We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angela a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My journey with horses began as a little girl whose father owned thoroughbred racehorses. I was obsessed with horses the moment I first laid eyes on one. I was extremely fortunate to begin taking riding lessons when I was seven and from that point I was completely hooked. I always assumed I’d be a jockey because I was small enough and I had a direct connection into industry. But as I grew up, I noticed that there were a lot of aspects of the racing industry that I didn’t agree with. And I eventually arrived at a place where I could no longer even go to the racetrack, let alone participate to the mistreatment of those horses as a jockey.

But my dream of working professionally with horses was always in the back of my mind. I took time away from the industry for work, travel and post-secondary studies. Upon graduating from journalism school, I was offered a position running a small newspaper on Nova Scotia’s north shore. I immediately jumped at the opportunity, packed my things and my cats into my little car and drove east.

Soon after I arrived, horses were brought back into my life. I began riding at a local lesson barn and very quickly decided it was time for a horse of my own. Spoiler alert: I ended up buying not one, but two horses within two months. I’m a jump straight into the deep end kinda gal.

But my time on east coast was just a drop in the bucket as life had plans to take me west to Alberta. Except now I had not only two cats but also two dogs, and of course, two horses. I had no idea at the time that this move was going to be the turning point in my life with horses. When I arrived in Alberta, my new trainer had the unfortunate job of informing me that my horses were not the pictures of health I thought them to be. She opened my eyes to what proper musculoskeletal and hoof development should look like. She showed me that my saddles didn’t fit and the effects they were having on my horses and my ability to ride. She taught me about nutrition and how to feed for each horse’s breed and workload.

And while I was grateful to be learning so much with my new trainer, I was left completely broken-hearted over the condition of my horses. Not just because I loved them so deeply and wanted to give them the best care I possibly could, but because I felt betrayed by the person I had entrusted their care and my education to. I realized that I had clearly been taken advantage of and also that my previous trainer was not the expert she claimed to be.

Those lessons changed the course of my life in more ways than I can count. When we moved to Ontario, I knew exactly what I was looking for in a trainer and in the facility. My horses and I thrived there. I worked tirelessly to improve my riding skills and added three more horses to my herd. I began working at the farm doing horse care and management as well as teaching beginner riding lessons. I saw the path to becoming a full-time equine professional and I was more determined than ever.

And then, one of my horses sustained a pelvis injury. Her healing journey required multiple visits from bodyworkers of various modalities. I knew she was going to need consistent support as we continued to rehab and I decided to learn how to provide her with some of it myself.

I initially studied equine massage but quickly realized that my own body wasn’t going to be able to hold up to the physical demands of the work on top of caring for the horses at the training barn, my home herd and riding multiple horses a day. And then, as if my magic, I became aware of a bodywork modality called Equi-Bow. I was immediately intrigued and booked a practitioner to work with my injured mare. Between witnessing the light-touch technique and the incredible results, I was hooked and jumped right into the professional certification program.

It wasn’t long before I not only had a full bodywork practice, but had also become a certified instructor of the modality. My dream of becoming an equine professional had come true and I felt so filled with purpose being able to channel passion for supporting horses as well as educating and empowering owners into my business, Equine Elevation.

By this time I had moved into a new barn with a trainer who truly believed in my vision and potential as a rider and trainer. I was determined to help horses have better lives by advocating for a whole horse approach to care and training. I understood the importance of including all aspects of a horse’s well-being in order for them to live happy, healthy lives as well as optimize their performance potential and maintain longterm soundness. So many ridden horses are broken down before the age of 10 and I wanted to do my part to shift that from being the norm.

However, this mission wasn’t as easily executed as I thought it would be. I naively assumed that every horse owner, rider and trainer would want to do better by their horses if they had the knowledge and tools to do so. But this was not the case. And while I had some beautiful clients who were 100% dedicated to their horses, I had many other clients who just wanted me to “fix” the horse’s problem so they could get back to competing. My heart began to break as I saw horses constantly being forced to do things their bodies weren’t physically capable of doing in tack that constricted them and exacerbated the issue. And after years of practicing. I began to feel sick every time I walked into a barn and watched horse after horse walk by with clear signs that their bodies were breaking down. if not already broken.

So when the pandemic shut the world down, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was given a permission slip to take a full pause and figure out how I was going to reconcile my heart’s mission with my body’s messages that something needed to change. Since barns were closed to the public, I moved all my horses home and we took a much-needed collective rest. I had been training for the upcoming show season and this was the first time in years I wasn’t riding multiple horses on the daily. It was very strange for me and I remember standing in the field crying, feeling a loss of identity and wondering when I would be able to get back into training. But at the same time, I absolutely loved just hanging out with my horses doing nothing but being in each other’s presence. It was such a peaceful time.

It was at this time I began working with a business coach for the first time. I was drawn to Hillary Schneider because she had a massive herd of horses, most of whom she had given a soft landing after they could no longer perform as riding horses. I sought her support in shifting how I was holding my work so that I could still make a positive impact on the horse industry without becoming sick in the process. Hillary also did work she called horse medicine. I had no idea what that was and held a healthy dose of skepticism around it. I had many bodywork clients who were used in various equine-assisted therapy programs and, based on the state I found those horses in, I was completely uninterested in that work. In my opinion, those horses were used as tools in the same ways as riding horses. But I had a lot of respect for Hillary and I was admittedly curious about how she went about the work.

When travel restrictions lifted, I went out to her retreat centre for a private training. I was still skeptical but I felt something inside me was being drawn to experience it for myself. That week changed my entire life. I didn’t know what a sovereign horse was until I stepped out into that herd and witnessed the magic that is horse medicine. It was completely blown away by the willingness and desire these horses had to support me in my personal and spiritual development. I only knew how to be the one supporting horses, so to be asked to step into such a place of vulnerability was hard for me. But the ways the horses so skillfully knew exactly what I needed was something I would have never believed if I hadn’t experienced firsthand. The things that happened during that retreat still bring me tears. It was the most powerful experience of my life.

Fast forward three years and I am now not only practicing horse medicine with my herd, I am also a faculty member with the Horse Medicine Leadership Academy where we train those who want to become facilitators of this potent work.

The evolution of my relationships and work with horses has been so vast I almost feel like it couldn’t have all happened in a single lifetime. Horses not only opened the doors for my personal and spiritual development journey, they also put me on the accelerated program. I have grown so much because of horses in ways I can’t even fully express. And now my primary role is as a teacher of this work and a mentor to those who feel called to embark upon their own personal and spiritual development journey and explore what it means to be in true partnership with horses as the wise, sentient and sovereign beings they are.

My herd and I love to work with equestrians who are interested in a consent-based partnership with horses, whether they are owners or professionals. We have walked that journey and know the challenges of reconciling what often feels like two different worlds. It is a heartbreaking loss when these compassionate souls choose to leave the industry because they feel like they can’t find a way forward without harming the horses they love so deeply. Horses need more advocates to support the creation of more humane practices within the industry and dedicated owners need support in feeling empowered to speak on behalf of their horse’s best interests.

We also love to work with spiritual seekers who feel drawn to the magic of horses. They are incredible teachers of intuition, energy work and the subtle body. We bring our unique blend of horse medicine, active energy work, higher consciousness teachings and cosmic blueprint systems such as astrology, Human Design and Gene Keys to these spaces to support our clients’ personal and spiritual development. Basically, we are all about conscious evolution through practical spirituality and we have a blast doing it!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I have pivoted countless times in my business, career and life. But I would say the most significant pivot in my business was when I had to decide between continuing down the path as a bodyworker, rider and trainer or stepping into the unknown that was horse medicine.

I remember standing at a literal crossroads.

Down the one path was my childhood dream of working as a professional rider. I had a beautiful facility to work out of with almost complete freedom, which is quite rare in the horse world unless you own your farm. I had the full support of an extremely talented trainer who was well-connected and a team that was willing to execute my vision. I also had the client base waiting for me to say yes to this dream. And yet, I also had a knot in my stomach and an intuitive knowing that something wasn’t quite right.

Down the other path was the complete unknown. No vision. No mission. No clarity on any aspect of how this work would manifest. And yet, I had an intuitive knowing that this was the path I needed to walk. That there was a significance to taking a leap of faith. Of trusting myself. Of trusting my horses. Of believing I could navigate the unknown. And of knowing that if I was brave enough to take that first step, I would experience something wilder than my dreams.

Leaving my bodywork practice and the known path was definitely difficult, but I trusted my intuition and believed that if I followed this nudge the universe would conspire to align me with the resources and connections I needed to bring my new vision into clarity.

I am thankful every day I made that pivot. I know I could have been extremely successful if I had continued down the path I was walking in the conventional horse world. But I know in my heart I came here for something different. And the feeling of fulfillment working with each student I have taught or client I have supported along their own personal journey is an experience truly beyond measure. Because I can see and feel the ripple effect of that work as my students and clients step more fully into who they are and the roles they are here to fulfill.

I now have the great privilege of working with others who have a deep desire to create positive change in the world and supporting them in bringing their gifts and visions to life is more rewarding than I could have imagined.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think my willingness to be honest and vulnerable in how I share about my own journey with horses has been the key to building a reputation within my industry. I am not afraid to share my challenges and failures and I know this is one of the ways my students and clients feel a connection with me. They hear me share my stories about things they have also experienced and it helps them to know they are not alone.

I have made many, many mistakes in my life with horses and there were times when I didn’t know how to deal with the guilt and shame I felt for having caused them harm. So many of my students and clients have experienced this as well, and there is often a point where they become so afraid of causing harm again that they can’t make any decisions about their horses at all. I know this journey intimately and sharing how I’ve moved through my own fears, challenges, guilt and shame helps them to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. And most of all, I hope it helps them to know their horses can and will forgive them.

There are times in our lives where we find ourselves in a deep journey of personal growth and it can feel like there is no way out, that the darkness will never end or that life is just hard. But I believe everything we experience happens for us and that there is always something to learn that will have a positive impact on our lives. And this is why I am so willing to share openly and honestly with my community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.equineelevation.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equineelevation/
• Other: Sovereign Horse Podcast https://sovereignhorse.podbean.com

Image Credits
Hillary Schneider