Good evening welcome to equine voices my name is Ronnie and we are doing an informal interview, it's a chat really with Patrick Sullivan and he is traveling across USA on his horse Gamilah and Hall so I'm going to bring him in and he can explain why he's doing this what it is that brought into this place and just a little bit about his background and where he wants to go forward in the next part of his journey, so please give a big, welcome to Patrick hi Patrick. Welcome.
Hey Ronnie, can you hear me? Okay.
Here you at the minute, if I can't hear you I'll let you know don't worry. So there you go, the floor is yours, introduce yourself and yeah.
Yeah so my name is Patrick Sullivan and as you said I'm riding my horses, Gami and Hal across the country from California to Kentucky, and we're doing it all at Liberty, so all bridal less and we've already written over 1400 miles and we are in the heart of the U S and we are right outside of Kansas for those who know a little bit of geography of the United States and we are in pretty much all farmland and what we're doing is we're doing it for a nonprofit that we started Camila and bridal,
which is for underprivileged kids and the art of Liberty, for those who don't know what Liberty is. Being able to communicate with your horse without the use of ropes and that's the whole idea of doing a bridal thing. We don't need a bridle on our horses head in order to communicate with them and develop a relationship and a partnership so we've decided to kind of make a big jump and a big statement and travel across the country and to give back to people and to organizations.
We've stopped at seven or eight rescues all across America so far and we still have that other 12 non-profits that we're stopping out and giving back and every time we're at all these nonprofits, we do it for free so we don't charge any anyone any training. We just try to do our best to promote these rescues, these nonprofit organizations, whether it's military organization, right.
Youth organization and just do our best to, to share the power of healing that liberal can do for both the equine and the human
wow that's amazing yeah, that is amazing and to do that with no finances is a credit to you um so we just have a quick little chat before you came on. because obviously I don't know a huge amount about you, as I explained to you, I work intuitively so if something keeps popping up um I think my I'm going to contact that person and see what comes from it.
So I contact you and I'm so pleased that you agreed to come on and do a little interview, little informal chats and tell us about yourself but you just mentioned that you know the UK and you know, Doncaster.
It's actually a small world so I grew up playing soccer and football over there, and I had an opportunity to go coach at I coached with the goalkeepers at Leeds united I played for a town called Maltby Maine a football club over there and I had the opportunity to go around and that coach at some different youth programs in England, in the UK. And that's what kind of brought me over there after I graduated college.
then I came back to United States and coached college soccer for four years, uh, over here as well, so the soccer and football, you know, it has been a huge part of my life and until I found horses and I love the UK. I have been over there multiple times and I would go back in a heartbeat, the people are amazing, the food's great and the culture is just incredible.
It's so funny because I would say the same thing about the USA um I got the chance to go out. A couple of years ago and I uh, flew into Denver and I went to Colorado and I literally just bought a ticket uh, planned a little bit of a route but it sort of went a bit haywire.
Yeah it was just, it was amazing and, and I loved it I felt like I'd gone home I just loved it, I absolutely loved it and I couldn't wait to go back but unfortunately, due to things that's going on in the world, that's not happened at the minute but yeah I can't wait to come back so how did you get into horses, Patrick? so going from football or soccer, do you call it soccer?
All my friends call it football so either way I understand what.
I'm just thinking in my head did you ever have an accent? Because if I go back home, cause I'm from Lincolnshire when I go back home, my accent is a bit stronger when I come back down south it's not quite as strong and I was just thinking what they would have thought about your accent but sorry, that was just off the cuff so how did you get into horses then did you always have horses or is it something that you was guided into?
No so I kind of, you know, grew up playing football and coaching football and I got my MBA so I got my MBA in international business through the college that I was working at and I knew I didn't want to coach college soccer forever and so I decided to move back home and after I moved back home, my mom bought a small ranch and after all the kids were at the house she finally afford a couple of horses is that our own and, you know that's where I met my first horse as an adult and started learning
how to ride and I just fell in love with that animal. I always say, that's the first horse I met, you know, I just saw she's my angel, you know, she helped me rediscover my faith and things have just grown from there and then two years later I quit my job and Doing horses about six and a half years now and we went from knowing nothing to you know, riding across the country, sharing the knowledge that I've gained over the last couple of years and trying to give back.
So it's been an amazing adventure and something that I'm so fortunate and so blessed to be able to do. And I see myself with horses for the rest of my life and and just enjoy it every single day.
Wow are you self-taught or did you um I mean, we're all like spondges so when we see something we absorb knowledge all the time that's what we do as humans so was your self taught or was there somebody that helped you as far as training the horses?
Yeah so actually you know I had a lot of wonderful mentors and what I would do at the be getting out take a lesson every two weeks and then practice it and learn and just try to get better there and so a lot of it's through experimenting but also a lot of it's through the knowledge of a lot of my mentors and last two years with a gentleman named mandamus of double Dan horsemanship who is Australian.
that's where I really learned the art of Liberty and a lot of what I know today so I'm just so thankful for Dan james is one Elizabeth for taking me under their wing and showing me and teaching me so much knowledge.
I mean, I'm looking at you now as you're talking I'm not just saying that, so trust me but I just get this really nice vibe from your energy and it's really authentic and I wanted to say that before we go any further, you have such a nice gentle um and I'm not just saying that okay this is from my heart, so I can I can feel that and that's what the horses must be picking up on as well yeah wow. Okay so you're now in Kentucky, is that correct?
So, yes so I spent the last two years in Kentucky but my base after this trip is going to be in Texas where I'm going to start a, a youth program, a global youth program over the world yeah art of Liberty and reaching this full of horses so I'm really excited about that.
So that's going to be in Dallas, no, sorry in Texas
So it'll be about an hour north of Dallas yes, it it'll be, it'll be in Texas.
Okay so just give me an example of what so in your head, what are you going to do with that? How is it going to manifest what's the main objectives of it?
Yeah so basically you know, horses are no longer used as tool.
They're not our transportation, they are more part of our family and I feel like in order to keep horses in our life and our society, it's so important that the youth are involved, kind of it gets them off their phones and video games and all be on the computer and it gets them out into nature to be able to relate to another being in another soul and being able to connect ourselves and the horses just so much over the world with with how they're developing like at work where kids can, can use
not necessarily kids but use what each other are going through and, and being able to give back to one another sharing.
Yeah basically the goal is to inspire youth all over the world and not as youth but people and being able to connect with like-minded individuals that can help grow the love of the horse because the future of the equine industry is in our hands and we need to make equine industry better tomorrow than it is today and it's not to say there's a lot great thing in the world with, with horses all the things we know very little on.
Being able to, interact with horses on more of a genuine level where that because they're no longer tools they are souls and they are part of the world in which we live. so important to try to give back to them all that they've given us for so many years, you know, they've helped explorers explore the world they've helped Kings and Queens win wars and yeah it's our time to give back and add them as part of our family
Wow I totally totally agree with you there they are so they are so wise and it's and it's much needed in this, this time. anytime, really but it's it's much needed and they have a way of communicating with those and showing, my perspective, showing what we need to do with ourselves, how we need to address things and what's going on with our lives. Quite often um if I say mirror, it's not like for like but they often show you what all you need to dress in yourself.
And then when you do that, they can show you, this has been a slight change with the horse, do you find that yourself?
yeah 100%. I mean, that was beautifully said, and I really think, think they teach us more than you know we can truly appreciate because they're giving us lessons every day. It's just important for us to listen. So we'll go back to what you were saying when you were talking about you're going to have this facility in Texas.
Will it be like the horse and the humans interacting and just seeing what comes from that so it's organic and it's free flowing, is that where you're headed? Or is it going to be guidance from you?
So there'll be a lot of guidance from, from me, all the instructors and the team that we've had. So it's going to be something where we can teach horsemanship and teach, being able to, you know, ride bridal list and do Liberty tricks and all those things, but for the trick and the bridal list and all the other stuff comes along. It's important that we respect the horse for what it is.
I think adding a combination of knowledge and teaching but also healing and interacting are the big principles of the youth program. So we're going to teach knowledge, but we're also going to allow the horse and the print develop relationship as well.
I get that from the little bit that I know of you, as you were talking. I'm just going to say it because I'm learning not to hold back when I get information that comes through when something comes and it's meant to be given at the time, it comes not to wait for and as I'm doing a chat with you, I'm going to say it.
when you were talking, I just got like a collective feeling from horses, whatever your belief is, their energy saying that the work that you are doing going to do is really important because it's connecting links that have been broken many years ago and this is the collective. So as a communicator, I would be getting information from a horse but sometimes I get a collective communication.
And it's the essence of what you've just said is, they're very, um, very not pleased, that's the wrong word, they knew it was coming. and it's sorry what I'm doing is I'm listening to my communication now um what I'm getting is there has been pain, many suffering and They didn't use the word abuse but that's the feeling and misunderstanding, and they need this to move forward.
as mankind as a planetary thing, they need this to move forward and this is what they're telling me to say to you is the link is strong within you but there are others that are similar that you are going to be linking in with, if not already and helping this on a more bigger scale. So you might think this is just you Patrick, but actually they've got other plans for you. So that's what I'm trying to say and I'm saying that because it's come so I don't hide what happens now?
I just say it as it comes. I hope that, does that make sense?
Oh it makes a lot in Ronnie I appreciate you being honest. I know we're just getting to know each other here, but you know, I truly believe that we're going to change a culture and I think in order to make a difference with horses all over the world, we have changed the colder and I think we've started, but this as you're right. This is way bigger than me, this is way bigger than the horses that I'm riding my sister, you know it it's all of us.
And I think so many people want give back and want to help and want to heal, but we just don't know how, but we're going to start giving that knowledge of the how, and once they people begin to realize that how to heal, I feel like they will heal so we're excited about that.
yay it's like opening Pandora's box and when you start that, there'll be lots of emotions and lots of different things and the clearing and then they'll have a bit more direction I'm going off on a run way, different subject well I tended to um I do believe you are he, he, you know, we've all got healing potential, you give somebody a hug and that's healing, you know, it's there think it's been shut off for such a long time that and especially the last year, last couple of years, you either go
one way or the other and it's up to you, what you do with it. But um Yeah that's a whole nother subject whole at the subject. Okay. So where are you going to be headed next patrick. So you've just arrived at your, your new location?
Yeah uh yes so we actually are pulled up on the side of the highway right now but we are about five, 10 minutes from where we're going to stop tonight. We're going to be at uh just south of garden, city, Kansas. And then we actually headed to a donkey rescue here in about a week and a half.
then we're going through a prison to help prisoners that have a wild Mustang program that helps tame Mustang but also teach the prisoners as well, we're going to go to help the prisoners and the Mustangs and then we're going to go to another rescue. So we've got a really exciting next couple of weeks that we're getting into and we're just going to try to give back as much as we can to as many people and horses as we can while we can.
That's a tall order, that's a tall order. How many miles have you got to do to finish your, what you set out? How many more miles.
950 miles left so we've ridden I guess, just over 1400 miles and all said and done it's going to be just under 2,500 miles ridden okay.
And how were the houses coping?
So Hall actually got a cut right below his hoof about two and a half weeks ago, right before our last rescues and it turned into an abscess after. Healed. So he's finally, he's about 90% healthy right now but you know, it's hard for him to stand still, but he's almost there. I think by next week, he'll be ready to go again but Gami has been carrying the weight the last, you know, 300 miles or so and she's ready for her to get back in and join the team again.
But at the end of the day, we have to do right by the horse and we won't push hall when he's not ready and we'll just continue to make adjustments and you know because if we don't make it altogether, then I don't view this trip as an accomplishment. We have to finish this trip as one, just like we started because those horses Hall and Gami are my family. So it's just so important to remember that.
I love the way you call them, your family we've been chatting for I don't know 20 minutes and I uh yeah yeah um so there was a post, I think it was a couple of days ago that you was riding with a couple of horses. Was that from the last ranch that you were working
actually we had two people that worked at the Colorado horse rescue and two friends of mine out who wanted to come ride from Colorado to Kansas. We rode about 15 miles together and we rode to the Kansas border and they are a 16 and 17 years old and are up and coming trainers in the industry and they kind of have a like-minded view on horsemanship. It was just a blast to have them along and I tell you what though, when you're talking I'm 33 and cause I'm like 15 years older than they are.
They love to go a little bit faster than I did the next day. I was a little sore after riding those youngsters but it was a good time.
That's so funny, you calling them youngsters, oh my goodness um have you ever heard of Warrick Schiller he has a brilliant podcast, have you ever listened to any podcasts?
I don't know Warwick but my mentor is good friends with him and I spoke with him briefly before this strand. I love his mindset on horses and his values. He's just sounds like a really great man.
Yeah always just listened to his latest podcast, tonight on my drive home and you should listen to that one yeah, you should listen to it I'm not going to say any more but you should listen to that one. He says a good one. Um, yeah I was so lucky to meet work for about 10 minutes. When he came to the UK, he was doing a clinic and I won a ticket.
You could go and just watch I didn't take my horse and I went to watch him do a clinic and I remember going into the building and I saw this chat with it with a Stetson on and I thought, Hm, I think that's Warwick it looks like Warwick so I went to him, says, hi, are you Warwick can he says, yeah, hi, I'm Ronnie and he shook my head and, and he says, oh hi and, and introducing me to his son Tyler and I said, oh, why I've just won a ticket to come and see you. So I'm really excited.
Um, cause I was, I was aware of you before and I was watching you on YouTube and following you. So, this is a big thing for me, but anyway, thank you very much and I'll let you get on and I went off and watched his clinic and that was quite a few years ago.
And then I've been listening to his podcasts and I loved them because he talks, openly about everything and how he's changing and a few things that he's talked about, not on his scale but I think, yeah, I understand that I am going through my journey and that's happened to me. So it's, it's not just about horses is about it's about life, which I really, really like and that's what your work is going to be about as well, or is about
I love it.
Good okay so is there anything else you'd like to chat about because I know you've got to get on and you're on the road still, so you probably want to get where, where you need to go.
Well, I would love to, maybe as we get closer to the finish, come back on and kind of talk with you a little bit more, but you know, I can tell that your energy is amazing Ronnie and you sound like a, just a great, great soul and it's like, you have the horse's best interests at heart.
And we have a very similar philosophy and I'm just so fortunate and blessed be on here with you and hopefully we can carry this kind of relationship over into a friendship furniture as a common, I'm just trying to make the most out of this experience and get to know as many amazing people and horses as we can and just take it one day at a time and give back more than that. So if we give more than we take, and I think we've lived one heck of a yeah.
Yeah I think that's quite said sentence to end on um I would love to chat with him or normally my interviews as an hour or so but it's hard for you to, if you're trying to concentrate because the signals fluctuating. So, but we can do this again. We can arrange to do it and hopefully it'd be a better connection or we can do it straight to Facebook and we can just go live on there if that's okay with you.
Yeah, maybe this can be part one and then we can put together part two and I'm not in the middle of nowhere so I think that would be awesome.
Absolutely, absolutely yes you're not the first person I've done more than one interview with and it's quite fun but thank you so much for coming on and stopping, what you're doing in your busy day and your busy schedule. I'm so excited to hear the next part and I think the people that are see this we'll, we'll get a, and hopefully they'll go to your page and, and donate because it's a charity isn't it?
Yes, it is yeah but it's all for charity and nonprofit.
Brilliant okay unless you want to say anything else, do you want to say anything else or are you ready to go?
Uh no, thank you so much and I would love to see if we can get kind of better service when I'm here next time.
Okay I'm just going to pop you back out like I did earlier and say, bye. And then we can have a quick chat before you. Okay, thank you. Thanks Patrick. So cut them off to see I'm so sorry. Um, wow. What a guy really interesting. I can't wait to chat to me again. So sorry about the connection but sometimes that happens that's life. It doesn't matter. You've got a gist of, of who he is.
I will post links to his Facebook page and his website and then you can read up about him and get some more background on what it is he's doing. So thank you very much for first all when I'm by and for your comments and your messages really, really appreciate that. like I said, it doesn't matter if one person's watching this or you know, 20 it's just getting messages out there and it's connecting like-minded people.
So take care, have a lovely weekend and the rest bite from the hot weather and thank you very much from Ronnie at equine voices. Take care and bye for now, bye.