I started my adult horse journey a year and a half ago. My father bought my then 3 year old daughter a 3 year old colt that was greener than grass. As a child myself I had a love of horses and big dreams of my very own horse ranch when “I grew up.”

Being that my daughter was only three, I knew for the most part I would be the one to handle and ride this horse we named Spirit. Well, I found out quickly he was handling me. I became pretty nervous and intimidated by Spirit, to the point I wouldn’t even go into the field to pet him (I would do it over the fence) and forget even trying to catch him.

I knew this wasn’t the way things were supposed to be, so I went on a search for some help. I was actually just looking for some riding lessons to get me used to being around horses again and to build my confidence. But, flipping through the phone book I came across a small ad for “Hope Ranch.” Something about the name really hit home with me so I made the call.

And, as they say, the rest is history. Susan and I hit it off pretty quickly. We both had the same idea about the way a horse/human relationship should be. She had the knowledge and experience, and I had the desire to learn so we set off on this journey, teacher and student. She trained with Spirit for two months and I went out twice a week during that time to learn about horse-man-ship. Susan has taught me that a horse/human relationship is not about dominance or fear. It’s about an understanding and respect for the horse, and communicating with them on a level and in a manner they understand.

We are now a year plus down the road. To this day Susan is my trusted friend and mentor. The capacity for love and respect that she has for the horse is unbelievable. Her willingness to share her experience and knowledge with anyone with a desire to learn is limitless. We now have eight horses and a donkey! They all need work in one form or another, as do I. It’s not always easy and you have to look within yourself for a lot of answers, yet I continually strive to achieve a higher level of horsemanship, and Susan is with me every step of the way. She has led me on a path to a more respectful and trusting partnership with our horses that we all will enjoy for years to come. I’ll be forever grateful to Susan and Hope Ranch.

Linda Martin
Fountain, Florida