Equine Therapy: Horses as Our Healing Partners
Meet Susanne Neff — Horse Whisperer, Healer, Visionary.
In this powerful conversation, Susanne shares her story and the extraordinary initiative she’s currently founding for the Protection and Rehabilitation of Animals, Humans, and Nature. 🐎🌿🧡
From her deep bond with horses to her heart-led approach to healing, Susanne’s journey is one of courage, compassion, and wild devotion to the natural world.
This one’s for the sensitive souls, the way-showers, and those who know the wisdom of nature runs deep.
✨ Books mentioned by Susanne:
📚 My “bible” for horse whisperers: https://amzn.to/37goKRt
📚 Emergency guide for horses: https://amzn.to/3OdzqAG
📚 Spiritual pot of gold: https://amzn.to/3yYXRgi
📚 Emergency Primer — English: https://amzn.to/3Fuo61d
📚 Emergency Primer — Spanish: https://amzn.to/3vkhNH0
📚 Emergency Primer — French: https://amzn.to/3EiQ9OL
✨ To work with Susanne directly:
Find her here: YouTube Channel / CoachingForYouSusanneNeff
🧡 With so much love and gratitude to Susanne for all she is and all she offers to the world.
📸 Stunning horse & nature photography by Jasmin Ziegler
Aline 💚
#InspirationalWomen #SelfEmpowerment #HorseWhisperer #HealingWithNature #HealingAnimals #HealingHumanity #NaturalHorsemanship #AnimalHealing #SensitiveSouls #WisdomKeepers #SacredConnection #NatureIsMedicine
Transcript
Hello, gorgeous.
Speaker A:And a warm welcome to accepting.
Speaker A:In this episode, we are honoring previous guests who took their time and energy to really kindly share with us their wisdom.
Speaker A:And it was a couple of years ago when I first started the podcast and their episodes were not shared properly to the world on the platforms.
Speaker A:So I've been really feeling it's time to share them properly.
Speaker A:So for cancer season, all the way through July and then into my birthday month, which is August, I'm going to be sharing the beautiful episodes I have with wonderful guests that came on and shared their gorgeous wisdom.
Speaker A:So get yourself comfy, get a cozy drink, and let's dive in.
Speaker A:Hello, and a warm welcome to Align with Eileen podcast.
Speaker A:This week we are sharing the space with the wonderful Suzanne Neff.
Speaker A:She has so generously come on to talk with us about her experience with equine therapy and the beautiful new project that she is currently working on.
Speaker A:And it's incredible.
Speaker A:Suzanne has been working with horses for over 20 years now.
Speaker A:We're working with horses and people.
Speaker A:She's worked for the Pirelli Academy, and now she is offering workshops online in German for German listeners and is involved in a very, very beautiful project.
Speaker A:And she's come on today to talk about how she first found her affinity with horses, tell us her story and explain to us all about the project and give us some tips in how we can become closer with nature and work with nature for healing.
Speaker A:So a huge welcome, Suzanne.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for being here.
Speaker B:Thank you for having me.
Speaker B:Oh, it's my pleasure.
Speaker A:So, as I, I mentioned, you've been working with horses for, for over 20 years now, and you've come on to share with us.
Speaker A:So how did you first realize that you had such an affinity with and a sensitivity working with horses?
Speaker B:Well, my grandfather, he used to work with horses and he was my big role model, I have to say, logging with horses.
Speaker B:And so he pulled wood out of the forest with the draft horses and brought them to the.
Speaker B:Brought the trees to the middle with the horses.
Speaker B:So he worked all his life with horses.
Speaker B:And I always wanted to get closer to my grandfather.
Speaker B:So this was my way of approaching my grandfather because I, I could always find him in the stables with the horses.
Speaker B:So I just snuck in and cleaned the stables and whatever to get his attention, basically.
Speaker B:And then he would show me how to brush them and took me on the carriage ride or whatever.
Speaker B:And this is how it all started, really.
Speaker A:So how old were you when you were creeping into the stables and learning how to groom and being with, with your grandfather?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:I have pictures from me sitting on a horse from when I was really little, and they would.
Speaker B:Were just holding me, and I. I can just remember that I was always surrounded by horses because they were always at our place.
Speaker B:And so I don't know, I must have been.
Speaker B:I. I started vaulting when I was 6, 5 or 6.
Speaker B:And then I was always around horses and in the stable and try to feed the horses to please my grandfather and knock out the stables to just get his attention.
Speaker B:And that was.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Oh, wonderful.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So did he have a real sensitivity with horses as well?
Speaker B:He was very known, yeah.
Speaker B:Because he also was selected to choose the best horses for the Second World War for the generals, because they.
Speaker B:When they recruited all the horses, they had to find out which ones were the best ones.
Speaker B:So he was chosen to.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Really say, okay, this horse is worthy to have for a general, and this horse just for work or whatever.
Speaker B:So he chose the horses, and then he was also responsible for the horses in Russia, when they went to Russia.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:So he.
Speaker A:His affinity then obviously passed down to you, the just knowing horses.
Speaker A:So that's incredible.
Speaker A:So how so.
Speaker A:So you were.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So you were a lot younger and you were with your grandfather.
Speaker A:So then how did it develop you?
Speaker A:You.
Speaker A:You worked with your grandfather for many, many years.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:What happened was that when I was 18, it was about choosing my profession, and I was like, okay, I really want to work with horses.
Speaker B:But everyone around me tells me, oh, you can't make money with horses.
Speaker B:Like, if you just ask for €20 an hour, how will you ever make a living?
Speaker B:And so I thought, maybe it's not such a good idea.
Speaker B:And then I was at a personal development or coaching class, and they said, everything is possible.
Speaker B:What you want for yourself in your life at 18.
Speaker A:Amazing.
Speaker A:Amazing.
Speaker B:So it was in Frankfurt, sitting in this class, and I was thinking, if I can do.
Speaker B:Oh, God, that makes me emotional.
Speaker B:If I can do anything I want in this life, then I really want to work.
Speaker B:Resources.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And thank you for sharing that, and I'm so glad you did, because can you imagine if you listened to what everybody else was saying to you?
Speaker A:You want to take a moment?
Speaker B:It's okay.
Speaker B:It's just.
Speaker A:It's beautiful.
Speaker A:But I mean, that is how much love you have for horses.
Speaker A:You just know why you're here.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:That's incredible.
Speaker A:Wonderful.
Speaker A:And, yeah, I'm welling up as well.
Speaker A:Okay, I'll just have a little sip of water and then we can continue.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Okay, so this neat latchy leads on really nicely to what I wanted to talk to you about, how horses are teachers, because you obviously had this huge infinity.
Speaker A:You absolutely knew.
Speaker A:And would you say that from.
Speaker A:From a young age when you were working with your grandfather and obviously he was teaching you and training you, did you really feel that when you were making that decision, it was the horses were helping you make that decision as well when you were 18?
Speaker B:Definitely.
Speaker B:There was no question about it because my teachers, all my life, they taught me more than my parents and I.
Speaker B:They were like a replacement for my parents in a way.
Speaker B:And yeah, you can just learn so much from horses about, like the hurt rules or the hurt hierarchy.
Speaker B:Like, they don't fight to show their love, they just are.
Speaker B:And you have to like, really apply.
Speaker B:You have to have trust with them, but also equal amount of respect.
Speaker B:So you.
Speaker B:He teaches you or the horses teaches you all about life, basically.
Speaker B:Because it's the same if you have children.
Speaker B:You have to have respect and also trust.
Speaker B:And it's the same with dogs or with other people.
Speaker B:You have to have this relationship and a language, a common language and leadership.
Speaker B:And yeah, you learn all this when you work with horses.
Speaker A:And would you say they're like a mirror as well?
Speaker B:Definitely, yeah.
Speaker B:Definitely, yeah.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So you were 18.
Speaker A:I want.
Speaker A:I'd like to.
Speaker A:I don't want to.
Speaker A:I don't want to delve too much into it, but when you were 18.
Speaker A:So in the self development class, you know, I'm doing this.
Speaker A:Then what happened?
Speaker B:Well, I just started.
Speaker B:I was very clear that I didn't want to be someone who was doing something what everybody else does in Germany.
Speaker B:So I didn't want to go the usual German approach of learning to ride and learning to deal with horses.
Speaker B:I wanted to go to the best horse people around the world.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:So that if I would come back, that I would have a unique approach so that everybody would search me out because I could do something that no one else could.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So that's why I went to Pedparelli or first I did all the classes around Europe that were available.
Speaker B:And then I. I went to the Pirelli University or Academy or whatever, and I spent there many years.
Speaker B:And so every winter, most of the time in Colorado or Florida.
Speaker B:And yeah, and then I was a parallel instructor in horse development specialist for many years.
Speaker B:So my specialty were difficult horses.
Speaker A:And I imagine you actually taught the Pirelli Academy a thing or two yourself.
Speaker B:I don't know about that because always people have to, like, really also Take it in or.
Speaker A:Yeah, well, we're all teachers and we're all students, aren't we?
Speaker A:There's learning everywhere, there's classes everywhere.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Yeah, brilliant.
Speaker A:So, so from, from Pirelli then you were, you were going around the world and giving workshops and that was, that was with the academy or that was separate from the academy.
Speaker B:It's always that you are self employed, you are just an instructor and you pay a license fee.
Speaker B:And then my collaboration or collaboration.
Speaker A:Your collaboration.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B: And then: Speaker B:And then I was just at the point where I thought I want to incorporate more.
Speaker B:Like I want to learn from different people.
Speaker B:And so that's why I went to see Linda Kuanoff in Arizona and then I went to see Carolyn Resnick and she lives in California, close to San Diego.
Speaker B:And I also went to Walter Set in Canada or I went to Switzerland to Frederick Knee Senior or Junior.
Speaker B:Junior.
Speaker B:Junior.
Speaker B:And yeah, so I worked with a lot of different horsemen that were really.
Speaker A:Famous, really well known.
Speaker B:Yeah, they all had a different approach.
Speaker B:I also went to see Linda Jones in Hawaii.
Speaker B:And so yeah, because I just wanted to have a more well rounded perspective and not just a singular proto, narrow minded approach.
Speaker B:And yeah, that's always been my thing to have like different aspect and aspect.
Speaker A:To be like a sponge and take it all in.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Instead of just having my view limited or.
Speaker A:I think that's a great way to live actually is a great philosophy.
Speaker A:Is it is respect everybody's way of doing things because we're all completely different, aren't we?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Brilliant.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker A:So I'd like to talk to a little bit now.
Speaker A:I mean obviously you continue the work with the horses.
Speaker A:I mentioned that you're offering workshops for.
Speaker A:Well, for German speakers and you will soon offer workshops for English speakers as well.
Speaker A:But at the moment your main project is.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:I'd really like to hear about it if, if we may.
Speaker A:So the main project is the protection and rehabilitation for animals and humans and nature.
Speaker A:So could you talk to us a little bit about.
Speaker A:I mean obviously it says exactly what it is, but could you talk to us a little bit about how that came about, who's involved, what are your goals, what it's all about, please?
Speaker B:Yeah, so it's an association I'm currently founding with two other people.
Speaker B:The goal is to have really ranches worldwide where we would like take on animals that were hurt that need our protection and also rehabilitate them in Combination with traumatized humans so that people can come that have experienced trauma like PTSD or anxiety and we have traumatized animals and they both can heal.
Speaker B:So it's like a win win situation.
Speaker B:And I also want these ranches to work in a permaculture way so that we would also like grow our own fruits or vegetables or whatever on this land so that we are completely self sufficient.
Speaker B:If you.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:For those of us.
Speaker A:So those listeners who don't know exactly what permaculture is, could you explain it a little bit more please?
Speaker B:So this.
Speaker B:I'm not the expert about permaculture obviously my mother is because she has a huge garden.
Speaker B:Have been for over 20 years.
Speaker B:And yeah, so she's the expert and I, I always learn from her.
Speaker B:But for me it's really the question is how we can.
Speaker B:For example, if there have been pesticides on the land or whatever or heavy metal poisoning or whatever or radiations through.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So then I just try with the help of minerals to remineralize the earth that the effect of this poisoning of the earth is reduced or like reversed.
Speaker B:That's my goal.
Speaker A:So it's rebalancing the earth basically.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:I mean that's just putting it in a very short sentence, but that, that's the way you describe it.
Speaker A:That, that's how I felt.
Speaker A:So it's just rebalancing but in a very gentle and natural way.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker B:And that's something that always fascinates me.
Speaker B:Like if you see pictures of like pieces of earth where it's like completely deserted and it looks 20 years later, it looks like a paradise or like an oasis or amazing.
Speaker B:Completely.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Rejuvenated.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because all the chemicals have gone.
Speaker A:It's just natural.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:And that's something that personally fascinates me.
Speaker B:And also because I've also experienced trauma and of have always been looking how to overcome it.
Speaker B:I also want this for other people to heal from past trauma.
Speaker B:And yeah, people and animals alike experience trauma and so they can also heal themselves by helping each other.
Speaker A:Beautiful.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:Now that, that, that's incredible.
Speaker A:It's a, a really, really sorry.
Speaker A:I'm getting messages for you.
Speaker A:So I'm just trying to come back.
Speaker A:That' Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker A:Okay, I will have a message for you afterwards.
Speaker A:I'm still trying to continue the conversation.
Speaker A:Okay, I'll say the message afterwards.
Speaker A:So it's so beautiful what you're doing and you mentioned about the.
Speaker A:So you're encouraging people who've experienced ptsd and they've experienced trauma.
Speaker A:So did you experience that in your training?
Speaker A:You worked with people with who.
Speaker A:With the.
Speaker A:Because I've heard before where.
Speaker A:With horses being the mirrors and I've heard how, how healing horses are in equine therapy.
Speaker A:Could you talk a little bit about.
Speaker A:About that side of things and, and then we will, we'll come back to talk about the, the project that you're working on.
Speaker B:Yeah, definitely.
Speaker B:So for me, like the difference if I would go to a shrink or if I would do psychotherapy is that with horses, because they are communicating non verbally, they access the subconscious way more directly than if we would go to a shrink and would just talk about it.
Speaker B:Because sometimes we all had the experiences that just talking about it doesn't fix it or doesn't heal it.
Speaker B:Because some talk about it for 40 years and it just brings it back up again.
Speaker B:And I tried this approach like after I finished my cooperation with Pirelli and I was at a ranch to try it out and I just did some drawing beforehand about my new vision.
Speaker B:And then I just sat down in the pasture and there were just three horses coming to me.
Speaker B:And I was sitting there and they were just breathing my hair and it touched me and I was just.
Speaker B:There were just tears running down my face and they didn't even have to say a word, you know, and this is somehow.
Speaker B:You always release attachment when you're, when you're crying.
Speaker B:But it's also that they bring up deep things that if I would have talked to anyone at that point, probably no one would have gotten to that point.
Speaker A:Silence is golden, you know.
Speaker A:Silence is golden.
Speaker A:And it's the energy, isn't it?
Speaker A:It's that beautiful energy.
Speaker A:And I would imagine also very shamanic because getting to the root, rather than talking around it like you mentioned for 40 years, it's getting to the actual core of the, of the, of the issue.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's so beautiful.
Speaker B:And for me personally, it was always like, you know, I.
Speaker B:My dream goal was always to ride in the Olympics and I was very ambitious and I always wanted to train hard and I had such a strong focus.
Speaker B:And then at one point it really shifted into this more going into a more therapeutic approach.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:Yeah, so you were, you knew at.
Speaker A:18, the universe decided what the horses decided for you, actually.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So the other two people you're working with the, with the project on.
Speaker A:So it's so I keep using the word beautiful because that's all I can feel.
Speaker A:I just feel it's so beautiful that that nature Animals, humans can all heal together.
Speaker A:So you've combined the permaculture, healing the land.
Speaker A:You've combined horses who were animals as well, I imagine, who haven't had the best start in life, bless them, and they're now cocooned in a really beautiful, loving environment.
Speaker A:And then humans, human beings sent, it's all sentient beings together.
Speaker A:It's gorgeous.
Speaker A:Healing together.
Speaker A:So the, so you mentioned you're working with another two people.
Speaker A:So where is that going to be based?
Speaker A:Is it worldwide?
Speaker A:Is it, is it an incentive to, to go everywhere?
Speaker B:Yeah, definitely.
Speaker B:So the goal would be to have ranches worldwide.
Speaker B:And I don't know if I, I can't do it all alone.
Speaker B:So I have some people that I want to approach in different countries or have already approached in different countries and we will just see how it develops so that, yeah, worldwide network of ranchers and people who just follow the same goal or message to, to do this in that way.
Speaker A:Gorgeous.
Speaker A:Because the world's changing, isn't it?
Speaker A:I mean I, we've been speaking so much about how we're going towards matriarchy and it's, it's, and, and the world is changing because veganism, which I'm delighted about, is it, I don't necessarily say it's a trendy thing, but it's very, very popular, which is wonderful.
Speaker A:And you wouldn't have, I wouldn't have thought that four or five years ago because there was a real kind of stigma of oh yeah, if you're vegan, you're a hippie.
Speaker A:But it's, it's everywhere, which is, is fantastic.
Speaker A:And there's so many of us who were, you know, changing habits and eating more plant based and wanting to get closer to, to animals.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And with all your experience, do you have any words of wisdom of how, of how our viewers, how are our readers and listeners can get closer to their pets or get closer to nature?
Speaker A:Is there anything that you would recommend at all?
Speaker B:Well, the easiest thing for me after stressful days, always if I just go and pet my horse or if I just sit and lean with my back against the tree and just connect with the tree or do a walk in nature.
Speaker B:And like I said before, before I was very ambitious and then I went to therapeutic and when I was so ambitious, I always made fun of all these people that were just doing some groundwork with their horses and just some grooming or just sitting in the pasture.
Speaker B:And I was always like, this is ridiculous.
Speaker B:Really, what.
Speaker A:What are you doing?
Speaker B:Respect for them?
Speaker B:Because I really didn't get it.
Speaker B:I was like, that's not.
Speaker B:Like you're not reaching any purpose or you're not.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And I never really got it.
Speaker B:And then my desire grew for just this peace and just this connection and.
Speaker B:And that it can just be enough to just like, pet a horse or whatever.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And that.
Speaker B:That's fascinating to me, this shift that happened inside of myself, because I couldn't imagine it, really.
Speaker B:I. I was convinced that I will never deviate from, like, being an Olympic athlete.
Speaker A:Focused, focus.
Speaker A:Focus.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:And it was like, like complete shift, like, from this goal to, like, more therapeutic and more healing and more connection.
Speaker B:But this is more important than this goal.
Speaker A:But the mind.
Speaker A:You saying, you know, that's mean, actually, because I'm saying focus, focus, taking the mickey out of it.
Speaker A:But you need.
Speaker A:Everybody needs a lot of focus to.
Speaker A:To achieve what you've achieved anyway.
Speaker A:So what I'm talking about is more when.
Speaker A:When we're younger and it gets instilled into us that you have to do this, you have to do this, you have to work a.
Speaker A:A certain way because that's the people around us.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker A:That were their survival techniques, I guess.
Speaker A:So it can get kind of layered down.
Speaker A:So I think a lot of us at the moment, would you say we're.
Speaker A:We're kind of breaking through old patterns.
Speaker A:And that's why a beautiful incentive that you're creating will, I feel, really encourage people to break through and to come and heal.
Speaker A:I think that's wonderful.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And how.
Speaker A:How will you be putting the word out there?
Speaker A:So do you have anything that we can share for people to see yet?
Speaker A:Or is it all in the making at the moment?
Speaker B:So I wrote three books that are.
Speaker A:Wow, okay.
Speaker B:And not all of them are available in English yet.
Speaker B:I wrote one about, like, different approaches to healing for horses.
Speaker B:So it's about natural health.
Speaker B:How do I call it?
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:Horse Health Naturally.
Speaker B:And it's available on Amazon.
Speaker B:And this is a little booklet where you can just take it into your stable.
Speaker B:And if your horse has something like laminitis or is sick in any way, I just describe the things I experienced that they will help and that are natural, like biosolids, herbs, homeopathics, bacterics, minerals, all these things.
Speaker B:And it's a little combinational compilation of things that both.
Speaker A:It's a combination of a compilation.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So this is my little booklet.
Speaker B:And then it's a.
Speaker A:It doesn't sound like a little booklet.
Speaker A:It sounds like an incredible grimoire to have, actually.
Speaker B:And then I The original book is my book, House Whisperers Handbook.
Speaker B:And this I just translated at the moment.
Speaker B:It's already available in German.
Speaker B:In German, it's called Lightfoten.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I won't try to repeat that.
Speaker B:Horse Whisperers Handbook.
Speaker B:And yeah, so I'm currently translating it and this is also available.
Speaker B:And then I have another one that's more spiritual and it's Spiritual Mysteries, but this one is only available in German at the moment.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So this is how, like, people can read about it.
Speaker B:And yeah, I will do more workshops in the future also, again, about healing for horses and people.
Speaker A:Wonderful.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:And but what I do, if someone really wants to work with me, I can also always do over the phone or over zoom, private sessions for the horses or just for them personally.
Speaker B:That's also read my mind.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:That was my next question.
Speaker A:How can people.
Speaker A:Can people work one to one with you?
Speaker A:And so it.
Speaker A:It's possible to do the sessions over.
Speaker A:Over Zoom as well.
Speaker A:Brilliant.
Speaker B:Or over the phone.
Speaker B:And yeah, because most of my classes that I'm currently giving are in German, like machine money group or.
Speaker B:Or other horse.
Speaker B:So it's easier at the moment to do it one on one.
Speaker A:Sure, sure.
Speaker A:Brilliant.
Speaker A:Well, thank you so much for joining me.
Speaker A:It's been absolutely gorgeous.
Speaker A:Thank you so much that I've got so many more questions, but I've actually got messages for you.
Speaker A:I'm going to tell you afterwards.
Speaker A:Yeah, but I just.
Speaker A:I just find you inspirational.
Speaker A:I find you Wonder Woman.
Speaker A:I think I mentioned that to you before we came on, actually.
Speaker A:It's really beautiful what you've created.
Speaker A:You're hugely inspirational.
Speaker A:And I can see a book coming from your project as well.
Speaker A:I can see so many wonderful things for you and all you're giving to the world.
Speaker A:So thank you and I wish you so many blessings with all your projects and all your love in the world.
Speaker B:Thank you for having me.
Speaker A:So much.
Speaker A:Hope.
