Wendy Golding is the founder of Horse Spirit Connections Inc., a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting transformation and personal growth through the wisdom of the horse.

Wendy has been passionate about Horses all of her life – winning shows as a young girl, and taking the requisite number of falls!  As an adult, she became a member of The Governor General’s Horse Guards where she honed her riding skills in military parades, musical rides, and lance work.  Her passion then turned to Polo.  Enjoying the thrills and teamwork with her horses, Wendy stopped playing due to a Polo injury and turned her focus to exploring deeper connections with horses. 

Picking up a brush to paint these beautiful creatures opened the door for further studies in horse behavior and other animals from the wilds.  This puts her in touch with the beautiful, ancient wisdom of nature and animals whose inspiration fuels her passion on canvas. 

Wendy is a vibrant and successful entrepreneur who has worked in the corporate world for 20 years with Fortune 500 companies including Palm, Xerox, and Wal-Mart. She spent the majority of her time in the highly demanding corporate world learning about the power of intention.  Working very hard to ‘be successful and exceed goals’, she found she was missing the call from her heart.

Wendy has explored her spiritual connections through the path of shamanism.  She is a Pipe Carrier on the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path.  Combining this healing modality with the wisdom of the horse has opened a new world of powerful teachings for her.

Wendy is an Epona Instructor and has completed an extensive apprenticeship with Linda Kohanov and Kathleen Barry Ingram of the Epona Center in Arizona. (See www.taoofequus.com).  She is also a member of EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association), NARHA  (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association), and EFMHA (Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association).

Andre Leclipteux is a director of Horse Spirit Connections and one of the co-facilitators. He and his wife Wendy are the owners of Horsetales and the caretakers for the horses on the property.

In 1994 Andre was (re) introduced to horses, which opened a childhood curiosity, admiration, and appreciation for these four-legged creatures. In 1996 he got hooked on Polo, and quickly expanded from being a one-horse person to having a herd of twelve.

His passion for the outdoors and love of nature has led him into exploring many geographical regions on land and water. “To open yourself to so many places and experiences is to seek the discovery of your true self.”

While exploring North and Central American native cultures, Andre found his spiritual path to be shamanism, which encourages the healing of self and others. He is also in training to be an Epona co-facilitator.

From a business point-of-view, Andre has been working in the communications field for over 25 years. A graduate of Sheridan College, his first endeavors were in film, AV (audio visual), and photography. This led him into advertising, marketing, and promotions. After working in a variety of agency environments, Andre went ‘solo’ and later in 1994, he started a successful marketing communications firm with Wendy. His portfolio covers the gamete of Federal and Provincial Government to Canadian and International brands like Dr Pepper, Xerox, Microsoft, and Lotus.

Andre has a passion for horses, sound business acumen, and a desire to see people heal themselves and lead heart-filled lives.

Victoria Poe has been involved with horses for more than 20 years. Her passion begins with her own Paso Fino, but extends far beyond that, recognizing the power of horses to help heal and educate.

In fact, Victoria’s other passion is education. She enjoys helping people grow, whether in their careers or their personal lives – and welcomes innovative approaches to learning.  Victoria is an accomplished educator, having honed her skill with extensive experience in Project Management and Employment Training, including international experience. She has designed, implemented, and facilitated various training programs: Technical English Language for Professional New Canadians, Women/Youth-at-Risk, Public Internet Access and Equine Assisted Team Building. She founded, 2 Lead Change, a business offering comprehensive services in training, program development, and facilitation to improve business or career results.  Specializing in Career Coaching, English Language Learning, and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), 2 Lead Change enhances leadership and communication skills.

A strategist as well as a teacher, Victoria has worked with the Agribusiness and Trade Unit of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Emerging Markets providing support in project/proposal administration, marketing, and recruiting for international development projects. In addition, Victoria is effective in client service relations, strategic planning, and staff/project management. She holds a Bachelor of Education specializing in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), and is a certified Teacher of Ontario.

Victoria is very excited about incorporating horses into her field of education and training. She is a member of the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, which has grown to over 2,000 associates across the U.S., Canada, and the world.

Karen C. Bouganim’s work centers on her heartfelt desire to positively influence a child’s mental health. She believes that anyone, child, adolescent or adult, can achieve their goals with a strong sense of self and positive self-esteem. Karen founded Tell Me Your Story to provide therapy tools and techniques that teach and empower children – and their families – to better understand and express their feelings. The outcome for all is greater self worth.

This unique approach offers the opportunity for families to heal and create a more harmonious and joyful life.

Karen has been in private practice since 1999 and has a home-based office in Mississauga. She is a consultant and therapist within schools in Toronto and Mississauga.

Karen incorporates and blends her knowledge and experiences as a Gestalt Psychotherapist (graduate of the Gestalt Institute of Toronto), Occupational Therapist (graduate of the faculty of medicine, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto) and is an apprentice on the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path.

Samena Jeffery’s aim is to live the dream of her life everyday as a woman – and that has led her to become a guide for other women searching to remember the dream of their lives, and looking for the tools and knowledge to help them to live that dream.

Samena has a rich and varied private counseling practice. Until recently, most of her clients were women, but lately, more of their partners are showing up to do individual or couples’ work; she is also working with some children and teens.  Samena employs a variety of approaches, weaving together Gestalt Therapy, art, dream work, and Shamanic teachings to create an individualized approach to healing that focuses on breaking old patterns and embracing the change that is a natural part of life. The answers we need are always within.  When we put aside what is familiar but stifling, and allow change to happen, we can actually find them!

Samena feels the most exciting part of her practice these days is working with her horse, Paris, to help clients learn to feel more authentically.  The results have been ‘magical’! Horses are wonderful mirrors and are able to reflect clearly, and in a non-threatening way, what is really going on inside.

Samena is also a leader of several women’s circles, including Dream Circles, and a sisterhood circle studying the teachings of the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path. She is an apprentice to this path of Métis native teachings, having studied it since 1998.

On a personal note, Samena is an enthusiastic explorer of the potential for growth in a committed relationship with her husband of 16 years, and the often-humbled mother of two of her greatest life teachers, her daughters aged 11 and 14.  A breast cancer thriver, Samena charted her own path to healing using a natural approach.

Janis Mirynech is a director of Horse Spirit Connections. She brings her marketing experience and an independent point of view to help shape the program for general consumption.

She has a tremendous love and appreciation for nature and living things. Through the Epona program she recently experienced a ”phenomenal connection with horses” which is “truly memorable and unlike anything else.”

Janis is married to a man who shares her love of nature, has a very active daughter and an energetic, loving Wheaten Terrier.  She has been studying a variety of disciplines and has been focusing on strengthening the mind–body connection through her studies of yoga, pilates and meditation techniques.

Professionally Janis is a marketing manager with one of Canada’s largest wineries, and during her off time she enjoys cooking, kayaking, reading and being one with nature.