COMPASSION
Wanda was listening to a Christian radio show called Focus on the Family, when someone was being interviewed from Crystal Peaks Ranch in Oregon. They described the work they did with rescued horses and troubled kids. How the work with horses changed lives. This sparked in her a curiosity, so she googled about horses, changed lives, etc. This search opened the door to learning about the wonderful world of EAL. She told her husband, Mundo, about it, then set out to find out more.
On the search to find a place where Mundo could go to get trained or certified in the EAL field, they came across numerous options which ranged from being very new age to scholarly. Their focus first went to Spain. Mundo decided to call since the training would be in Spanish. The woman in Spain spoke to Mundo, suggesting he visit a center closer to home before committing to engage in her training.
Nana’s search also revealed that Kaleidoscope was an option. She suggested it to him because of the scholarly approach. The information on the KLC website matched Mundo’s graduate studies which focused on business consulting. Also, the fact that Kaleidoscope was in Michigan gave them a chance to visit Mundo’s cousin who lived near Detroit.
I received a phone call from a man with a very thick Spanish accent inquiring about my training. While I didn’t offer a certification program, I was always willing to support people interested in learning more about EAL. I shared anything – the good, the bad, and the ugly with the premise that they couldn’t replicate my work because we came from different life experiences, backgrounds, learning styles, etc.
He told me he was Dr. Edmundo Jimenez from Puerto Rico and he and his wife wanted to come to Michigan to learn about EAL. He explained that he showed Paso Fino horses and had recently learned about how horses could help people. He was an organizational business consultant, with his own consulting business, InBusiness for Team Development, Inc. He reasoned it might be a good match to bring his love of horses into his business and was eager to learn more about EAL.
I emailed him a proposed training with the following outcomes:
-Explore industry definitions, standards, and guidelines
-Identify core elements of a skilled EAL Facilitator
-Self exploration and assessment -gap analysis of skills and talents
-Practice EAL facilitation, peer review, and feedback
-Networking with other industry professionals
-Increase awareness of the components of a learner-centered EAL program
He and his wife, Nana, agreed so I reached out to six other people who had also expressed interest in learning more about running an EAL business. I offered to only charge Mundo and Nana for any out-of-pocket expenses. The opportunity to develop a collaborative partnership with a fellow EAL provider in Puerto Rico was exciting!
It turned out Nana was afraid of horses, so she was just joining to support Mundo and learn the business side of the process. She actively participated in all the non-horse dialogues and exercises, though when it came to working with the horses, she mostly observed. Gradually, we all witnessed her getting more comfortable with our four-legged facilitators. She moved from the edge of the arena, to nearer the horse work, getting closer and closer to our equine partners. By the third day when she was invited to lead Minnie, she responded with a tentative “yes”.
Mundo was beyond excited when she finally felt comfortable enough to actively work with the horses. This was a significant breakthrough for two reasons. One, she would no longer be just behind-the-scenes with their farm. This new awakening potentially opened a door to her more active participating in the equine work. As equally important, was the revelation of how transformational partnering with horses can be for individuals to overcome limited beliefs. Her conquering her fear of horses was an “Aha moment” that she told me became a game changer for their business, The Equus of Puerto Rico.
After his experience in Michigan, Mundo, Nana and I kept in touch with them wanting me to come to PR to introduce EAL to their community. Their farm was under construction, so they planned a “Deminar” at a neighboring barn.
I’d never been to PR, so I made my usual arrangements for people to take care of kids, dogs, and horses then jumped on a plane headed to the island. They invited me to stay in their home, which made the experience even more special.
The first stop on my PR tour was to observe Mundo in action as an organizational consultant. Nana and I entered a large auditorium filled with people, mostly men, in business attire. Mundo was at the front of the room on a stage in front of a very large video screen. He was wearing a microphone and gesturing actively to the audience. Nana and I made our way to the back of the room where she could whisper English to me, interpreting Mundo’s presentation.
It was wonderful watching him, his dynamic personality shown brightly as he strutted across the stage, changing the pitch in his voice from a whisper to shouting, captivating his audience.
Following the presentation we spent the day touring the island. They took me to their favorite out-of-the-way restaurant for mofongo (mashed plantains) and an actual coconut with a straw to drink coconut water. We toured old San Juan, the Castillo San Filipe de Morro (16th century citadel built by the Spanish) and the San Cristobal Castle (largest Spanish fort in the new world).
The next day was the Deminar. They invited twelve people, a mixture of men and women, to participate. Because I only speak English and they also spoke English, we began in my primary language. Questions in Spanish would fill the air, with Nana stepping in to explain to me what was being asked.
We discovered during the first debriefing that it was best for them to share their thoughts in Spanish, their natural tongue, rather than try to translate it for me into English. Important feelings, emotions, and subtle nuances got lost in translation. So, we reversed our approach with most of the conversation now in Spanish, Nana again interpreting for me. The speed, enthusiasm, and energy with which they could share ideas in their native language was significantly different than when they were asked to speak English.
The language of Equus though isn’t Spanish or English – it’s Universal. The equine experiences offered insights for all the participants.
The friendship between Nana, Mundo, and I grew. Mundo attended the EAL Post-Masters program in Prescott Arizona four times the next year to further enhance his learning. He developed a deep friendship with Paul Smith and Pam McPhee, which led to them also visiting PR. Additionally, the Experiential Training and Development Alliance, a group the three (Pam, Paul, and I) of us belong to, participated in a service project on their farm to help them recover following the horrific damage from hurricane Maria.
To this day, 2025, we continue to seek ways to come together to share our passion of horses helping humans. It all started with a compassionate person from Oregon rescuing horses to help troubled kids and a person listening to that story on the radio. Our collaborative efforts have positively impacted hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.
Have you noticed or tracked the ripple effect of an action of compassion in your life? What was it?
Can you identify another possible compassionate action that you could take today that may or may not have far reaching effects?
Is there a way in the future to determine the impacts of the choice you made? Can you take additional actions to increase it’s reach and positive power?