):
events and expos.
And those are the teaching,talking demos.
And then, I've also done clinicswhere I help people with their
horses.
And then I would say ourfavorite is the performances
where we go out and performLiberty Work II music, and it's
like a choreographed freestyle,kind of performance.
So I think that's our favorite,both Sundance and I we enjoy
(37:51):
that.
More recently, she's been havingsome anxiety around traveling.
She's not loving, the trailerrides, and she gets nervous.
Some tension, in her body, whenwe travel sometimes.
And so, I've been cutting backon the long trailer rides.
She is 24, after all., Thefurthest we've gone has been a
12 hour drive.
(38:12):
Breaks obviously in between.
We didn't drive 12 hoursstraight, but that feels a
little too far at this point forher.
So I'm trying to cut back forher sake and for mine.
I've got a lot going on rightnow and I just started a new
relationship and there's just somuch happening in my life.
So this summer and fall, I haddifferent things lined up.
And.
I ended up cutting back andcanceling some things for both
(38:35):
of our sake.
I could feel something else justsaying, you know what, I'd like
to be home.
And we haven't even gotten intolike the whole, basically what I
call whole horse wellness sideof my horsemanship life and my
teaching.
But that's a big part of what Ido with horses as well is.
(38:56):
wellness, physical andemotional.
So I've been putting a lot ofwork and time and effort into
making my horses space here athome, a place that they really
like to be.
And I was like, you know what?
I put all of this time and moneyinto the space.
I would love if my horses wouldlike to stay home and enjoy it.
And if the nanny is telling methat she wants to be home.
(39:18):
I kind of love that.
So, I said okay, and I canceled.
A bunch of appearances we weregonna be at.
We might travel a little bit,but it's gonna be fairly local,
and it's not gonna be, five-hourtrailer rides.
And maybe they'll come back inthe future.
But, for right now, whereSundance and I are both at,
(39:39):
that's what's feeling right.
And
Ronnie (39:41):
To do that is a big thing, especially when you want
to show people because you'relistening, but it's a big thing.
So, yeah, I honor you for doingthat, I really do um, we can
learn things and we can getwrapped up in wanting to do
something um, to show people butthen you can get wrapped up in
(40:04):
that whole experience as well.
But that's human nature.
That's part of it.
So to step back and to listen toyour horse and think, no, I
mean, 12 hours, that's probablylike going from the top end of
England to the bottom.
That's a long journey, which Iknow is not for the States.
But she's lucky to be with youand vice versa.
I'm just going to see if anybodywants to ask any questions.
(40:26):
So if there's anybody would liketo ask Susan any questions, that
would be lovely and we can sharethose.
Can you see the comments by theway?
I should have said to youearlier, are you able to see the
comments on your screen?
Thank you.
I
Susan (40:39):
saw a few, like, as they popped up.
Yes.
Ronnie (40:42):
You should have an area where you can actually see, but
don't worry about that.
So would you like to ask me aquestion, Susan?
Susan (40:52):
Um, I didn't really think that far.
I would love to actually knowthe where your, um yes,
actually, I do have a question.
Because we talked on the phonelast week or the week before
just fairly briefly and you hadwonderful things to say about my
lovely pony, my lovely pony koaand he's amazing and he's doing
(41:15):
better, by the way, because hewas having some health issues
and he's actually doing a lotbetter.
But I would love to know how youconnect with.
what I would call, or what it isto you, what I would call, God
and the Spirit, and, and it'sall connected because I'm so
fascinated by the people that Imeet that it feels like I'm on
the same page with, and we'rejust slightly different terms.
(41:37):
It's so amazing to me when Imeet people who they love to
listen to horses and communicatewith horses, and, It feels like
it's all the same thing, andit's all connected.
I don't know, maybe it's less ofa question and more of an
observation, but it's just asamazing to me when I feel that
in somebody maybe partly becauseof my background, and how I was
taught in, like, the church Iwas raised, which is basically,
(41:59):
you don't believe exactly thiscertain way, then you probably,
Ronnie (42:07):
I'm in awe of you really, because of what you do.
So for me, sitting here in mylittle room, I'm thinking, wow,
she has such a connection.
And it's with your horses, butit's with yourself.
So I can see this beautifulwoman sat before me.
That's blossoming and glowing.
And.
If that's just the tip of it,who knows where that's going to
(42:28):
take you in every direction.
But it's about fullness for yourlife.
How you feel and view the world.
It's a different place.
And we all wake up in themorning as a different person.
We're not always the same personwe was yesterday.
Our cells change, we rejuvenate.
But also, uh, Soul is expanding,our intuition, our guidance, so
(42:53):
you call that, God.
I call it universe, guidance,only because when I was a child,
religion was a strong thing andyou was forced, so I went
totally the opposite way.
In fact, I couldn't even say theword.
God, because it just reminded meof old programs where it's fine.
Now I can say that it's not aproblem.
(43:13):
But when you talk to peopleexactly the conversation you've
been saying about your ownunderstanding, you're learning
about you and everything'sconnected.
That's exactly how I feel.
And I think more people arediscovering that and we don't
have to have the same.
view, but we understand thatthere's another side.
(43:36):
It's not about hate or or makingsomebody do something they don't
want to do.
It's having an equalpartnership.
It's having a voice and somedon't have voices.
So, it's being the voice forthat other hence equine voices,
um, and you don't have to beperfect and you don't have to
(43:56):
get it right and they don'texpect you to get it right.
Animals, Do not expect you to beperfect.
And in fact, the first thingthey say is they want you to
sort your life out.
Sort yourself out because howcan you help me if you can't
help yourself?
How can you love me?
If you can't love yourself, howcan you accept me?
(44:16):
If you can't accept yourself andthat's with.
Every aspect, as you said, yourshadows, your imperfections, but
these are part of you.
And if you're ashamed of them, Idon't know why I'm talking like
this, so I'm obviouslychanneling.
Um, it's part of you, you'redenying.
Horses don't deny any part ofthem.
(44:37):
They're all different, so theymight go through the motions
because they know going throughthe motions means I get a meal
at the end of the day, I get arest.
That might be their life.
Who's to say that that's notwhat they want?
Wishful at that moment.
And it's the same as my view ofa horse should have the freedom
to come and go, not shut in, butthat's my view.
(45:01):
And so I do my very best to dothat, but I am limited to the
land.
So in the UK, having a bit ofland where you can do that is a
luxury because you're not ableto do that certain places
because it's a premium.
So if you can have your horsesout 24 seven.
That's a bit of a luxury.
Some horses might not want to dothat for other reasons.
(45:22):
I don't think it's because theywant to go in necessarily, but
they may want to be with theherd that goes in.
If they're out in the field andherd are going in, they want to
be in because they want to beclose to the herd.
It's not always quite the way weperceive it to be.
People say my horse wants to bein this table.
They may do, but they mayactually want to come in for
other reasons.
(45:42):
It's about having choices.
And if you are able to give yourhorses choices, then you should
be proud of that.
It might not be the perfect lifethat you'd like for them, but
it's the best that you can do atthat time.
I must be talking about thisbecause there might be somebody
listening to this conversationfor that reason, but you
shouldn't beat yourself upbecause at that moment you're
(46:04):
doing your very best with whatyou have and your means.
Um I used to laugh years ago, myprevious horse, I would have
shoes with holes in because Icouldn't afford new shoes, but I
needed shoes for my horse.
My horse now doesn't have shoes.
She's barefoot because that'sthe way I'm going now.
But it doesn't mean to say everyhorse should be barefoot.
(46:26):
It might be for some reason ahorse needs a shoe at that
moment, but that's, that's awhole nother podcast.
So it's just about being.
With what you've got at thatmoment, assessing the situation,
listening, and what's right nowtoday.
Don't stick at it and thinkthat's it.
(46:47):
Because it will change as wechange, as they physically
change, as we emotionallychange, they emotionally change
too.
It's an ongoing thing.
You never get it right.
oherwise it's always changingyou get glitches and you get
moments when it's like I justwant to put this in a box this
(47:07):
very, very moment, would it beas precious if it was exactly
the same the whole time?
Who knows?
Susan (47:15):
Oh, absolutely not.
Ronnie (47:18):
Does that answer your question?
Susan (47:20):
Yes, it does.
And it was, it was, it was whatI was feeling, but I don't know
why I necessarily needed to askit, but it was what I was
feeling.
So it was perfectly aligned withwhat I was feeling, which is
great.
I would love to add something towhat you were saying about the
horse is not expecting us to beperfect and rather is wanting us
to do what we can within ourmeans at the time.
Is it okay if I add something tothat?
(47:41):
I had this experience.
For the last few years.
Some horses in my herd.
who are metabolic.
My little pony painted dreams.
She foundered when I was young.
And so I need to be careful withthem.
And, I have been working onbuilding a paddock track system,
if you're familiar with that,for them.
And they love it.
(48:02):
I know that I'm sure they wouldprefer to be able to go out on
giant fields.
I don't have access to that forthem.
We have one pasture and it hasbeef cattle on it, and I don't
have access to, large fieldsthat I can monitor and make sure
that they're not gonna, overdoit or overeat or whatever.
Like, so, they have a paddocktrack system, and they love it,
(48:23):
but I constantly, for the pasttwo years since starting it,
have been beating myself upabout not having it perfect.
Like, there's still an area thatgets muddy when it rains, and I
would just love it would all befully, surfaced, and...
None of it would ever get muddy,and I'm not there yet.
And there was a time this springwhen I went out and it had rain,
(48:44):
so there was muddy areas, and Iwasn't staying after the poo
picking as well as I wanted tobe, and I was depressed about
it, and I was finding myselfgoing out to the barn and
getting, angsty about it, and itwasn't peaceful.
And this one day when this washappening, a few of the horses
came up to me and I felt themjust telling me, We would rather
you just be here with us, thantrying to make everything
(49:06):
perfect.
I just felt them telling methat, and I don't even remember
exactly like, how it was worded,because it was more of a
feeling, it was just like, Theyreally just wanted me to be
present there, and like theyaren't asking me to make it all
perfect, and I still have goalsfor my track system, I still
have goals for making my horses'lives better all the time,
because that's just what we doas horse people, if we're this
(49:29):
invested, like, it's never gonnastop.
I want it to be better.
All the time.
And more enrichment, and moreenjoyment for my horses.
And just more things for them tolive the best life they could
possibly live.
But, that was an eye-opener forme.
Cause my horses just reallystraight up came and asked me to
please, Stop freaking out that Iwasn't being perfect for them.
(49:51):
That's it.
That's communication, girl.
You've got it in one.
There you go.
So, you've answered your ownquestion.
Perfect.
So we've got a couple ofquestions.
Gail says, what was the mostsignificant breakthrough for
you?
That's Gail from Canada.
Hmm.
I'm not sure what it's inreference to.
(50:13):
I don't know if it was inreference to a certain thing we
were talking about in theconversation, or do you think
she means just in general, likeoverall?
Ronnie (50:19):
Just in general, but I think you probably did answer
that.
Yeah, I think you talked aboutthat.
Yeah,
Susan (50:25):
I think I did talk about that.
That's why I wanted to clarify.
Actually, I have a good answer.
I don't know if this is thesame, because I feel like there
was a few really bigbreakthroughs for me, but I know
one of the big ones was, thiswas after I had been performing
with Sundance.
We were traveling from,Pennsylvania to Kentucky to
Ohio, different places.
Performing and teaching andSundance said, I don't want to
(50:48):
do this and she was repeatedlyshowing me that this isn't what
she wanted to do and I know nowthat it was because I was just
fully immersed in performing andI was fully trying to be
something that we weren't, like,I was trying to make sure
(51:09):
everything was portrayedperfectly, choreography and our
performances had to be on pointand down to the second, and I
was being really specific withthings, and Sundance is very,
she will happily do what I ask.
But she has to know why and Ididn't even know why we were
doing it because I was justlistening to the constant go,
go, go and, and perform.
(51:30):
And so I think that was a hugebreakthrough for me was
realizing that, if I'm doingthis in a performance mindset or
a performance spirit, whichperformance.
In this context, I'm talkingabout either trying to make
things appear a certain way, orperforming something that's not
really there, like, it'sinauthentic, it's incongruent,
(51:50):
that's what I'm talking about inthis context with performance,
because I've gotten in troublein the past for bashing the word
performance a little bit, justlike in the horse industry, and
In people in general, talkingabout performance triggers
people a little bit becauseusually then the people who are
in the performance sides of thehorses get offended if you say
(52:11):
that performance is bad.
So I'm not talking aboutshowing, although there's things
I can say about showing that weall would love to see change,
but I think that was a big, bigbreakthrough for me was Of the
performance mindset andrealising that honestly like if
you go to a show like that andyou see somebody do a
performance, do like a Libertyfreestyle demonstration, any
(52:34):
kind of demonstration like that.
It feels a lot more authentic.
If it's not completely perfectbecause like, no performance
I've ever done has been perfectand I have more people coming up
to me after.
One's where, Sundance is outthere at Liberty and if she
leaves and then comes back, morepeople will come and comment on
that afterwards than if shedoesn't leave at all.
(52:57):
Because they'll be like, it wasreally cool how you brought her
back or it was really cool thatI heard you talk in your demo
this morning about how you wanther to have a choice and then I
saw in your performance tonightthat she ran off and then came
back and saw you give her thechoice.
So, more people connect with itbecause it's, it's real.
Thank you.
If you're not doing it out oflike a performance spirit.
Ronnie (53:19):
Yeah.
Being authentic, as you said,and Gail says, wonderful, thank
you.
We'll have one more question andthen I think we'll finish off.
Sam says, who's influencing you?
I think she means now.
You've obviously talked aboutLockie, I know you've done a
podcast with, but he's not outyet, is it?
Susan (53:36):
I feel like based on the timeline that I figured out just
because I was getting a littlebit anxious to know when it was
happening.
So I figured out how long fromrecording to release it was for
a lot of his podcasts.
And I think it should beliterally one of these next
weeks.
So I'm crossing my fingers forit.
But yes, Lockheed, it's beenhuge.
(53:58):
The things I've learned fromLockheed, even in the last
several months, he invited me tocome down to a clinic he did in
Maryland.
So it was in person.
He had me come down as his guestand he was just incredible.
And I learned so much from him.
So definitely Lockheed.
it feels like there's this longline of people who influenced me
throughout my life and myhorsemanship journey.
(54:18):
And it kind of led me to a placenow where I'm not necessarily
learning from just one person.
There's different people that Ipull threads of information and
education from and justinspiration and people that I
feel a connection to.
Thank you.
And then things start flowingand I learn things and a lot of
these people are on social mediaand they probably have no idea I
(54:41):
even exist and I just quietlywatch and learn.
So yeah, Lockie is a greatfollow.
If your listeners are lookingfor somebody just in general,
his business is emotionalhorsemanship and he embodies
that very well.
Ronnie (54:54):
Yeah, I came across Lockie from Warwick Schiller's,
podcast and listened to,although I haven't listened to
it for a while, I listen to it,quite frequently in the car
usually.
Susan (55:07):
Yeah, Warwick is amazing as well.
Ronnie (55:09):
Yes, there's lots of different people that are, at
things in a different way andWarwick is a good example
because he said he's completelydifferent horse person now to
what he used to do and how heused to train horses.
But, um, yeah Lockie was goingto be a guest, but I had to
cancel it for some reason, soI've just got to chase him up
and arrange another one.
(55:31):
Right, okay.
So Gail, could you name some ofthem?
Name
Susan (55:36):
some of the influences, probably that I've said have
been like in my life.
So the Liberty trainer that Isaw when I was 17, that was at
the Horse World Expo, his nameis Luke Gingrich, and I will
happily give him a shout out,because he's amazing at what he
does.
I would say our styles arepretty different now, and our
approach to horsemanship is alittle different now, but I
(55:57):
still really support what he'sdoing, because I see him making
a really big difference in thehorse industry, and, that was
like a gateway drug for me.
So I will never not beappreciative of that.
Even though, I learned a tonfrom him and now we're kind of
going slightly different ways.
I will always give honor to himfor that because that, that was
a huge piece of my journey.
(56:19):
And then Kaylee Marie is anotherone.
She's, from Rhode Island.
She is also into liberty work,her style is kind of
incorporating like classicaldressage and biomechanics and
that kind of thing into herliberty training, so a lot of
postural training and, quoteunquote correct movement and
she's has a big emphasis onthat.
(56:41):
Warwick has also been a huge, ahuge influence for me, and I
actually got to meet him at theHorse World Expo this year, so,
fun fact, Horse World Expo, whenI was 17, where I first met
Luke, and saw him perform withhis horse, do the liberty thing,
so, so, Six years later, wasthis past March, and I got to
(57:02):
perform with Sundance in thevery same big, expo night show
that I had seen him perform insix years before that.
And that was amazing.
It was like such a full circlemoment.
It was incredible.
And Warwick was there at theevent as a clinician, and just
by, like, crazy, god thing, wildhappenstance.
(57:26):
Warwick's booth was next tomine, in the trade show, and I
got to chat with Warwick, andhere's how we met, and this is
me being like, little Amishfangirl.
I walked into my booth one day,and he comes up to the barrier
between our two booths, and he'slike, Hi, I'm Warwick and he
introduced himself and he'slike, I saw your demo yesterday.
(57:47):
That was incredible.
We were doing like the positivereinforcement made simple demo
and Warwick was watching and Ihad no idea.
I'm really glad I didn't knowthat he saw it because I fangirl
over Warwick because you know,he's incredible.
And like you said, thedifference between, The horseman
he used to be and how he workswith horses now is kind of wild,
and I've learned a lot from him,so, and yeah, I would say those
(58:09):
are probably the four main ones,actually, Luke Gingrich, Hayley
Marie, Warwick Schiller, andLockie.
Ronnie (58:16):
Thank you, I hope that answers your question, Gayle,
I'm sure it has.
Well, Susan, it's been apleasure chatting with you.
But I do feel that we justscratched the surface and it
would be lovely to have you backagain now you see how it works
and maybe put some slides onSundance and your Shetland.
Susan (58:34):
So I have Dream, who is my tiny little, sorry, not my
tiniest one, Dream is myminiature Shetland, and then I
have a dwarf mini pony calledKoa.
Ronnie (58:43):
Oh yeah, yeah.
Susan (58:44):
And then I have Lyric, my quarter horse.
Ronnie (58:47):
We could do some slides and things, but would you like
to come back and have a chatagain sometime?
Susan (58:54):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I would love that.
Ronnie (58:56):
It's been lovely.
And I know you had a few littleglitches.
And the thing is, it'stechnology and you don't know
whether it's going to work ornot, but I'm glad it did so is
there anything you'd like to sayto the viewers, the listeners
before you go?
Any words of encouragement, thatyou'd like to add?
Susan (59:12):
I think, if I were to leave the listeners with
something, it would just be,listen to your horses.
Listen to yourself and maybemake an extra effort today to be
present.
Ronnie (59:25):
That's perfect, girl.
Perfect.
Thank you so much.
So I'm going to just pop youout, Susan, if you don't mind
just waiting so I can say byepersonally before you go.
Absolutely.
So say bye to the viewers.
Susan (59:38):
Bye guys.
Ronnie (59:41):
Lovely young woman, absolute pleasure.
And, oh my goodness, if I hadhalf the talent that she has in
my little finger that would beawesome.
Isn't it funny how you look topeople and they look at you in
one way and you look at them inanother.
lovely, lovely lady and I can'twait to chat to her again.
I will post links to herwebsite.
(01:00:04):
If you have any questions thatyou'd like to ask Susan
directly, then please do so, orI can pass them on for you.
I hope you've enjoyed thisconversation.
Thank you for the people thatjoined and your questions.
I shall be around again soonwith another podcast.
Until then thank you very much,take care and bye for now.
Hello and welcome to Equine Voices Podcast.
My name is Ronnie and I'm yourhost.
This interview is with SusanRegina Glick and she's an equine
assisted healing coach.
website on Facebook isHeartSongEquine.
I'm not going to do a long drawnout introduction.
I'm just going to get Susan onand she can introduce herself
(00:21):
and then we'll go from there.
Okay.
Hi Susan.
Susan (00:27):
Hi, I'm so happy to be here finally.
I feel like there is a lot goingon there for a little bit.
Ronnie (00:34):
Not going to lie, it's always a little nerve wracking.
But anyway, we're here now.
So, if don't mind introducingyourself, and say as much as you
like, and then we'll go fromthere.
Susan (00:44):
Okay.
it feels like introducing myselfshould be like an easy question
at this point I feel like Ishould know who I am and I
should know my identity and haveall of that figured out.
But I feel like, Even just inthe last several weeks, things
change really quickly andsometimes things come up and I
get to work through them allover again, but right now today,
(01:06):
who I feel like I am, is,someone who has been a part of
the world.
And I'm not just someone who hasbeen a part of the world for a
few years, but I'm a part I amamazingly blessed to have horses
in my life who have taught me alot of things, and people in my
life.
Horses have brought a lot ofdifferent people into my life
that have taught me a lot, andtoday I feel like I am, here to
(01:26):
learn.
And so that feels like a bigpart of my identity today.
Is that a weird answer?
I feel like it changes by theday sometimes.
But what's solid for me is thatI'm a believer, I'm a Christian,
I love love horses, and I lovemy family, and I love the people
that God has put in my life andis putting here and there on my
(01:49):
journey, that I get to interactwith and learn from.
I'm just really happy to be heretoday.
Ronnie (01:56):
That's perfect.
Let's start back at thebeginning.
So how did horses come into yourlife?
I know that you've had themaround for a long time, but if
you tell the listeners, how didhorses come into your life?
Susan (02:10):
Yeah, so I was raised in an Amish community.
So my family is still Amish.
So I grew up in the communityand horses, as a lot of people
know, are a big part of theAmish lifestyle as they don't
typically drive vehicles.
You know, they have the horseand buggies, horses are used, as
a big part of the farminglifestyle for the Amish who are
(02:30):
farmers and so, I grew up withhorses but the horses I grew up
with and the part of my lifethat horses were in is very
different than it is now for me.
Because at that point, as ayoung girl, growing up Amish,
horses are a part of your life.
I don't want to sound crude, butbasically, they're a way to get
around, right?
They're like a tool.
They're like a tractor we keepin the garage.
(02:51):
there's not much of a thoughtgiven to, the horse being a
living being with emotions andideas of its own.
You know, we raise them, wetrain them, they do their job.
And that's the part horsesplayed in my life.
As an Amish girl, but I was alsovery attached and attracted to
the idea of connecting withhorses from a young age.
(03:11):
I don't really know how thatstarted.
I just love being around horsesso pretty soon, you know, I knew
I was gonna have a pony, and thepony was gonna be my best
friend.
And, already at that point was alittle bit of a different twist
on, typical young Amish girlgrowing up with horses around.
That's how horses came to be inmy life.
And then, when I left the Amishcommunity, that was obviously a
(03:34):
choice I made to keep them in mylife.
And At that point, they were ahuge part of my life.
So, I guess there's kind of twodifferent phases of it.
But that's how it got startedfor me.
Ronnie (03:46):
I'll be honest, I don't know a huge amount about, Amish
communities.
Only what I've seen on films soI understand that horses were
there to farm the land to getaround, as you said, like a car.
So that's not a judgment thingor anything.
That's how it was.
And you can say the same forrural UK, England, you know,
horses were very much part ofthe farm.
(04:07):
They were there to do a job andit can vary between different
families, whether they were moreof a relationship built, Working
horse or just, you know, we feedthe horse, we look after it
because it's got to do a jobsort of thing.
So, yeah I understand that side.
When did it change for you?
When was the connection and whatdid that mean for you?
Susan (04:34):
So I don't actually know how old I was.
I was probably eight years old.
I was an avid reader.
I read all the horse books Icould get my hands on.
And I read books like, the BlackStallion and Misty of Shinkitig
and books like that, where, theperson and the horse had like
this magical connection.
And I was like, I really wantthat with a horse.
I really want to have a pony ofmy own and have that with my
(04:55):
pony.
And so, yeah.
I think that's part of where itcame from or where, the
recognition of it came from,inside of me, I guess, and then,
when I got my phony, thingsdidn't look like that, because I
got a two-year-old miniatureShetland cross, and she loved
her life, and I loved her, butshe was a handful for, a 10-year
-old who didn't really know howto work with horses, I shouldn't
(05:17):
say I didn't know how to workwith horses, because I knew how
to work with horses in the Amishsense, right?
Like, you tell them what to do,and they do it, and my pony
didn't do that.
And so I started learning I hadto be, her friend, so that she
wanted to be with me.
And, Now, to me, it looks like,at that point, it was a really,
a really...
selfish relationship, I waslike, okay, I'm going to be your
(05:39):
best friend so that you want todo what I ask.
And if we jump forward all ofthese years, now where I'm at is
like, I want to be everything Ican for the horses, just because
they are amazing, not becausethey can do something for me in
return.
Which is a huge, a huge switch.
When you make that switch inyour brain, it doesn't happen
(06:00):
overnight.
Like I'm still weeding out withthese.
Mindsets and the ideas aboutkind of an entitlement almost
like, well, I take care of you.
I do this.
I do that for you.
So you should be willing to, bemy course and do the things I
asked.
And now at this point, like Isaid, I'm still like weeding out
some of that.
But the difference in themindset when I started and from
(06:22):
what is now still a lot.
Of the outlook or the mindsetaround horses in the Amish
community, to where I am now.
Huge.
Like, there's no comparison.
And like you said, it's not ajudgment.
I had to get to a place where Iwas accepting, willing to face
that that's, how I used to beand willing to own that before I
(06:42):
could start thinking about waysto change it in order to help
horses.
Thank you for watching! In thecommunity and in my life.
Um, I feel like I kind of wenton a bunny trail there, but
maybe that answers yourquestion.
Ronnie (06:56):
No, that was perfect.
And I was smiling when you saidabout Shetland.
I think that's a universal,universal thing.
My friend here has Shetlands andYeah, they've got their own
mindset.
Well, Most horses do actually.
Susan (07:11):
Yeah, and you know, it was a great way for me to learn
that I don't get to always havemy way just because I'm the
boss, you know.
I think they're great trainingponies for young kids because...
They will probably Make you orbreak you as a horse person.
(07:32):
Yeah, you have a conversationwith him.
You don't tell him what to do.
Yeah, exactly.
Ronnie (07:39):
Absolutely.
So Gail, she's an animalcommunicator and Gail's been, an
honoured guest on my podcasttoo.
She's saying hi from Canada.
Hi Gail, lovely to have you joinus.
If anybody wants to ask Susanany questions, by the way,
please feel free to just drop acomment okay.
So this is my friend Sam, who'sat house I'm at now, and she's
(08:01):
got Shetlands.
Shetlands are the best.
She wants to heard theShetlands.
Susan (08:09):
I love that.
That's so cool.
I wish I could have a herd ofShetlands.
But...
I ended up, for some reason,collecting horses here and
there, and now I have oneShetland and one Minnie, and
that's probably all the ponies Ican handle for now.
Ronnie (08:22):
That sounds very much like Sam.
The Shetlands that she hasactually were, Party ponies.
They were used for, children'sparties.
And she ended up having them atthe farm where she used to live.
Because they didn't have a lotof grazing, the lady that owned
them.
But she passed away, so sheacquired these Shetlands.
Anyway so this is for thebenefit of the audio afterwards.
(08:43):
Hello, way to go Susan onrecognizing that horses have
feelings and could be ourwonderful friends.
So that's Gail again.
I was going to ask you aquestion, it's just gone out of
my head now.
Right, I'll tell you what we'lldo.
I know you do clinics and you doworkshops, and of course, I came
across you from Lockie's,website.
(09:05):
It was his Facebook page,actually, and you'd put a, a
beautiful post on there, which Idid share on my page and it was
just beautiful words.
So would you like to say in yourwords what horses mean to you?
Susan (09:16):
I think you're talking about the post that Lockie had
shared that you saw.
Ronnie (09:20):
Yes, it's a picture of you, and you wrote about the
meaning of God and what Godmeans to you within the horses
and how that brings, I'm notdoing it justice.
Do you know where I'm going withthis?
Yes,
Susan (09:32):
I think I remember the post.
I'm pulling it up on my phone soI can actually put myself back
in that space.
Ronnie (09:37):
It was very heartfelt.
It was just the feeling behindthat and that's what prompted me
to contact you and say, wouldyou like to do a podcast
interview?
Yeah.
Susan (09:48):
So, I think the feeling I was having when I wrote that
post was about how I was havingthis feeling like there's been
this clearing out happening andlike I was saying before where
I'm weeding out these oldmindsets and I'm seeing a lot of
what I thought I knew is beingreplaced, I think to be able to
articulate it well, I need tokind of explain some of the
process of what's been happeningin my life at the same time.
(10:11):
It's kind of mirrored my journeywith horsemanship has been this
journey of leaving the Amishlifestyle.
And it's kind of been likeparallel lines happening where
you know, Amish is supposed tobe a lifestyle, it tends to kind
of be conflated even in theculture as a religion instead,
and, that was something I had areally hard time with as a girl.
(10:34):
And at the same time that I wasprocessing through all of that
and weeding out some of that andworking through it, I was doing
the same thing in myhorsemanship where all of these
techniques and these rules andall of these mindsets I've been
taught in horsemanship werestarting to kind of fall apart
and not work anymore and notwork for me and my horses and I
was looking for somethingdifferent.
(10:55):
And I went to a few differenttypes of trainers who were more
gentle, right?
You know, more liberty, morefill in the blank.
And I thought it was better, butit still wasn't quite what I
wanted.
It sort of really felt like homefor me in horsemanship.
And kind of along the samelines, I looked for, different
churches and different places tocall, my community after I left,
(11:19):
the Amish.
And I've come to a point where Ibelieve that, I believe in God.
I am, very, very, confident inmy belief in God.
In my salvation in Jesus Christ.
But I believe that even a lot oftimes in the religious Christian
circle, we get it wrong.
(11:40):
Even after we are what peoplecall saved, we look for things
outside.
We look for salvation and peaceand everything outside of
ourselves.
And I've come to a place inboth, like, spirituality and
religion, in a sense, and in mypersonship, where I believe that
(12:02):
everything we're looking for isalready inside of us.
And that has probably been thebiggest thing.
Game Changer, the biggest, mindshift for me has been, realizing
that what we're looking for,what everyone is looking for, is
already inside of them.
Like, they already have it,because if you really think
about it, and this might begetting too, technical and using
(12:23):
too many you know, Christian-ywords or whatever for, for some
of your audience, because I'mvery understanding and
respectful of the fact that, noteverybody is on the same page
with it as as I am.
But there's something that wecall, sin, and in my mind,
that's just being not aligned.
To me, what that means is justbeing separated from God, which
(12:46):
is just being out of alignment.
And so that is probably one ofthe biggest, it feels like a
little difference, but it'sprobably the biggest difference
in how I, uh, I have come toconnect with God and the horses
and with other people and withmyself than the way I was
raised.
(13:06):
So I don't know if that reallycovers your question about the
post, but that's where I'm at.
Ronnie (13:12):
Yes it didn't as you were talking.
So you're aware that I use myown guidance, my intuition and
as you were talking, it waslike, it's the connection to
herself.
And you said that it's yourconnection to yourself.
And I think that's when you wastalking about you was trying
(13:32):
different, different ways towork with your horses and
different training things again,that's all external.
And yeah, as humans, we look forinformation to try to help and
guide us.
And it's brilliant as long as westart to feel that within us as
well, as long as it feels rightand resonates.
(13:52):
So what can work a few weeks agoand it's perfect once you move
on it might not be the same feelanymore so rather than stay with
something that's not working andit doesn't feel quite right
you'll start to listen to yourown guidance your own feel again
it's hard to put into wordssometimes and horses are very
(14:15):
good at showing us to be presentto be present at that very
moment because Five minuteslater, the whole story might be
completely different.
And if you reflect back on youand realize, where am I now that
the horse is showing mesomething?
Yes, I might want to go out anddo something, but am I listening
(14:37):
to what the horse wants to do?
And it's not a case of, well,you shouldn't let an animal tell
you what to do.
It's not that at all.
It's, are they ready?
Are they making sure that we'represent?
Are we listening?
Because if we're not listeningto ourselves, our own guidance,
which is from them too.
Then how can we communicate?
How can we be a partnership?
And where you are, is you're apartnership.
(15:00):
So it's not about you wanting todo something all the time.
It's you wanting to makesomething better, to have that
connection.
But Again, these are just words.
Sometimes words are not enoughand they don't quite put the
words together.
The picture, but that's all wehave, so that's what we've got
(15:21):
to work with.
Does that make sense, or have Igone off on a tangent, Susan?
Susan (15:26):
That, that was amazing.
I love that.
And it makes sense to me becauseI totally understand and totally
agree with what you're saying.
Cause it's almost like we, canlook all day for something
outside of ourselves and I thinkthere's probably some people who
are going to be like, how canyou say what you're saying and
still consider yourself aChristian.
(15:47):
Like I've had some conversationswith people who have asked me
that, like, that basically goesagainst what a lot of people
think of as a Christian and havebelieved themselves their whole
life that they're Christians.
I think that the church, if wewant to call it that, has a
really big problem with,teaching, like, they teach good
(16:09):
principles and they forget thatthe point of these principles is
not necessarily just, like, toget people to believe in you.
Somewhere, like to go to heaven,to go whatever, but it's so that
you can live fully alive in themoment.
I believe that's the purpose.
That's like the whole story isto be able to live fully alive
(16:29):
and horses have been huge withthat, like to teach me that, I
just don't think that we need togo searching for everything
outside of ourselves, because ifwe are living in our true
identity, our full trueidentity, we have everything,
because God is in us, God is inus.
Everything, it's all connected,and then it should just flow.
(16:53):
And I would say that's thebiggest thing that horses have
taught me in the last probablyfour years.
Probably they've been teachingme that all my life actually,
and it's come to this point now.
But they've been, especially inthe last several years, I've
been learning that from horses.
A really good tangent you justwent on.
Ronnie (17:10):
I do that quite often.
But then who's to say that'smaybe your journey, because
you've learned so much aboutyourself through that.
It doesn't mean to say that ifyou had another journey, you
wouldn't have learned that.
But at this present moment, yourpast is molded, where you are
now and today.
And your beautiful horses.
Shall we talk about Sundance?
Yes.
Yes,
Susan (17:30):
we shall.
We absolutely shall.
Ronnie (17:31):
So let's talk about Sundance and, the amazing
journey.
So again, I don't do too muchbackground because I want to
listen to you as, the listenersare.
But I know a little so if youtell us about Sundance and, you
two guys met yeah, a little bitof your journey.
Susan (17:50):
Yeah.
So Sundance came into my lifewhen I was, 12 years old.
My cousins who lived across thestreet from my farm, their farm
is right across the street frommy family's farm.
They bought her at an auction.
And she was sold as, suspectedpregnant, so she was in foal and
they brought her home, and theyrode her, and she did, okay, and
(18:14):
she bucked and whatever, but shedidn't hurt anybody.
She was just kind of, you know,in their minds being, like,
sassy, pony.
bratty little thing, you know,all of the labels that female
horses in pain get,unfortunately.
And so they had her for half ayear, she had her baby, and then
Half a year later.
(18:35):
So a full 12 months after theyhad bought her, they were going
to send her back to the sameauction because it was an annual
local, horse and pony auction.
They were going to send her backbecause at that point she had
become, unhandleable, basicallyunmanageable.
She didn't let anyone catch her.
She had had her foal andobviously, they were doing
things with the foal and she wasbeing a really, really
protective mom.
(18:57):
So they decided they were justgoing to resell her, keep the
baby.
And I, in the meantime, havebeen walking home from school,
past her pasture, and got toknow her, and I would feed her
my apple core from my lunchbox,or my leftover carrot sticks, or
whatever, just, hang out withher, and spend time with her,
and got to know her a littlebit, and I decided that this is
(19:18):
not something I'm willing to lethappen.
I don't want her to go back tothe same auction, and I'm never
going to see her again, and atthe time I wasn't going to buy
another pony or a horse, at thetime I had my little, my little
miniature Shetland and I wasgoing to keep her and, and maybe
get a bigger horse when I'm alittle older.
And this was when I was 13, andI went home and told my mom I
(19:38):
need to buy her, I don't want tolet her go.
And I had been saving up somemoney for a new saddle for my
pony.
And so, instead of buying a newsaddle, I bought Sundance for
$200.
And it took my dad, finally whenwe were able to catch her.
Which took probably a good halfhour or more for us to catch her
(20:01):
in her posture.
And then it took him...
Another half hour to 45 minutesto lead her like quarter mile in
my driveway.
So she was in a lot of pain anda lot of emotional discomfort.
She didn't like being aroundpeople at the time.
We don't know anything about herpast prior to my cousins getting
(20:22):
her at the sale or at theauction.
But I believe she had some kindof unfortunate experience.
men,because it was specificallymen she didn't really like.
My dad walked past her stall,she would turn around and double
barrel the door, just from himlike walking passed.
She was so...so not interestedin interacting with men and she
(20:44):
also had big version to WIPs.
So those 2 things combinedreally made me just feel like
she probably at some pointdidn't have a good experience.
I don't like just attributing orlabeling, horses feeling free to
share their opinions as, oh,they must be traumatized.
I don't like being the personwho is just labeling it as
(21:07):
trauma all the time.
But I believe she had somethingin her past.
I don't know what.
And We worked through some ofthat, just her and I.
I tried to connect with her,kind of the same as I tried to
connect with my pony.
And at the same time though, youknow, at that point my goal was,
ride her.
You know, do the things with ahorse that you do with a horse.
(21:29):
And she wasn't really having it.
Sometimes she was more agreeableto it, but she always protested.
I know now that she has a lotof, you know, physical issues,
like a lot of tension.
She carries a lot of tension inher neck and her head.
Um, and so looking back, she wasprobably in a lot of pain.
And she was just trying to tellme that, and I had a lot of,
(21:50):
riding accidents with her that Iwouldn't tell my mom about.
So, skipping through some ofthose years, because that's kind
of all a blur for me, we were,we were doing okay.
We had a lot of, discussions,her and I, about this, and, and
we would come to kind of anagreement, and we would go on
trail rides, and we had fun, Ihad fun, she tolerated it,
(22:12):
probably, and fast forward towhen I was 17.
I was at our, Horse World Expohere in Pennsylvania, and I saw,
for the first time, I had seenLiberty Work and Liberty
Training before, but I saw, apartnership type of Liberty,
There's different styles ofLiberty Work, and I had seen,
(22:32):
like, the really flowy, dancy,happy, where there's, like, ten
horses running around, and it'sreally pretty.
I saw for the first time, atrainer who looked like he was
just the same being as hishorse.
Like he was just working soclosely with his horse in a
partnership.
And I was like, that's what Iwant.
I'm going to do that.
Like that's the thing.
(22:54):
And I went home and it was like,okay, Sundance, we're going to
do Liberty work.
And Sundance was like, youdidn't ask me.
She was like, no.
I'm alright, thanks.
Um, And so, that kind of threwme for a whole other loop,
because I was like, Oh, like, ifI give her a choice, of course
she'll choose me, and she waslike, No, you've not been
understanding me, you're askingme for all these years, why
(23:15):
would I?
Now, choose you.
So, that was, oh, five yearsago?
Five or six years ago that westarted that.
And Sundance is now 24.
once I started learning aboutlike the emotional healing stuff
for myself and for my horses andworking through some of those
(23:38):
things with them together,that's when it really flipped a
switch for Sundance and shereally, that's when it really
flipped a switch for me.
She really started loving theLiberty work.
I learned different techniquesand different styles of Liberty
and training methods and thatkind of thing.
And so for Sundance, there'slike two different sides to her
(23:58):
Liberty work.
She's really good at just liketelling me off, being like, no,
if I am willing to hear it.
She's also at this point verywell-trained in certain liberty
things.
And so my challenge now with heris making sure I'm, open enough
(24:21):
to hearing her because I havetaught her that I hear her and
when I ignore her, sometimes shewould just go into like robot
mode and do the thing anyway.
And so I'm learning that some ofthe things we've been doing for
years at this point, she really,really hates to do.
And she's just done it because,you know, we've been doing
positive reinforcement.
(24:42):
She's learned that I like it andshe wants to please me now.
And so that's my recent,especially, with Working with
Locky a bit and getting to knowhim and his program a little,
that's been my eye-opener hasbeen that some of these things
she really doesn't like to do.
And she's currently 24.
So, I don't want to be forcingher to do things that are
(25:03):
painful or I don't want her todo things she doesn't want to do
at this point.
She's 24 years old.
I don't need her to perform sothat I can live.
She's 24 years old.
I don't need her to help me, youknow, go hunt or go to war.
She's my horse and I love her nomatter what happens or I'm her
person, I guess, more than she'smy horse.
And, uh, you know, I don't loveher because of what she can do
(25:26):
for me.
So.
That's probably the big shiftthat's been happening back to
like the post you were talkingabout.
The big shift that's beenhappening in my, life, just like
spiritually and emotionally andin person too.
Ronnie (25:38):
was lovely.
That was a great explanation andit's a big commitment.
So Horses take up a lot of timeand a lot of finances, and, it's
a 24-7 job.
It's not like you can get a dayoff it's something you do every
day.
And you've either got to love itor not.
as you said earlier, sometimesyour expectations, even with the
(26:02):
best will in the world, evenmyself at times, I'll go just
give us a break Toots you know,just give us a break.
I'm doing everything I possiblycan.
And she'll walk off and look atme and I'll go, okay.
And sometimes you get in.
Just doing mode and a littleexample is, she was having a
feet trimmed the day and sheadjusts her weight and she's
(26:25):
very good with the trimmerbecause she communicates.
But initially when the trimmercomes.
She'll go, uh oh, trimmer'shere, walk off.
And I'll go, toots, you know,Natalie's kind.
She listens to you because theprevious trimmer was very, very
good, but got very busy and itwas all a rush.
And you know what comes withthat sometimes and then she
(26:47):
stops and then she comes back.
And while she's being trimmed,she was rubbing her head on me
and she just said, and she, whatshe was saying to me?
because she's my horse.
So sometimes it's slightlydifferent is"I need to adjust my
body and it was the slightestthing.
And she lifted the leg up readyfor Natalie before she asked.
(27:11):
she has a few physical things,but again, like you are trying
not focus on them.
It's not a pity focus, that's adifferent thing altogether.
Anyway, she shifted away and itwas really subtle and I could
have missed that and to anybodyelse that wouldn't have been
anything that they maybe wouldhave noticed unless they're
aware of it.
So I said to Natalie, Oh mygoodness, I wasn't listening.
(27:34):
She just wanted to adjust herbody.
She says, she did really welland she picked her foot up
before I asked for it.
I says, yeah, because she knewwhat was coming.
But that's an example oflistening.
But you get into doing mode,which is what we all do with the
best intentions.
And my favorite thing is justwatching the horses.
(27:56):
I'll sit with them, especiallyevening time.
I love it.
And at the minute it'ssummertime and I'll just watch
them and listen and I get somuch from that because I'm just
observing and they communicateall the time.
So this podcast is about, horsesand communication and intuition
and everything else that goesalong with that.
(28:19):
But it's.
so much more because you arepart of them and they're part of
you and somebody told me once awhile ago when i used to get
into a bit of a a down and saywhy can't i do the same as i do
for other horses with my own andhe said because the flow through
(28:41):
you is very similar to Toots soyou can't always feel that but
because it feels like you andvice versa now that's quite a
statement without adding more toit but i can't at this time and
so the nearest thing i canexplain that to is when you're
riding a horse and you're outhaving a ride and you get into
(29:02):
that flow where you know thatyou're going to be riding a
horse and you know that you'regoing to be riding They just
want to go for a gallop or acanter and you start cantering
in the field or wherever and youjust feel at one with that
animal and it could be a fewseconds and there's no
separation.
You feel part of that animal'sbody because you're moving in
sync.
That is it.
That's the flow.
(29:22):
And then you get so excited thatyou lose it because you get
excited and you think, Oh myGod, I've got it.
Whatever that is.
I've got it.
I want that back.
So you try and it's the tryingsometimes because it's more
external trying rather thanpulling back and just going with
that flow again.
Does that make sense?
Oh,
Susan (29:42):
Absolutely.
I totally hear what you'resaying.
And I love the part about thetrying versus pulling back
being, because I think at thispoint I believe that this is
every part of our lives.
That when we try, we stop being,we can't just be.
And I'm not saying don't puteffort into things.
(30:03):
But there is, a lot of value instillness and presence, like you
were saying, like, likelistening to the horses and just
being present with them, andthere's, there's a lot of value
and, I've had thesebreakthroughs, spiritually and
emotionally with just, you know,Being present, and not even just
like being in stillness, but mymind is still going, like, I
(30:25):
mean, actually just stop.
And it does something, it alignssomething.
I don't know that I have the,the education or the knowledge
to really explain what'shappening all the time, but what
it feels like to me is that likemy spirit and my soul and my
body are coming into alignment.
My body is slowing down orstepping back into alignment
(30:46):
with everything else.
So that's what it feels like tome.
Ronnie (30:49):
Example as far as I'm concerned.
Um, because sometimes your mindhas an idea, but if you listen
to the quietness what feelsright, because sometimes you
think, no, I know I should bedoing that, and this should be
going on, but I don't feel that.
So why is that then?
It's because you connected tothis part, which is the all
(31:11):
knowing part of you
Susan (31:12):
right.
Ronnie (31:13):
Sometimes it's hard to put into words.
I was trying to give you anexample.
One example is, this is quite afew years ago.
I struggled to get on my horsebut I always knew it wasn't just
to do about with horses.
There was something within methat I needed to overcome.
Anyway, I'm going to condense itbecause, You don't get a whole
essay, I had somebody come andhelp me and he did an amazing
(31:34):
job and he did what I needed atthat moment, but I still knew I
had to do it.
Not somebody else, becauseagain, I wasn't trusting myself
and.
He did help me.
I got on my horse and there wasall this emotion but it was a
little while afterwards and itwas a friend actually.
She works with the mind and it'sthe programs that we have in our
(31:55):
mind and she helps bypass thatand put a slightly different,
Programming.
That sounded wrong, it soundedlike brainwashing, does it?
It's not like that at all.
It's just bypassing thattrigger.
There's always a trigger.
Oh, I recognize that motion.
Let's go there.
Don't do that.
It's dangerous.
We can't do that.
Let's stay safe.
Let's stay safe.
And went out to my horse and Itook, I used to take all my
(32:17):
things out and not have anagenda.
But if she was in the rightplace and I was, we'd have a go
getting on.
And getting on, I mean, justswinging my leg over and sitting
on my horse and getting off.
That was getting on.
Anyway, this day I'd usuallyhave, jelly legs.
You know, my legs would just goso weak.
And I was walking out the fieldand I thought, Well, I know I
(32:40):
should be having jelly legsbecause my mind's telling me
that, but there's nothing there.
I'm fine.
So I went out to the field.
Even though my mind was saying,no, no, you should be feeling
nervous by now.
I was going, yeah, but I don'tbecause I'd bypass that.
It was like, but you should feelnervous.
No, but I don't.
So basically.
I got on my horse too, and itwas like, I've done it.
(33:03):
I've bypassed that, that littlechatter that comes in every
time, with the right intentionsto start with, but then it gets
stuck on replay, replay, replay.
So this is what it means whenyou're listening to this,
because it can contradict this.
But if you.
Recognize your own feel, yourown inner guidance, your own
(33:25):
truth.
You know that that's the rightone to listen to.
And I'm not talking about fear-based listening there's no
agenda there, there's no rightor wrong.
It's just this.
And it's a calmness.
And the more you feel that, themore you recognize it.
(33:46):
But once you get to know thatand your horses know you know
that, they give you a quickreminder if you don't stick with
it.
As you said, Sundance said toyou, no, you didn't ask me.
Susan (33:59):
Yeah, absolutely.
And when you were talking, I hadthis sentence pop into my head
because I've heard my mentor sayit a lot and it's one of my
spiritual mentors when he ishelping me, work through
something or like you said, workthrough a trigger and bypass
that, it almost becomes like aninstinct.
He usually says, you're thinkingtoo much.
You're supposed to be feelingright now, like use your heart,
(34:20):
not your head.
And that's like, that's a bigone.
And I've actually startedapplying that sometimes with my
horses you know, when I'm justworking with horses.
Th ere's kind of two sides ofthis.
There's the side where I'm like,Oh, what's happening in me
that's making this come up inthem?
And then also sometimes it'slike, they are also their own
being.
We're all connected, and alsothey're their own being.
And if I can help them addressthings, by feeling and not
(34:43):
overthinking too much, becausesome of that is just what horse
training is, right?
It's like helping them overridethe instincts, so to speak.
And...
The best way to keep you safe isto be open to learning new
things and feeling new thingsand not being afraid of them.
So there's kinda two sides ofit.
And then I also thought ofsomething LockHee says sometimes
which is, Fear has kept yousafe.
(35:05):
These triggers, these patternshave built up a safety mechanism
in your brain, and this iskeeping you safe, right?
And so, he says very kindly tothe fear, Thank you for your
help, I don't need you rightnow.
That's a great line.
Yeah, like, thank you and thething is, if you do that, it all
(35:26):
makes sense in your head, youknow, it actually starts lining
up your heart in your head alittle bit and it's like, oh, I
see what's happening.
I can actually intellectualizeit and feel it at the same time
in a way and be like, Iunderstand what's happening and
I understand that these thoughtsare here because my brain slash
body thought they needed to behere to keep me safe.
(35:47):
And, because, you know,physiologically, it made your
legs turn into jelly and islike, no, we can't do this.
We're not gonna be safe.
And that's just like pattingfear nicely on the head and
saying thank you for your helpin the past.
Ronnie (36:01):
Being friends with your fear.
Well, it's part of who you are.
It's not somebody else.
It's part of you.
And like I said, it was therefor a reason.
It's just when it becomes aprison.
that you need to say okay.
You know, what's really goingon?
I'm safe right at this moment intime.
So what but it's reprogramyourself to think differently
(36:26):
which takes a long time and it'son-going.
Definitely ongoing.
Um, When you're doing a showwhat is it You're showing people
your relationship, obviously youdo demos, don't you, with
Sundance?
Susan (36:44):
Yes.
Ronnie (36:45):
Yeah.
Susan (36:46):
So, um, I'll give you the whole overview.
Basically, if somebody wants meto be a teacher or a
demonstrator or performer attheir show, we kind of, we have
different options.
We've like a few main teachingdemos that we'll do.
Usually it's in a smaller spacelike a round pen area, where I
teach and those main ones arepositive reinforcement made
(37:09):
simple because I do use positivereinforcement in my training.
The most popular one recentlyhas been, the power of choice in
the horse-human relationship.
And, oh, what was the other onewe did a lot in the past?
I think it was foundationalliberty.
Those are the three main onesthat we've done at different
(37:29):
events and expos.
And those are the teaching,talking demos.
And then, I've also done clinicswhere I help people with their
horses.
And then I would say ourfavorite is the performances
where we go out and performLiberty Work II music, and it's
like a choreographed freestyle,kind of performance.
So I think that's our favorite,both Sundance and I we enjoy
(37:51):
that.
More recently, she's been havingsome anxiety around traveling.
She's not loving, the trailerrides, and she gets nervous.
Some tension, in her body, whenwe travel sometimes.
And so, I've been cutting backon the long trailer rides.
She is 24, after all., Thefurthest we've gone has been a
12 hour drive.
(38:12):
Breaks obviously in between.
We didn't drive 12 hoursstraight, but that feels a
little too far at this point forher.
So I'm trying to cut back forher sake and for mine.
I've got a lot going on rightnow and I just started a new
relationship and there's just somuch happening in my life.
So this summer and fall, I haddifferent things lined up.
And.
I ended up cutting back andcanceling some things for both
(38:35):
of our sake.
I could feel something else justsaying, you know what, I'd like
to be home.
And we haven't even gotten intolike the whole, basically what I
call whole horse wellness sideof my horsemanship life and my
teaching.
But that's a big part of what Ido with horses as well is.
(38:56):
wellness, physical andemotional.
So I've been putting a lot ofwork and time and effort into
making my horses space here athome, a place that they really
like to be.
And I was like, you know what?
I put all of this time and moneyinto the space.
I would love if my horses wouldlike to stay home and enjoy it.
And if the nanny is telling methat she wants to be home.
(39:18):
I kind of love that.
So, I said okay, and I canceled.
A bunch of appearances we weregonna be at.
We might travel a little bit,but it's gonna be fairly local,
and it's not gonna be, five-hourtrailer rides.
And maybe they'll come back inthe future.
But, for right now, whereSundance and I are both at,
(39:39):
that's what's feeling right.
And
Ronnie (39:41):
To do that is a big thing, especially when you want
to show people because you'relistening, but it's a big thing.
So, yeah, I honor you for doingthat, I really do um, we can
learn things and we can getwrapped up in wanting to do
something um, to show people butthen you can get wrapped up in
(40:04):
that whole experience as well.
But that's human nature.
That's part of it.
So to step back and to listen toyour horse and think, no, I
mean, 12 hours, that's probablylike going from the top end of
England to the bottom.
That's a long journey, which Iknow is not for the States.
But she's lucky to be with youand vice versa.
I'm just going to see if anybodywants to ask any questions.
(40:26):
So if there's anybody would liketo ask Susan any questions, that
would be lovely and we can sharethose.
Can you see the comments by theway?
I should have said to youearlier, are you able to see the
comments on your screen?
Thank you.
I
Susan (40:39):
saw a few, like, as they popped up.
Yes.
Ronnie (40:42):
You should have an area where you can actually see, but
don't worry about that.
So would you like to ask me aquestion, Susan?
Susan (40:52):
Um, I didn't really think that far.
I would love to actually knowthe where your, um yes,
actually, I do have a question.
Because we talked on the phonelast week or the week before
just fairly briefly and you hadwonderful things to say about my
lovely pony, my lovely pony koaand he's amazing and he's doing
(41:15):
better, by the way, because hewas having some health issues
and he's actually doing a lotbetter.
But I would love to know how youconnect with.
what I would call, or what it isto you, what I would call, God
and the Spirit, and, and it'sall connected because I'm so
fascinated by the people that Imeet that it feels like I'm on
the same page with, and we'rejust slightly different terms.
(41:37):
It's so amazing to me when Imeet people who they love to
listen to horses and communicatewith horses, and, It feels like
it's all the same thing, andit's all connected.
I don't know, maybe it's less ofa question and more of an
observation, but it's just asamazing to me when I feel that
in somebody maybe partly becauseof my background, and how I was
taught in, like, the church Iwas raised, which is basically,
(41:59):
you don't believe exactly thiscertain way, then you probably,
Ronnie (42:07):
I'm in awe of you really, because of what you do.
So for me, sitting here in mylittle room, I'm thinking, wow,
she has such a connection.
And it's with your horses, butit's with yourself.
So I can see this beautifulwoman sat before me.
That's blossoming and glowing.
And.
If that's just the tip of it,who knows where that's going to
(42:28):
take you in every direction.
But it's about fullness for yourlife.
How you feel and view the world.
It's a different place.
And we all wake up in themorning as a different person.
We're not always the same personwe was yesterday.
Our cells change, we rejuvenate.
But also, uh, Soul is expanding,our intuition, our guidance, so
(42:53):
you call that, God.
I call it universe, guidance,only because when I was a child,
religion was a strong thing andyou was forced, so I went
totally the opposite way.
In fact, I couldn't even say theword.
God, because it just reminded meof old programs where it's fine.
Now I can say that it's not aproblem.
(43:13):
But when you talk to peopleexactly the conversation you've
been saying about your ownunderstanding, you're learning
about you and everything'sconnected.
That's exactly how I feel.
And I think more people arediscovering that and we don't
have to have the same.
view, but we understand thatthere's another side.
(43:36):
It's not about hate or or makingsomebody do something they don't
want to do.
It's having an equalpartnership.
It's having a voice and somedon't have voices.
So, it's being the voice forthat other hence equine voices,
um, and you don't have to beperfect and you don't have to
(43:56):
get it right and they don'texpect you to get it right.
Animals, Do not expect you to beperfect.
And in fact, the first thingthey say is they want you to
sort your life out.
Sort yourself out because howcan you help me if you can't
help yourself?
How can you love me?
If you can't love yourself, howcan you accept me?
(44:16):
If you can't accept yourself andthat's with.
Every aspect, as you said, yourshadows, your imperfections, but
these are part of you.
And if you're ashamed of them, Idon't know why I'm talking like
this, so I'm obviouslychanneling.
Um, it's part of you, you'redenying.
Horses don't deny any part ofthem.
(44:37):
They're all different, so theymight go through the motions
because they know going throughthe motions means I get a meal
at the end of the day, I get arest.
That might be their life.
Who's to say that that's notwhat they want?
Wishful at that moment.
And it's the same as my view ofa horse should have the freedom
to come and go, not shut in, butthat's my view.
(45:01):
And so I do my very best to dothat, but I am limited to the
land.
So in the UK, having a bit ofland where you can do that is a
luxury because you're not ableto do that certain places
because it's a premium.
So if you can have your horsesout 24 seven.
That's a bit of a luxury.
Some horses might not want to dothat for other reasons.
(45:22):
I don't think it's because theywant to go in necessarily, but
they may want to be with theherd that goes in.
If they're out in the field andherd are going in, they want to
be in because they want to beclose to the herd.
It's not always quite the way weperceive it to be.
People say my horse wants to bein this table.
They may do, but they mayactually want to come in for
other reasons.
(45:42):
It's about having choices.
And if you are able to give yourhorses choices, then you should
be proud of that.
It might not be the perfect lifethat you'd like for them, but
it's the best that you can do atthat time.
I must be talking about thisbecause there might be somebody
listening to this conversationfor that reason, but you
shouldn't beat yourself upbecause at that moment you're
(46:04):
doing your very best with whatyou have and your means.
Um I used to laugh years ago, myprevious horse, I would have
shoes with holes in because Icouldn't afford new shoes, but I
needed shoes for my horse.
My horse now doesn't have shoes.
She's barefoot because that'sthe way I'm going now.
But it doesn't mean to say everyhorse should be barefoot.
(46:26):
It might be for some reason ahorse needs a shoe at that
moment, but that's, that's awhole nother podcast.
So it's just about being.
With what you've got at thatmoment, assessing the situation,
listening, and what's right nowtoday.
Don't stick at it and thinkthat's it.
(46:47):
Because it will change as wechange, as they physically
change, as we emotionallychange, they emotionally change
too.
It's an ongoing thing.
You never get it right.
oherwise it's always changingyou get glitches and you get
moments when it's like I justwant to put this in a box this
(47:07):
very, very moment, would it beas precious if it was exactly
the same the whole time?
Who knows?
Susan (47:15):
Oh, absolutely not.
Ronnie (47:18):
Does that answer your question?
Susan (47:20):
Yes, it does.
And it was, it was, it was whatI was feeling, but I don't know
why I necessarily needed to askit, but it was what I was
feeling.
So it was perfectly aligned withwhat I was feeling, which is
great.
I would love to add something towhat you were saying about the
horse is not expecting us to beperfect and rather is wanting us
to do what we can within ourmeans at the time.
Is it okay if I add something tothat?
(47:41):
I had this experience.
For the last few years.
Some horses in my herd.
who are metabolic.
My little pony painted dreams.
She foundered when I was young.
And so I need to be careful withthem.
And, I have been working onbuilding a paddock track system,
if you're familiar with that,for them.
And they love it.
(48:02):
I know that I'm sure they wouldprefer to be able to go out on
giant fields.
I don't have access to that forthem.
We have one pasture and it hasbeef cattle on it, and I don't
have access to, large fieldsthat I can monitor and make sure
that they're not gonna, overdoit or overeat or whatever.
Like, so, they have a paddocktrack system, and they love it,
(48:23):
but I constantly, for the pasttwo years since starting it,
have been beating myself upabout not having it perfect.
Like, there's still an area thatgets muddy when it rains, and I
would just love it would all befully, surfaced, and...
None of it would ever get muddy,and I'm not there yet.
And there was a time this springwhen I went out and it had rain,
(48:44):
so there was muddy areas, and Iwasn't staying after the poo
picking as well as I wanted tobe, and I was depressed about
it, and I was finding myselfgoing out to the barn and
getting, angsty about it, and itwasn't peaceful.
And this one day when this washappening, a few of the horses
came up to me and I felt themjust telling me, We would rather
you just be here with us, thantrying to make everything
(49:06):
perfect.
I just felt them telling methat, and I don't even remember
exactly like, how it was worded,because it was more of a
feeling, it was just like, Theyreally just wanted me to be
present there, and like theyaren't asking me to make it all
perfect, and I still have goalsfor my track system, I still
have goals for making my horses'lives better all the time,
because that's just what we doas horse people, if we're this
(49:29):
invested, like, it's never gonnastop.
I want it to be better.
All the time.
And more enrichment, and moreenjoyment for my horses.
And just more things for them tolive the best life they could
possibly live.
But, that was an eye-opener forme.
Cause my horses just reallystraight up came and asked me to
please, Stop freaking out that Iwasn't being perfect for them.
(49:51):
That's it.
That's communication, girl.
You've got it in one.
There you go.
So, you've answered your ownquestion.
Perfect.
So we've got a couple ofquestions.
Gail says, what was the mostsignificant breakthrough for
you?
That's Gail from Canada.
Hmm.
I'm not sure what it's inreference to.
(50:13):
I don't know if it was inreference to a certain thing we
were talking about in theconversation, or do you think
she means just in general, likeoverall?
Ronnie (50:19):
Just in general, but I think you probably did answer
that.
Yeah, I think you talked aboutthat.
Yeah,
Susan (50:25):
I think I did talk about that.
That's why I wanted to clarify.
Actually, I have a good answer.
I don't know if this is thesame, because I feel like there
was a few really bigbreakthroughs for me, but I know
one of the big ones was, thiswas after I had been performing
with Sundance.
We were traveling from,Pennsylvania to Kentucky to
Ohio, different places.
Performing and teaching andSundance said, I don't want to
(50:48):
do this and she was repeatedlyshowing me that this isn't what
she wanted to do and I know nowthat it was because I was just
fully immersed in performing andI was fully trying to be
something that we weren't, like,I was trying to make sure
(51:09):
everything was portrayedperfectly, choreography and our
performances had to be on pointand down to the second, and I
was being really specific withthings, and Sundance is very,
she will happily do what I ask.
But she has to know why and Ididn't even know why we were
doing it because I was justlistening to the constant go,
go, go and, and perform.
(51:30):
And so I think that was a hugebreakthrough for me was
realizing that, if I'm doingthis in a performance mindset or
a performance spirit, whichperformance.
In this context, I'm talkingabout either trying to make
things appear a certain way, orperforming something that's not
really there, like, it'sinauthentic, it's incongruent,
(51:50):
that's what I'm talking about inthis context with performance,
because I've gotten in troublein the past for bashing the word
performance a little bit, justlike in the horse industry, and
In people in general, talkingabout performance triggers
people a little bit becauseusually then the people who are
in the performance sides of thehorses get offended if you say
(52:11):
that performance is bad.
So I'm not talking aboutshowing, although there's things
I can say about showing that weall would love to see change,
but I think that was a big, bigbreakthrough for me was Of the
performance mindset andrealising that honestly like if
you go to a show like that andyou see somebody do a
performance, do like a Libertyfreestyle demonstration, any
(52:34):
kind of demonstration like that.
It feels a lot more authentic.
If it's not completely perfectbecause like, no performance
I've ever done has been perfectand I have more people coming up
to me after.
One's where, Sundance is outthere at Liberty and if she
leaves and then comes back, morepeople will come and comment on
that afterwards than if shedoesn't leave at all.
(52:57):
Because they'll be like, it wasreally cool how you brought her
back or it was really cool thatI heard you talk in your demo
this morning about how you wanther to have a choice and then I
saw in your performance tonightthat she ran off and then came
back and saw you give her thechoice.
So, more people connect with itbecause it's, it's real.
Thank you.
If you're not doing it out oflike a performance spirit.
Ronnie (53:19):
Yeah.
Being authentic, as you said,and Gail says, wonderful, thank
you.
We'll have one more question andthen I think we'll finish off.
Sam says, who's influencing you?
I think she means now.
You've obviously talked aboutLockie, I know you've done a
podcast with, but he's not outyet, is it?
Susan (53:36):
I feel like based on the timeline that I figured out just
because I was getting a littlebit anxious to know when it was
happening.
So I figured out how long fromrecording to release it was for
a lot of his podcasts.
And I think it should beliterally one of these next
weeks.
So I'm crossing my fingers forit.
But yes, Lockheed, it's beenhuge.
(53:58):
The things I've learned fromLockheed, even in the last
several months, he invited me tocome down to a clinic he did in
Maryland.
So it was in person.
He had me come down as his guestand he was just incredible.
And I learned so much from him.
So definitely Lockheed.
it feels like there's this longline of people who influenced me
throughout my life and myhorsemanship journey.
(54:18):
And it kind of led me to a placenow where I'm not necessarily
learning from just one person.
There's different people that Ipull threads of information and
education from and justinspiration and people that I
feel a connection to.
Thank you.
And then things start flowingand I learn things and a lot of
these people are on social mediaand they probably have no idea I
(54:41):
even exist and I just quietlywatch and learn.
So yeah, Lockie is a greatfollow.
If your listeners are lookingfor somebody just in general,
his business is emotionalhorsemanship and he embodies
that very well.
Ronnie (54:54):
Yeah, I came across Lockie from Warwick Schiller's,
podcast and listened to,although I haven't listened to
it for a while, I listen to it,quite frequently in the car
usually.
Susan (55:07):
Yeah, Warwick is amazing as well.
Ronnie (55:09):
Yes, there's lots of different people that are, at
things in a different way andWarwick is a good example
because he said he's completelydifferent horse person now to
what he used to do and how heused to train horses.
But, um, yeah Lockie was goingto be a guest, but I had to
cancel it for some reason, soI've just got to chase him up
and arrange another one.
(55:31):
Right, okay.
So Gail, could you name some ofthem?
Name
Susan (55:36):
some of the influences, probably that I've said have
been like in my life.
So the Liberty trainer that Isaw when I was 17, that was at
the Horse World Expo, his nameis Luke Gingrich, and I will
happily give him a shout out,because he's amazing at what he
does.
I would say our styles arepretty different now, and our
approach to horsemanship is alittle different now, but I
(55:57):
still really support what he'sdoing, because I see him making
a really big difference in thehorse industry, and, that was
like a gateway drug for me.
So I will never not beappreciative of that.
Even though, I learned a tonfrom him and now we're kind of
going slightly different ways.
I will always give honor to himfor that because that, that was
a huge piece of my journey.
(56:19):
And then Kaylee Marie is anotherone.
She's, from Rhode Island.
She is also into liberty work,her style is kind of
incorporating like classicaldressage and biomechanics and
that kind of thing into herliberty training, so a lot of
postural training and, quoteunquote correct movement and
she's has a big emphasis onthat.
(56:41):
Warwick has also been a huge, ahuge influence for me, and I
actually got to meet him at theHorse World Expo this year, so,
fun fact, Horse World Expo, whenI was 17, where I first met
Luke, and saw him perform withhis horse, do the liberty thing,
so, so, Six years later, wasthis past March, and I got to
(57:02):
perform with Sundance in thevery same big, expo night show
that I had seen him perform insix years before that.
And that was amazing.
It was like such a full circlemoment.
It was incredible.
And Warwick was there at theevent as a clinician, and just
by, like, crazy, god thing, wildhappenstance.
(57:26):
Warwick's booth was next tomine, in the trade show, and I
got to chat with Warwick, andhere's how we met, and this is
me being like, little Amishfangirl.
I walked into my booth one day,and he comes up to the barrier
between our two booths, and he'slike, Hi, I'm Warwick and he
introduced himself and he'slike, I saw your demo yesterday.
(57:47):
That was incredible.
We were doing like the positivereinforcement made simple demo
and Warwick was watching and Ihad no idea.
I'm really glad I didn't knowthat he saw it because I fangirl
over Warwick because you know,he's incredible.
And like you said, thedifference between, The horseman
he used to be and how he workswith horses now is kind of wild,
and I've learned a lot from him,so, and yeah, I would say those
(58:09):
are probably the four main ones,actually, Luke Gingrich, Hayley
Marie, Warwick Schiller, andLockie.
Ronnie (58:16):
Thank you, I hope that answers your question, Gayle,
I'm sure it has.
Well, Susan, it's been apleasure chatting with you.
But I do feel that we justscratched the surface and it
would be lovely to have you backagain now you see how it works
and maybe put some slides onSundance and your Shetland.
Susan (58:34):
So I have Dream, who is my tiny little, sorry, not my
tiniest one, Dream is myminiature Shetland, and then I
have a dwarf mini pony calledKoa.
Ronnie (58:43):
Oh yeah, yeah.
Susan (58:44):
And then I have Lyric, my quarter horse.
Ronnie (58:47):
We could do some slides and things, but would you like
to come back and have a chatagain sometime?
Susan (58:54):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I would love that.
Ronnie (58:56):
It's been lovely.
And I know you had a few littleglitches.
And the thing is, it'stechnology and you don't know
whether it's going to work ornot, but I'm glad it did so is
there anything you'd like to sayto the viewers, the listeners
before you go?
Any words of encouragement, thatyou'd like to add?
Susan (59:12):
I think, if I were to leave the listeners with
something, it would just be,listen to your horses.
Listen to yourself and maybemake an extra effort today to be
present.
Ronnie (59:25):
That's perfect, girl.
Perfect.
Thank you so much.
So I'm going to just pop youout, Susan, if you don't mind
just waiting so I can say byepersonally before you go.
Absolutely.
So say bye to the viewers.
Susan (59:38):
Bye guys.
Ronnie (59:41):
Lovely young woman, absolute pleasure.
And, oh my goodness, if I hadhalf the talent that she has in
my little finger that would beawesome.
Isn't it funny how you look topeople and they look at you in
one way and you look at them inanother.
lovely, lovely lady and I can'twait to chat to her again.
I will post links to herwebsite.
(01:00:04):
If you have any questions thatyou'd like to ask Susan
directly, then please do so, orI can pass them on for you.
I hope you've enjoyed thisconversation.
Thank you for the people thatjoined and your questions.
I shall be around again soonwith another podcast.
Until then thank you very much,take care and bye for now.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!