About this episode

Rupert Isaacson interviews Suzie Latchford about the challenges of burnout and sustainability in equine therapy.

In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Suzie Latchford, founder of Heal With Horses in Ontario, Canada — a long‑running equine‑assisted program working with autistic children, families, and communities in a demanding four‑season climate. Suzie shares how Heal With Horses grew organically over more than fifteen years, often without a clear roadmap, and what that growth revealed about sustainability, invisible structure, horse welfare, staff leadership, and practitioner wellbeing. What begins as a conversation about weather and logistics becomes a deeply honest exploration of burnout, menopause, identity, delegation, and the hidden costs of purpose‑driven work. Rather than presenting easy answers, this episode offers lived experience from someone who has stayed in the work long enough to feel its strain — and to find ways through it. From following the child and respecting nature‑led limits, to building mobile animal programs and planning for succession, Suzie reflects on what it really takes to keep equine‑assisted work ethical, human, and sustainable over decades. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon…

People in this episode

Host: Rupert Isaacson

Guest: Suzie Latchford

Topics covered

• burnout
• menopause
• sustainability
• equine therapy
• practitioner wellbeing
• autism
• nature-based limits

Keywords

• burnout
• menopause
• equine therapy
• sustainability
• autistic children
• practitioner wellbeing
• nature-based limits
• staff leadership
• horse welfare

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Heal With Horses

Places: Ontario, Canada

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