Welcome to Equine Leadership's 7th Edition.  May we present to you this year's 12 heart, mind and soul expanding articles.  This year the theme of Dissolving Barriers was shared with me from the horses very early on. Twelve authors have chosen to share their own and their horses' voices and wisdom with us all. Each author has found their own way to articulate how barriers are coming down and the horses are showing us all a brighter future.  I do hope you enjoy the articles and some very wise words from several young horse folks that so deeply understand the wisdom of the horses for each of us as individuals and for humanity as a whole. Welcome to another very exciting and evolutionary edition for Equine Leadership.   
From my heart to yours, Lynda and the EL Team

Editor's Note

Our vision at Equine Leadership has always rested in the belief that horses, living as close to nature as possible, can provide a model of living that is clear, authentic and heart-based.  It aims to broaden the scope of the Horse ~ Human relationship by sharing that model of living which can move us towards a more peaceful and positive world. A model that can assist humanity in creating a brighter future for all. Animal, nature, human, the planet ~ ALL.

Click here to read full Editor's Note

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Equine Leadership Feature Page

In the fall of 2021 I asked Eleni Argy, founder of Sheez Like The Wind Equine Experiences in Sydney, Australia, if her young clients would like to share the horses' wisdom with us.  The following are their answers to the question: What wisdom are the horses here to teach us?


Click here to enjoy the wisdom on our Feature Page

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AS NATURE INTENDED
Authentic companionship in life and death
By: Greta Matos

“But aren’t you afraid the pumas will eat him?”
Color rose to my cheeks as I felt a whisper of guilt rush in. I paused and took a breath. The guilt quickly burned away as my breath offered space for witnessing it as a projection, not actually what I felt within my bones, within my core, to be true.
 

Click here to read Greta's full article
                                                                                              
                                          

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SYNCHRONICITY
The Space Between Human and Horse
By: Fotini Chandrika  

"It is Divine timing that we are together, on this planet, here and now. Listen for the language of synchronicity and honor the Sacred in all that is.  It is in this way, we will never, ever be apart. This is the way of the Kindred Spirit. This is the way of the Soul Speak.”  Malachi, Fotini’s herd elder (32 yrs. young)




Click here to read Fotini's full article

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CONFIDENT VULNERABILITY:
A key to surviving and thriving
By:  Suzanne Carter

Horses reflect something humans have forgotten.  Horses know they need their herd in order to survive. We humans have this same need for belonging yet tend to focus on distractions that take us away from that connection. The way that horses live together reflects an almost magical dance of communication, connection and a willingness to be vulnerable.



Click here to read Suzanne's full article
 

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NON-LINEAR COMMUNICATION
Horses remind us of our innate way of being
By: Kerri Lake

Human society depends on spoken language. We are all taught and conditioned to use spoken language and organize our thinking so we can explain using words. But none of us started our lives with such a linear approach to understanding. Before words, even before emotions and intentions, we have many dimensions of feeling, awareness and knowing. 


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Click here to read Kerri's full article

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WHY SPEAK WHEN NO ONE LISTENS?
By: Nikki Kagan

Do I even matter?  Maybe you’ve experienced that hollow feeling in your gut—the one that appears when you’re sharing something truly meaningful, only to discover that the one you’re sharing it with is checking their phone messages—or is lost in their own thoughts, oblivious to your words.



Click here to read Nikki's full article
 

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The Healing Power of Being Seeing and Understood
By: Kim Hallin

​“The horses understand my desire to be among a community in sync and harmony with each other and the environment. They appreciate my openness and willingness to seek harmony with all. The first time I visited I received a beautiful gift from Puck of strength, stability, and wisdom. The horses are teaching me to have a new respect for distance. I’ve learned the importance of space and the quiet power of energy and intention. The horses gift me joy and universal awareness every time I visit.”  Reverend King


Click here to read Kim's full article

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CALMNESS, CONNECTION, COMPASSION
One Breath At A Time
By: Judy Brightman

Who doesn’t want more of the qualities above in these challenging times? With awareness and presence, at any given time, we can quiet our minds, connect with our body, our felt sensations, our breath and meet all with a compassionate heart. We can choose this, states Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor in her recent book, “Whole Brain Living, The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life” (Hay House, 2021). Being in nature helps, being in right relationship too. Horses, in my experience, can lead us directly down this path. Walk with me. 


Click here to read Judy's full article

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How Horses Help Veterans Heal
Blending Research and Anecdotal Accounts
By: Shellie Kwitkowski

Take a moment and think about the last time you spent with horses.  What did your senses feel?  Were you outside with the horses and enjoyed the sun on your face?  Did you feel the breeze on your skin, the smell of horses and grass? Take a deep breath and appreciate the peacefulness of the moment. Now, contrast that with the stress and horrors of combat faced by active-duty soldiers and the memories of veterans returning home.  Imagine the chaos, the stress and the physical and mental tension felt on a daily basis. 


Click here to read Shellie's full article ​

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INFERNO'S JOURNEY
The connection between Body, Breath and Behavior
​By: Allecia Maine

Some horse people, even good riders and trainers, often have a fear of horses. And in that fear, they limit their breathing which shuts down their body. This then limits the horse’s breathing and shuts down their body. Then both human and horse exhibit unnatural behavior.  One deep breath shared between both can create relaxation and promote a state of instant grace.



Click here to read Allecia's full article

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WITHOUT A WORD
Beliefs, boundaries and freedom from a horse’s perspective
By: Diana Gogan

Kimberly craved it so much she didn’t give a second thought to the precarious situation she’d put herself in. Her stomach was anxious and in knots as the horse moved around the stall. Yet, the warmth of the horse’s breath began to melt the formidable shell she’d built around her heart. Willing to risk the consequences in order to feel connected, accepted and seen, she lost herself in the experience. However, there was more going on than she was aware. 


​Click here to read Diana's full article​

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LESSONS FROM THE HERD
How To Re-connect, Re-kindle and Renew
By: Julia Felton

It’s a cold, frosty morning and the sun is just trying to emerge to bathe the horse’s field in a shard of brilliant light. I’m wrapped up to keep out the cold, complete with gloves and woolly hat. As I start to sit down in the horses’ field – a ritual I do most mornings to help me re-connect with them and myself – a sheet of paper blows across my path. I reach out to grab it and gently unfold it. I see it is a letter, so I sit down and read it.

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​Click here to read Julia's full article

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OMG
Connecting to the Horse’s Vantage Point
By: Lynda Watson

OMG! Louie Schwartzberg has a beautiful TedTalk on Gratitude. In it he breaks down the acronym OMG.  “Oh: something caught your attention, makes you present, makes you mindful.  My: connects with something deep inside your soul, creates a gateway for your inner voice to rise up and be heard. God: that personal journey we all want to be on, to feel inspired, to feel like we are connected to a universe that celebrates life”.  Horses live from that vantage point.

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Click here to read Lynda's full article

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