I will be holding a 2-part live book study beginning this month! The power of stories to build trust and communion and facilitate long-term behavioral changes is mind-blowing. I find it so rewarding to see a horse, donkey, or mule melt when I tell them a simple story.

To accommodate different time zones, I will have two separate groups. One group will meet on Thursday evenings at 6 pm Mountain Time on April 23, 2026 and June 4, 2026. The other group will meet on Saturday mornings at 9 am Mountain Time on April 25, 2026 and June 6, 2026. Whichever group you sign up for, the cost is $24.95 for the two sessions. In case you miss a live session they will be recorded so that you can watch them later.

In the Woven by Words book study, I will clarify some of the concepts in the book, offer guidelines for telling stories with your animals, and present several short videos to illustrate the power of a story.

If you have any questions about the book study, please email [email protected].

If you are interested in attending the two Thursday evening book studies, click on the button below:

If you are interested in attending the two Saturday morning book studies, click on the button below:

Lately, it seems that the battle between different horse handling and training methods has escalated, with proponents for a particular method making sure they degrade anyone who does not agree with their viewpoint. If you spend any time on social media, you quickly notice how passionate people are in presenting or defending their methods or viewpoints.

Some of the social media posts that the Facebook algorithm brings to my attention are contradictory to my beliefs and damaging to my soul. When such a post appears on my phone or computer, I often feel my heart rate soar and my internal vocabulary—and often my external voice—degrade into monosyllabic curse words. I may call a friend and voice my angst, but I do not go on social media and attack the person who wrote the post, or shame them for their beliefs.

Why?

From experience, I have found that any logical or compelling argument I may present in support of my position will not change the mind of someone with a different philosophical viewpoint. In fact, a challenge to a person’s core belief system will often cause them to take even more drastic steps to prove themselves correct. I can NEVER recall a time when I stated my opinion and someone with an alternative viewpoint said, “Oh, you’re so right. I’m going to change starting this very moment!”

I can recall many instances where my inner voice has shouted to me, “Put the keyboard down and take a breath. Don’t engage in a pointless debate.” This is good advice from my wiser self, but stepping away is hard, especially when I feel that what someone is doing is harmful to the horse.

As a psychologist, I understand that challenging someone’s core beliefs is usually a futile endeavor. If a person’s belief is threatened, they may energetically slam the door on you and engage the deadbolt. You will be lucky if they do not also arm themselves for battle! When challenged, many people become an even more stalwart defender of their position.

What is my answer?

I have decided not to publicly debate the merits of one ideology over another. I will tell people what I do, and they will determine if my approach fits their horsemanship and relational goals. Some people will come along with me, others will not, but it is not my job to convince anyone that my way is better. In fact, all I really know is that what I do works for me, and for how I want to interact with horses.

To some, my stance may appear passive. However, I believe that when you stand firm in your position and remain in control of your emotions, while at the same time being open to new ideas, you display a level of strength many people do not possess. It is easy to let your thoughts and emotions dictate your behaviors, and then resort to force or intimidation to get your point across. I want to recognize when my natural knee-jerk human reaction might lead to more conflict—whether with a person or a horse—and choose a more evolved, informed, empathetic, and logical response.

Humanity seems to be splitting. One group of humans is holding onto their old ways of doing things with the ferocity of a lion. I am choosing to run in the other direction with the speed of a gazelle. Not running from the lion, but running quickly toward a new way of being . . .

In this month’s newsletter, I talk about a situation that happened to me while teaching at a Gathering. I would call this a clarity story rather than a success story. Scroll past the Events section to locate the story I named, “What’s the Goal?”

Some questions to ponder for the April Zoom discussion are:

Join me for the next free subscriber Zoom meeting on April 18, 2026, at 9 a.m. Mountain Time (8:00 am Pacific/10:00 am Central/11:00 am Eastern) to continue this discussion. 

Click on the button to register for the April 18, 2026 Zoom meeting:

If you missed the March 2026 Energetic Equestrian Zoom Discussion, or would like to listen again, here is the link:

If you’re new and would like to read The Energetic Equestrian Digest, which contains several longer, more in-depth articles, here is the link:

A small but mighty book, Woven by Words: The Science and Spirit of Storytelling for Healing and Communion with Horses, is a transformative guide for equestrians seeking deeper, more meaningful connections with horses.Through the art of storytelling and energetic communication, Dr. Fay reveals how stories can inspire hope, foster healing, and create lasting change—not just for people, but for the animals who share our lives. Drawing on decades of hands-on experience, she shares real-life examples that illuminate the profound impact of narrative on training, relationships, healing, and personal growth.

As the first volume in the Energetic Equestrian Book Series, Woven by Words invites readers to explore the world of energetic horsemanship from both scientific and spiritual perspectives. Dr. Fay introduces The DHEEP Way™ (Dual Human-Equine Energy Psychology™), an ever-evolving, multidisciplinary approach to enhancing communication, connection, and performance in both humans and equines. This holistic philosophy offers practical insights and transformative strategies for building stronger bonds with horses—and ourselves.

Whether you’re an equestrian, a trainer, or simply someone who believes in the power of storytelling, Woven by Words provides inspiration and actionable guidance for anyone seeking to enrich their relationship with horses.

(More to be announced when dates/locations are confirmed.)

Contact Lonnie O’Baugh: [email protected]

Contact Barbara Dove: [email protected]

Contact Kathryn Moran: [email protected]

Contact Tara Schnicke: [email protected]

Contact Deanna Sinclair Parker: [email protected]

Contact Liz Juenke: [email protected]

Contact Cindy Togstad:  [email protected]​

Contact Patty Roll: [email protected]

Contact Rosca Horsemanship: [email protected] 

At one of my Gatherings almost a decade ago, Carol entered the round pen with a 22-year-old gelding named Pistol. He was anxious, pulling on the lead and trying to yank Carol off her feet. Essentially, he was doing his best to take her where he wanted to go, which was not the round pen!

Pistol had been a high-level competitive show horse, but due to ongoing health issues, was no longer able to continue his career. Because the previous owner could not keep him sound, they decided to retire him. Carol wanted a companion horse for her gelding, so it seemed like a perfect match. Unfortunately, Pistol’s behavior had become so disruptive and dangerous, both to her and to her other horse, that Carol had considered finding another home for Pistol.

With Carol’s permission, I took the lead rope and began helping Pistol discover what it would feel like to be calm. I was modeling the energy of safety and comfort, letting Pistol discover that there might be an alternative to anxiety. Based on his background, I reasoned that he was probably addicted to adrenaline, so convincing him that “calm” might feel good was going to take some time. I had discovered that horses like Pistol will resist—and sometimes even escalate the intensity of their behavior while they search for an answer. So, I just kept myself in a safe position, did my slow, elliptical breathing, and maintained a feeling of softness, relaxation, and safety in my mind and body.

Not more than a few minutes into the session, a woman barged into the round pen and grabbed the lead rope from me. She screamed at me, “I can’t watch this any longer. Can’t you see he is getting worse?” She then proceeded to do her special physical technique to Pistol, and after a few minutes proudly announced to the group, “Look, I fixed him! Now his feet aren’t moving and he is still.” I was mortified, and still in shock that someone would do such a thing.

When I came out of my freeze state and regained my composure, I calmly said to her, “Can’t you see he is not okay on the inside? He’s now in a dissociative state, and essentially frozen in place.” She responded to me with a blank stare, stating that she had no idea what I was talking about. The situation quickly escalated into a heated debate between the two of us, which made everyone present extremely uncomfortable.

Knowing I needed to break the tension, I said, “There is no point to continuing this debate. It’s clear that our goals are radically different, and therefore, so are the techniques we use.” My goal was to get Pistol to a place where he felt okay on the inside. I knew that I would achieve my goal, but it would look a bit unconventional and take some time. I wanted Pistol to find inner peace—on his own—so that he could learn to regulate himself. I knew that my methods would lead to that goal.

I then pointed out that she had achieved her goal, which was to make Pistol stop moving. She wanted him to stop so that she could feel better on the inside. She was either not interested in helping him resolve his anxiety, or unaware that he had turned his anxiety inward and dissociated. Because she had not addressed the underlying problem—Pistol’s anxiety—she would have to repeat that exercise every time she worked with him. In other words, he learned nothing.

On many levels, this experience was a good lesson for me. I no longer get into debates with people who have horse-related goals that are radically different than my own. I also now employ a bouncer at my Gatherings! Not really, but I do make sure people who participate are familiar with my work.

My advice to equestrians is to make sure that the clinician, trainer, or horsemanship method you follow aligns with your end goals. Sometimes the means do not lead to the desired end. You may, instead, end up with a horse that is emotionally and psychologically damaged.

I have been an enthusiastic consumer of information for most of my life, with far-ranging interests including horses, the environment, psychology, energy, the brain, and consciousness. While pursuing these interests, I earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Environmental Science, and a Ph.D. in Psychology.

I also have certifications in a number of energy and mental training modalities and techniques. I consider myself quite fluent in the language of energy!

In my former life, I raised Morgan horses and Scottish Highland Cattle on my ranch in western Colorado. I showed many of my horses, achieving local, national, and world championships in various performance-related disciplines.

While working on my Ph.D., I studied the role of early childhood trauma on mental, emotional, and physical health outcomes. My understanding of the effects of trauma is vital to my work with equines. The devastating impact of trauma on our equines is far too common, but also highly preventable if we follow science-based and energetically-aware training methods, such as the ones I teach in my Sacred Spaces work.

Virtual Zoom Session

A private Zoom session is a great opportunity for you and your equine partner to experience the Sacred Space. In a Zoom session, I offer:

The potency of energy is not affected by distance. Many clients comment that the energetic effects are just as strong during a virtual session as during an in-person one.

Sacred Spaces Gathering

Go to the Events page of The Energetic Equestrian to see where I’ll be appearing in-person in the coming months.

Gatherings offer both people and equines an opportunity to experience Sacred Spaces principles and techniques in a safe and supportive environment.

At a Gathering, you’ll learn more about energy, energetic horse training, and how to commune with your equine partner.

Do you have a success story you’d like to share in an upcoming newsletter? Tell us how you’ve successfully used Dr. Fay’s teachings to improve your relationship with your equine(s).

Email your submissions to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

Did a friend forward you this newsletter? Click the link below to subscribe!

Consider joining the Sacred Spaces/Sacred Wisdom Facebook community where we share heartwarming stories, struggles, and victories on our path to becoming our horse’s “once in a lifetime human.”

© 2026 Susan D. Fay Ph.D., LLC. All rights reserved.