Capitalizing on the other 98%

Ninety-eight Percent of our brain does not use language, or logic, or belief, or strategy. And, our heart is a sensory organ, acting as a sophisticated information encoding and processing center – it learns, it remembers, it makes independent functional decisions. So, why do we rely on only the linear 2% to navigate the world around us?

Horses show us how to use all we have available to us as humans. They demonstrate how to use power effectively. They show us techniques for using our energy effectively, ultimately bringing more happiness to every part of our life. By watching and listening to horses, by studying herd dynamics, by using our thoughts and feelings to connect to the horse, we bring forth an ancient wisdom that results in the ability to empathize, to collaborate, to create, to be vulnerable, to adapt and to be resilient.

When we have this ability, we innovate without struggle. We lead with integrity. We are present. We are mindful. We employ our intuition. We become a better self. And when we are better, the world is better.

Want to spend a day at the Ranch? Inquire here:

Why Horses?

7 Ways We Learn Life and Leadership Skills from Horses

1. When we’re with a horse our learning capacity is heightened and our fight-or-flight response is buffered, making us braver and more open to collaboration. Horses do this by helping humans release oxytocin, the “calm and connect” hormone.

2. Horses reveal the inner landscape of humans, including limiting beliefs, attitudes, and desire for change. Horses do this because they have a low tolerance for inauthenticity and respond positively to your truth.

3. Horses show us how to use emotions as information. Horses make decisions based on how they feel, not how they think.

4. Horses teach us how to prioritize and manage our reactions, allowing us more time for what’s important in our life. Horses conserve energy for true emergencies by assessing the intentions and emotional states of other species at a distance.

5. Horses guide us to understand the difference between mutually respectful, supportive behavior and aggressive, needlessly controlling behavior. Horses live in a social system—herds—and each horse has a role that performs specific functions required for the greater good of the herd, often shifting roles when the situation demands.

6. Horses demonstrate how to be effective in roles and relationships without reliance on hierarchical, conquest-oriented, command and control methods. They show us a more evolved form of leadership, emotional heroism, EQ, and AQ. Horses are non-predatory power animals that rely on instinct, intuition, and emotion to survive. They are true masters of “the other 90%” of interpersonal communications… the body, the environment, and non-verbal cues.

7. Horses show us – especially women – how to stand our ground. Horses require us to be in our bodies and connected to our center – to be present – in order to connect with them.

Capitalizing on the other 98%

Ninety-eight Percent of our brain does not use language, or logic, or belief, or strategy. And, our heart is a sensory organ, acting as a sophisticated information encoding and processing center – it learns, it remembers, it makes independent functional decisions. So, why do we rely on only the linear 2% to navigate the world around us?

Horses show us how to use all we have available to us as humans. They demonstrate how to use power effectively. They show us techniques for using our energy effectively, ultimately bringing more happiness to every part of our life. By watching and listening to horses, by studying herd dynamics, by using our thoughts and feelings to connect to the horse, we bring forth an ancient wisdom that results in the ability to empathize, to collaborate, to create, to be vulnerable, to adapt and to be resilient.

When we have this ability, we innovate without struggle. We lead with integrity. We are present. We are mindful. We employ our intuition. We become a better self. And when we are better, the world is better.

About Amy Buck

I never dreamt about being an exec in Silicon Valley tech. But I was raised to work hard and be responsible and to make others happy and, frankly, I’m smart, and, so, after college I landed a job at a tech start-up and followed the money.

And, for most of my corporate career, I loved the work. I loved the teams I worked with, I loved the excitement of a common vision, I loved making a difference, I loved solving problems.

But what never failed to astound me was the acute lack of leadership capability in the organizations I worked for.

I worked with the smartest people in the world and yet, people across the board…from the top to the bottom were miserable.

Here’s what organizations are unwilling to admit: shitty leadership ruins lives. Miserable employees are terrible for profits. Command and control and predatory behaviors don’t get the job done. And as technology takes over our lives, we become more disconnected from our true being which means we’re disconnected from the people around us, which means, honestly, we can’t lead.

We’re so disconnected that we stop leading our personal lives and we stop leading our teams.

And that is why I bought 115 acres 2.5 hours from Silicon Valley and started Wisdom Ridge.

It is in my nature to solve problems and I had to be part of the solution. I wanted to save lives by helping people – leaders in life and leaders in business – come back to their natural state, to learn to rely on their intuition, to take responsibility, to stop living on the surface and come into their own power.

My mission is twofold: I work with women and teach them to stand their ground, to get their lives back, to master their own power and live through self first, which leads to lives steeped in purpose and passion. I know what it’s like, as a woman, to lose my voice in the midst of a male-dominated world. And I know what it’s like to find it. I want this for every woman who wants more for herself, her family, the world.

And, I work with leaders and teams. Once you’ve shed the layers, unplugged from the matrix, come into nature and stand next to a horse that doesn’t buy your BS, you can become a leader who leads from the strength of the heart. When you lead from the heart, when you learn to lead with vulnerability, compassion, trust, resilience – your organizations will thrive. You will thrive. THIS is your legacy.

Begin your legacy now.

Amy has certifications in Equine Guided Education and is an Eponaquest Master Herder Instructor. She is a certified coach and has studied 1:1 with leaders in the coaching field. She’s worked for Cisco, KLA-Tencor, Lam Research, New Focus and consulted for PG&E, Imperva, Equinix, O’Reilly Media, Materion, Premera Blue Cross and others.

Wisdom Ridge is a unique nature experience where you’ll find:

Let’s face it. Technology has eroded our ability to focus, to be empathic, to build meaningful relationships grounded in trust.

• 115 Acres of lush fields, hiking trails, ponds and a meditation labyrinth
• A Madrone grove for silent meditation
• Ponds full of wildlife perfect for an afternoon of journaling
• An organic garden – including farm to table cuisine with full catering available from our award winning chef
• Guided walking and horse meditation – take a walk through pastures, fields of wild flowers and our own meditation labyrinth
• Ancient oaks, pines, cedars, manzanita and madrones with the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains in the background
• Yoga on the Ridge – yoga classes that calm your breathing and stretch your boundaries as the sun breaks over the fields around you.
• A plethora of wildlife and bird watching
• Home to 5 horses, 2 dogs, chickens, a cat, ducks, birds, frogs…..

Local attractions:

• Wine Tasting: A far cry from the crowds in Napa Valley, here’ you’ll meet owners and winemakers as they share wines that flourish in our sun-drenched vineyards.
• Savor delicious cuisine at our unique, rustic and fine dining restaurants
• Scenic towns of Amador City, Sutter Creek and Jackson – reminiscent of the 1800’s Gold Rush Era
• Beautiful country roads for cyclists
• Hiking, fishing, boating, skiing and snowboarding at Kirkwood and Silver Lake

Frequently Asked Questions

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