Kelly Wendorf: Listening, Leading, and the Lessons Horses Teach Us
This episode of In Stride is presented by The Eventing Series by Natalie Keller Reinert and Flatiron Books. You can find The Eventing Series books in paperback, ebook, and audiobook wherever books are sold. Follow Natalie Keller Reinert on Instagram at @NatalieKReinert. This episode is also sponsored by Purdue University’s Online Certificate in Equitation Science. Rethink tradition and train with purpose as you explore the science behind how horses think, move, and learn. Register now! In this episode of “In Stride,” Sinead is joined by Executive and Personal Coach, Author, and Entrepreneur Kelly Wendorf. Kelly Wendorf is a lifelong horsewoman, ICF Master Certified Coach, author, and founder of The EQUUS Experience®—an award-winning equine-assisted learning process that helps people tap into deeper awareness and authentic leadership. She began riding as a child and later became a dressage rider and trainer, running a riding school in Santa Fe. Her global journey has included studying with spiritual and Indigenous leaders across India, Africa, Indonesia, and Australia. Kelly also founded Kindred magazine in Australia, where she spent 15 years immersed in neuroscience, social justice, and transformative cultural change. She’s the author of Flying Lead Change and editor of Stories of Belonging, an anthology highlighting diverse and Indigenous voices. Today, Kelly blends her lifelong love of horses with coaching, mentoring, and cultural innovation to help people lead with wisdom, compassion, and presence. In this episode, Kelly shares the experiences that have shaped her unique approach to working with both horses and people, including: • How her time with Indigenous communities and spiritual teachers has influenced her work and outlook. • What inspired her to start EQUUS and how it’s grown into a business focused on connection and transformation. • The idea that great leaders lead from behind—and how that applies just as much to horses as it does to people. • Why being present and really listening to your horse’s feedback matters, especially when you're asking something of them. Join Kelly and Sinead for a thoughtful and down-to-earth conversation about the human-horse relationship and how deep connection can lead to powerful change.