Member Spotlight : Ginny Telego - A Journey of Leadership, Horses and Human Transformation
Ginny Telego: A Journey of Leadership, Horses and Human Transformation
Ginny Telego’s path with Equine Experiential Education Association (E3A) began with a lifelong love of horses and a deep desire to help people grow. Certified by E3A in 2010, Ginny earned her Advanced Certification in 2013 and joined the Master Trainer team in 2016. Her career is a blend of passion, leadership, and the unique power of equine-facilitated learning.
Inspired in the mid-1990s by an article in the NARHA (now PATH International) newsletter, Ginny read about a woman partnering with horses to work with youth—a woman she later discovered was Boo Martin, an E3A certified equine assisted learning practitioner and member of the E3A board. That spark of inspiration set Ginny on a path to explore how horses could help people in more profound, transformative ways.
Ginny’s ideal clients are leaders and teams willing to rethink how they lead—not just to reach goals, but to preserve relationships in the process. She particularly enjoys working with skeptics, those unsure of what a horse could possibly teach them about leadership. “They’re the ones who walk away with the biggest ahas,” she says.
One of Ginny’s most memorable experiences came early in her career. Leading a workshop for a community leadership program, she noticed one participant standing with arms crossed, sunglasses on, and a skeptical attitude. When it was his turn to share his goal, he scoffed, “Well, I don’t know what horses can possibly teach me about leadership.” But by the second activity of the day—aptly named "Leadership in a Box"—that same participant approached her and said, “Now I get it.” He not only engaged fully for the rest of the workshop but later became one of her most enthusiastic supporters. To this day, he can still articulate what he learned from her horses.
Ginny attributes much of her success to the comprehensive nature of the E3A certification process. Unlike other programs she attended, E3A offered hands-on practice, in-the-moment coaching, and a clear, consistent model. “I had attended other equine assisted learning trainings with other organizations and while I got bits and pieces of valuable information, after my first E3A certification, I felt 100% prepared to start doing the work—and I did. Just a month later, I had my first paying client for a full-day workshop,” she recalls.
As a Master Trainer, Ginny found joy in mentoring new facilitators entering the equine assisted learning (EAL) field. Watching participants grow, grasp E3A’s 5 question model, and begin to see horses as teachers has been deeply fulfilling. “It’s such a privilege to be part of their journey. Seeing those light bulbs come on fuels my excitement for the future of this work.”
For Ginny Telego, equine-assisted learning is more than a profession—it’s a calling, a continuous journey of connection, insight, and leadership growth through the wisdom of horses.
When Lisa Bowman first experienced the healing power of horses, she knew her life was about to change. What she didn’t realize at the time was just how many other lives those horses would go on to touch through her work. Lisa launched Hope for Hearts Farm in 2013 with a vision to help people grow, heal, and transform through connection with horses. “I personally experienced the healing power of horses and felt led to share that with others,” she says. “Going through E3A’s certification gave me the confidence and tools to assist clients to greater levels of transformation.” She became an E3A Level 1 Certified Practitioner in 2018, followed by Advanced Level 2 certification in Corporate Facilitation in 2021. Empowering Change Through Connection At Hope for Hearts Farm, Lisa offers two main programs: Personal Development and Well-Being for adults and children (ages 8 and up), and Corporate and Leadership Development, including team-building and executive coaching. Her ideal clients are those willing to embrace the feedback the horses provide and dig deep into their own thoughts, feelings, and belief patterns. “Of course, I also love when someone comes in very skeptical of the process and is blown away by the power of the horse/human relationship and the incredible insights they gain from the horses.” Lisa says. Moments That Matter Lisa’s years as a facilitator are filled with powerful moments of breakthrough and transformation—so many, she says, it’s impossible to choose just one favorite. “Seeing the changes in teams and individuals is incredibly rewarding,” she shares. “There’s nothing like hearing someone say, ‘I keep thinking I’ve got it, but every session with the horses knocks my socks off!’ Or a parent telling me that the experience didn’t just help their child, but their whole family—and that it’s leading to generational change.” She’s also witnessed the impact in the corporate world: “When a team tells us after a workshop that they’ll be forever changed, it reinforces just how effective this work really is.” Lessons from the Arena Looking back on her E3A certification journey, Lisa especially treasures her arena training—now known as the Capstone. “Hands-on experience with the horses, activities, fellow facilitators, and Master Trainers was invaluable,” she says. “It was there I learned to truly be open to outcome and trust the process—something that didn’t come naturally for my Type A personality!” That lesson continues to shape her facilitation style today. “It never ceases to amaze me how the horses show up exactly how each person or team needs,” she says. “When we trust our equine partners and stay open, the experience becomes even more impactful.” Through her partnership with E3A and her herd at Hope for Hearts Farm, Lisa Bowman continues to help people connect, reflect, and grow—one transformative session at a time.
For Stacy Gendels, becoming E3A certified in March 2020 marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter—one that arrived just as the world was shutting down.
After three decades as a K-12 school counselor, Karen Finch was ready for retirement—or so she thought. Just one day later, life presented her with an unexpected opportunity. A local equine-assisted learning facility called to ask if she would consider becoming their therapist. Despite having no prior experience with h
