The Landy Peek Podcast

Episode #93 Trust Is Built Before Anyone Asks Anything of You

Trust isn't built when you ask for something. It's built long before that moment ever arrives. Before a horse accepts a halter, lifts a hoof, or follows your lead, they're studying you. They're paying attention to whether you're predictable, consistent, attentive, and safe to be around. People do the same thing. In this episode, we're sharing our first two days working with Denny, the wild mustang yearling we were matched with through the Mustang Challenge. Joined by my daughter Tegan and son Isaac, we talk about the unexpected milestones, surprising moments, and the foundation that made them possible. What surprised us wasn't what Denny learned. It was how much trust had already been built before we ever asked anything of her. Together we explore: • Why relationship comes before training • The surprising progress Denny made in her first two days • What horses teach us about trust, safety, and connection • How choice creates confidence • Why calm training isn't boring—it's the goal • The balance between trusting a horse and respecting that they're still a horse • What happens when you stop focusing on outcomes and start paying attention to the relationship This conversation goes far beyond horses. It's about leadership, parenting, relationships, and the reality that trust is rarely built in the big moments. It's built in the hundreds of small interactions that happen beforehand. Because before anyone follows your lead, they're deciding whether they feel safe with you.

Episode #92 We can't save 63,000 horses. But we can change one life.

What happens when a mother and daughter open the email that will shape their entire summer? In this special episode of The Landy Peek Podcast, Landy and Tegan finally learn which Devil's Garden Mustang yearling they'll be training through the Wild Rose Mustang Challenge—and the reaction is everything. But this episode is about more than a horse assignment. It's about the complex reality of America's wild horse population, the thousands of horses currently living in government holding facilities, and the opportunity to make a difference one horse at a time. Landy shares a thoughtful look at the conversations surrounding wild horse management, adoption, and training while exploring why horses have such a remarkable ability to read human energy, emotion, and authenticity. From nervous system science to herd dynamics, this episode examines what horses can teach us about trust, leadership, congruence, and connection. You'll also hear the story of Maddie the Clydesdale, lessons from liberty work, and why horses don't respond to who we pretend to be—they respond to who we actually are. And then comes the moment you've been waiting for: The email opens. The screaming starts. And Denny officially becomes part of the family. IN THIS EPISODE: * The reality behind America's wild horse population * Why over 60,000 wild horses currently live in holding facilities * The role of adoption and training programs in creating better futures for mustangs * What horses teach us about trust, leadership, and authenticity * The science of horse-human co-regulation * Lessons from liberty work and joining up * Why horses read energy better than most humans * The emotional story of Landy and Tegan meeting their summer mustang * The official reveal of Denny, their Devil's Garden yearling CONNECT WITH LANDY Follow the journey as Landy and Tegan document every step of training their wild mustang yearling this summer. Instagram: @landy_peek

Episode #91 The Summer of the Mustang: From Numbers to Nicknames

This summer, my daughter Tegan and I are taking on a new adventure: training a wild mustang yearling through Wild Rose Mustang Advocacy Group. Before we've even been matched with our horse, we've had the opportunity to spend time caring for and observing the 10 yearlings that recently arrived from Devil's Garden, California. In this episode, we're sharing our first impressions of the herd, the personalities that are already emerging, and the horses that have captured our attention. We talk about: • What it was like watching the mustangs come off the trailer for the first time • How horses establish a pecking order and what we are learning by observing herd dynamics • The subtle body language horses use to communicate • Why trust, awareness, and presence matter when working with wild horses • Our favorite yearlings and which horses we're hoping to be matched with • What it's like for an 11-year-old to step into a herd of young mustangs • The lessons these horses are already teaching us before training even begins This episode is part of our Summer of the Mustang series, where we'll be documenting the entire journey from meeting our horse to the final Mustang Challenge showcase. If you love horses, wild mustangs, animal behavior, or simply hearing stories about growth, connection, and learning something new alongside your kids, you'll enjoy this conversation. Connect with Landy: Instagram: @landy_peek Website: www.landypeek.com [http://www.landypeek.com/] Follow along on Instagram @landy_peek to meet the herd, see the horses, and follow our journey through the 2026 Mustang Challenge.

Episode #90 A Summer with a Wild Mustang

’ve been drawn to wild horses since I was a little kid. There’s something about them that taps into something deep inside people — the freedom, the instinct, the untamed aliveness. This summer, my daughter Tegan and I are stepping into something completely new as we train a wild mustang yearling through the Wild Rose Mustang Advocacy Group here in Colorado. In this episode, I share my history with horses growing up in Montana, becoming a therapeutic riding instructor in my twenties, reconnecting with horses again in midlife, and why this experience feels so meaningful to me right now. We also talk about the Devil’s Garden mustangs arriving from Northern California, what makes wild horses so fascinating through the lens of the nervous system, and why I think horses have a lot to teach humans right now. This is the beginning of our summer journey training a wild mustang and I’m taking you along for the ride. Want to learn more about the Wild Rose Mustang Advocacy Group You can learn more about their work, training programs, and mustang advocacy on their website www.wildrosemagic.org [http://www.wildrosemagic.org].

Episode #89 If You Feel Lost Right Now, Listen to This

⚠️ Explicit Content Warning: This episode contains conversations around grief, trauma, war, emotional despair, and mental health themes that may be sensitive for some listeners. In this deeply moving episode of the Landy Peek Podcast, Landy sits down with writer, teacher, mystic, and creative guide Ellen Laura for a conversation about grief, creativity, identity, and the path back to yourself after life changes you forever. After losing her first husband in the Vietnam War at just 19 years old, Ellen shares how trauma and heartbreak became the catalyst for reclaiming her voice, creativity, and sense of purpose. Together, Landy and Ellen explore how beauty, connection, and small daily acts of creativity can become lifelines during seasons of despair. This episode is a powerful reminder that healing does not require becoming someone new. Sometimes it begins with listening to music, setting the table beautifully, planting flowers, or allowing yourself to feel connected again. IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE: * How grief impacts identity and creativity * Why beauty can become a gateway back to healing * The danger of isolation during emotional pain * How creativity exists far beyond art or writing * Why “watering what’s still alive” matters more than chasing giant solutions * The connection between creativity, emotional resilience, and healing * How archetypes influence relationships, purpose, and self-expression * Reclaiming your authentic voice after trauma and loss * The difference between forcing transformation and allowing gradual reconnection QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE “You have no choice. If you don’t find a way to reclaim yourself, you will sink into a pit of despair.” — Ellen Laura “Beauty is the first step to awakening.” — Ellen Laura “Don’t focus only on what’s misaligned. Nurture what’s still alive.” — Ellen Laura “Creativity can look like setting the table, planting flowers, turning on music instead of isolating.” — Landy Peek ABOUT ELLEN LAURA Ellen Laura is a writer, meditation teacher, mystic, human design analyst, and creative mentor who has spent decades helping others reconnect with creativity, healing, and spiritual insight. Her work explores grief, archetypes, creativity, transformation, and reclaiming meaning after loss. She is the author of Love in the Shadow of Saigon and the creator of the upcoming creativity reclamation project Blossom. CONNECT WITH ELLEN LAURA * Website: Ellen Laura Official Website  [https://ellenmlaura.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] LISTEN IF YOU’VE EVER… * Felt disconnected from yourself after loss or burnout * Wondered how to reclaim joy and creativity again * Been overwhelmed by grief, transition, or emotional exhaustion * Felt pressure to “fix” yourself quickly * Needed a reminder that healing can begin with very small steps * Wanted permission to reconnect with beauty, softness, and creativity If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who may need this conversation today. 🎙️ Subscribe to the Landy Peek Podcast for more conversations on healing, creativity, identity reclamation, emotional resilience, and living fully alive.