Leading Through Care and Presence: Horse Wisdom with Kelly Wendorf

Host Julia Felton welcomes Kelly Wendorf, founder of Equus and author of "Flying Lead Change: 56 Million Years of Wisdom for Leading and Living," to discuss how horses and nature inform leadership and teamwork.

Wendorf shares her journey from equestrian ambitions to coaching and equine-facilitated leadership, emphasizing experiential learning and presence. They explore modern disruption as a catalyst for evolution using nature’s adaptive cycle (new beginnings, growth, consolidation, letting go) and the “messy middle” of change, plus the metaphor of a flying lead change for collective pivots amid climate change, AI, war, and unrest.

Wendorf outlines five principles from horse culture—safety, connection, peace, freedom, and joy—led through care and presence rather than dominance, and defines “rewilding” as dismantling constraining social constructs to return to an innate, creative self. She invites listeners to engage via equusinspired.com, virtual courses, newsletters, and ranch retreats in Santa Fe.

00:00 Teamwork Advantage

00:50 Meet Kelly Wendorf

01:58 Calling And Origins

05:01 Coaching With Horses

06:47 Service And Adaptability

10:08 Presence Over Engagement

11:58 Adaptive Cycle Explained

14:34 Flying Lead Change Metaphor

19:22 Horse Culture Principles