WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.439 --> 00:00:03.120 It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. 2 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:06.519 What a great idea on iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:14.080 Welcome to Maria's MutS and Stuff. And with me is 4 00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:18.199 the author of Running Free. It's Amy Cullen. So, Amy, 5 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.519 thanks for chatting with me today. I'm excited to ask 6 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:23.679 you a million questions. 7 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:25.519 Thank you so much for having. 8 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:30.320 Me absolutely so Okay, So you started out as a lawyer, okay, 9 00:00:30.359 --> 00:00:33.960 and then ultimately obviously Running Free is about your time 10 00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:36.479 and what you still do is taking care of horses 11 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:40.880 on a dude ranch, which is really cool. What made 12 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:44.520 you to decide to go from being a lawyer to 13 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:46.880 doing well? I guess what was really in your heart? 14 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:49.799 But what made you decide to actually pull the band 15 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:50.640 aid off and do it? 16 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:56.359 I don't think there's ever any one thing. I initially 17 00:00:56.399 --> 00:00:59.679 went to the ranch on vacation with one of my 18 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:03.560 friends who I had ridden horses with growing up. And 19 00:01:03.719 --> 00:01:07.200 you know, I went to college, got my degree. I'd 20 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:10.760 like toyed with the idea of like riding professionally at 21 00:01:10.760 --> 00:01:14.519 that point, but wasn't really sure. And I always figured 22 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:16.680 I could get a law degree because it could always 23 00:01:16.680 --> 00:01:19.680 help guide with like business and legal decisions of horses. 24 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:21.920 And if I want to do that as a profession. 25 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:27.480 But very similar to many people, I'd graduated, passed the bar, 26 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:30.799 and took the job that paid good money and kind 27 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:34.599 of set my thought on a different path. And so 28 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:39.239 when I was vacationing at the Sealy's U ranch, I 29 00:01:39.319 --> 00:01:41.760 just kind of had this moment where I was like, 30 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:43.760 I think I want to take a break and be 31 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:48.840 a wrangler. And I Maryland was barred DC Maryland at 32 00:01:48.840 --> 00:01:52.400 the time, and Maryland had reciprocity with Colorado. So when 33 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:55.840 I was waving into the bar in Colorado, I basically 34 00:01:55.959 --> 00:01:58.719 quit my job, took a sabbatical. I kept my big 35 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:02.319 toe in the whole time. But yeah, just went from 36 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:07.079 making my six figure DC lawyer salary to ten dollars 37 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:07.680 an hour. 38 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:08.520 On a new branch. 39 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:11.719 That's so yeah, yeah, yeah. 40 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:15.080 And I worked as a wrangler for about six months 41 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:18.479 at that ten dollars an hour, and I just honestly 42 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:19.800 the best six months. 43 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:20.400 Of your life. 44 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:22.719 That's what my entire career. Yeah. 45 00:02:22.759 --> 00:02:23.080 Sure. 46 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:25.000 Well they always say to you know, do what you 47 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:28.080 love and love what you do, And I mean, that's 48 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:30.080 what you did, which is really cool, you know what 49 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:32.599 I mean, Like, I think a lot of people when 50 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:34.199 they get out of school and they think, Okay, I 51 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:36.240 have to do this, or they think this is the 52 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:37.080 path I should take. 53 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:40.199 And I know, I mean many people, even friends. 54 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:43.360 Of mine, who are now looking at retirement, but they 55 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:45.919 never really did that thing that they really wanted to do. 56 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:48.639 So I think it's really awesome that you you had 57 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:51.680 the guts and you did it and you're doing it still. 58 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:54.520 Yeah, thank you. 59 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:54.840 Yeah. 60 00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:57.159 I've been at the ramps now almost thirteen years. And 61 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:00.960 the thing that I just it was never that I plan. 62 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:05.120 It just kind of organically happened, and I just let 63 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:09.080 myself stay open that anything that might have, like any 64 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:13.599 possibilities out there as opposed to you know, yeah, like 65 00:03:13.639 --> 00:03:15.319 I must be a lawyer because this is what I 66 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:18.039 got my degree in and right, but all my student loans. 67 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:20.240 Are in Yeah, no, of course, of course. But I 68 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:22.479 just think I just think it's really cool. And obviously, 69 00:03:23.560 --> 00:03:25.840 you know, we'll talk about the book, of course, but 70 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:28.000 som Emma is. 71 00:03:27.960 --> 00:03:30.039 At her name emm e Emma. 72 00:03:30.919 --> 00:03:34.800 You are emm Emmy, Okay, so Emmy in the book 73 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:36.560 is really you correct? 74 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:37.240 Yes? 75 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:42.560 Yeah, yes, so, And the book Running Free is about 76 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:46.120 the sea lazy U ranch in Colorado that actually back 77 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:48.879 in October of twenty twenty, and it was it's kind 78 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:51.520 of eerie to talk to you now because of the 79 00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:55.240 wildfires that were happening and saving over you know, saving 80 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:59.319 two hundred horses from the wildfires, which is kind of 81 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:01.759 eerie to me, as you know, I mean I read 82 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:03.879 it before things started to happen, and then I realized, 83 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:06.599 like we're talking now, and this is what people are 84 00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:09.840 going through in Los Angeles and you went through it, 85 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:10.879 you know. 86 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:15.520 Yeah, so let's yeah, yeah, absolutely, so let's. 87 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:15.960 Talk about that. 88 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:19.839 I mean, because it's it's very you know, obviously your 89 00:04:19.879 --> 00:04:22.399 book is a true story, but it's very real, and 90 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:25.720 just to read it and be thinking about because we're 91 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:28.480 all seeing, you know, the animals and the horses and 92 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:32.079 people who are affected by the wildfires. 93 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:35.800 You know, after the fire hit our rand, it's called 94 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:40.240 the East Troublesome Fire in October of twenty twenty, and 95 00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:43.600 being from the East coast, like I had no experience 96 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:48.720 with wildfires. Sure I found you know, some old files 97 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:51.160 in the bar and that was talked about like spray 98 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:55.279 painting the horses, cutting the fence, pushing them towards the reservoir, 99 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.279 but they were they were so dated it probably meant 100 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:03.199 area has been you know, built up since those files 101 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:06.879 were made. So yeah, what I when the fire hit us, 102 00:05:07.000 --> 00:05:10.360 Like what dawned on me was how not like ill 103 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:14.040 prepared I was, and watching even what's going on in 104 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:17.160 LA right now, I don't you can be as prepared 105 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:20.879 as possible, But like, I think what I learned the 106 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:23.000 most from the fire is that no matter what, you 107 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:25.360 are going to have to rely on your neighbors and 108 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:28.279 your community, right and all those around you to actually 109 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:28.720 help you. 110 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:32.040 Right, Yeah, I'm sure. I mean, I'm sure. 111 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:36.480 It's I mean, I can't imagine like living through it 112 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:38.680 and you did. I mean, because you're right, like, you're 113 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:41.040 so prepared. We're all prepared, we think we are for 114 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:45.040 an emergency, but when you're actually in it, I mean, 115 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:48.120 you know, and you're amazing because you got through it 116 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:50.800 and you had your wits about you and you saved 117 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:51.560 all these horses. 118 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:57.040 Yeah, yeah, but yes it was. But it was definitely a. 119 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:01.959 Chaotic, emotional, terrifying per in my life. And after you know, 120 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:04.000 all was well and we were able to return home 121 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:07.879 with all the horses, that's when I basically started writing 122 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:12.480 down everything that happened, because one thing I didn't want 123 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:16.120 to lose was my like my memory of what would happened, 124 00:06:16.120 --> 00:06:19.279 so that I could basically help somebody in the future. 125 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.519 But yeah, and but I but I guess that's the 126 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:25.800 whole point is even though I want to help people, 127 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:28.160 like the thing that I guess you need more than 128 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:31.319 anybody is in anything as a network and like phone 129 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:35.199 numbers and people to call when the emergency happens, because 130 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:38.560 it is just it's so chaotic. You need to rely 131 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:39.360 on other people. 132 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:42.680 Sure, and as well as anyone who knows. I mean, 133 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:44.720 I don't know a lot about horses, but I know 134 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:47.920 more about dogs. But you know, horses to me are 135 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:51.000 like bigger dogs. The fact that you can't be panicking 136 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:53.839 because that will make the animal panic as well. 137 00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:54.879 Correct. 138 00:06:55.560 --> 00:06:58.800 Oh yeah, like we had you know, we have over 139 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:01.199 two hundred horses on our and we had to load 140 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:04.920 them into various types of trailers and various types of 141 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:08.120 the day at night, and you know, it's as like 142 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:12.079 somebody that does horses professionally, like you need to stay calm. 143 00:07:12.519 --> 00:07:15.600 They pull off of your energy just like dogs. Like 144 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.480 I have dogs as well, So it's it's very similar. 145 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:22.240 Yeah. Yeah, they're like big dogs, you know. 146 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:25.360 I mean that's what when I had my dog and 147 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:27.600 we would see horses on the street, like police horses 148 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:29.120 and be like, oh, look that's just a big dog. 149 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:33.879 Don't worry, it's it's you know, it's but yeah, just 150 00:07:33.959 --> 00:07:38.319 as a side thing. So see Lazy U Ranch. I'm 151 00:07:38.360 --> 00:07:40.759 just fascinated by that name. Do you know where that 152 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:41.560 name came from? 153 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:46.319 Yeah, So it's been a Ceelasy Ranch has been a 154 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:49.600 guest ranch since nineteen ninety. The original name of the 155 00:07:49.720 --> 00:07:53.639 ranch was called the f Flash Ranch, and they renamed it, 156 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:54.439 I want to say in. 157 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:56.240 The forties okay. 158 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:58.639 And they came up with a letter C and it's 159 00:07:58.759 --> 00:08:02.439 like a lazy which is basically you laying on its side, 160 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:07.079 because that was what the creek looked like from aerial, 161 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:08.560 like an aerial viewpoint. 162 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:09.279 It looked like a. 163 00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:10.920 Big sea and a lazy U. 164 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:12.800 So that's how the ranch got its name. 165 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:13.839 Got it okay? 166 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:17.600 And the ranch was damaged correct back in the fire 167 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:20.360 in twenty two. Yeah, so what was how much of 168 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:23.279 that damage was done by the fires? 169 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:23.759 Yeah? 170 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:27.800 So we lost our historic barn that was a big 171 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:32.240 bomber charm. We lost a guest cabin. We lost two 172 00:08:32.759 --> 00:08:37.000 staff housing units, we lost eight member homes that are 173 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:40.120 on the property, We lost all of our hay or 174 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:44.039 hay shed, and we lost one thing you don't think 175 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:47.519 about is all your fencing. You know, we're about eighty 176 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:50.960 five hundred acre ranch and we have fencing all over 177 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:54.200 the ranch to move the horses and keep the horses, 178 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:58.200 and a lot of our fencing burned, even though it 179 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:01.879 wasn't a structure to you know, obviously get all that 180 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:04.000 fencing back. It's not easy. 181 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:07.720 Sure, of course, I'm sure. I'm sure. Yeah. 182 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:11.519 And since then, I mean now it's what it's four years, 183 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:15.720 four plus years later year, yeahs have everything like have 184 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:20.919 structure has been rebuilt, replaced or is it still in process? 185 00:09:21.960 --> 00:09:23.120 It's still processed. 186 00:09:23.559 --> 00:09:27.639 We just started building the guest cabin and the barn. 187 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:30.360 We have like a temporary tent that we've been working 188 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:33.639 out of and we don't have plans currently to rebuild 189 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:35.519 the barn, but I imagine in the next couple of 190 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.159 years we'll kind of get to work on that. We've 191 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:41.240 redone a lot of the fencing, we've done the hayshiad. 192 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:45.000 I'd say about half the member homes that burned have 193 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.960 been replaced, and why we didn't replace the staff housing 194 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:52.600 units that burned on ranch. We've found other staff housing 195 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.960 units in town, so to slow process. And the land, 196 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:00.559 I mean, living and working here, you still see, like 197 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:03.600 it's still very obvious we had a big fire because 198 00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:08.240 so many of the trees are burned. But yeah, but 199 00:10:08.279 --> 00:10:11.320 one thing that's cool that started to happen more so 200 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.120 in the last two years, I would say, is the 201 00:10:13.159 --> 00:10:17.519 amount of aspen groves that are going up where so 202 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:20.440 you can kind of see the soil and the flowers 203 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:22.759 and the trees. So there's a lot of regrowth. It's 204 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:24.200 just gonna take years. 205 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:26.639 Sure, but that's great though. At least it's starting. You know, 206 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:29.000 like that has to make you feel so good. And 207 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:30.399 when you start to see some of. 208 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:34.759 That, oh yeah, absolutely. The spring, so twenty twenty one, 209 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:39.000 the spring after the fire, we had this like beautiful 210 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:42.879 fire weed that came up in every area that was burned, 211 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:46.799 and it's this big, bright orange, this red flower, and 212 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:51.240 so everything that had burned in October that following spring, 213 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:55.320 like everything was like just floral and beautiful, where like 214 00:10:55.399 --> 00:10:57.480 the soil had been burned really bad. So that was 215 00:10:57.519 --> 00:10:59.480 pretty incredible to see, right. 216 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:01.879 Right, Yeah, I mean nature is incredible, you know, and 217 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:03.799 that's like a perfect example. 218 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:04.200 Yeah. 219 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:07.679 Yeah, so I thought of you because I and I'm 220 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:10.320 sure you saw this too with all the different you know, 221 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:13.960 videos or whatever we're seeing from Los Angeles, and you 222 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.600 can tell me this I saw and I guess it 223 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:20.320 went viral and it was someone who was rescuing. It 224 00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:22.600 was a video of someone who was rescuing a horse 225 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:26.000 and the horse turned around and went back because there 226 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:30.120 were two of its horse friends two other horses and 227 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:33.960 kind of like corraled them, and then the other horses 228 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:35.879 like saw that horse, and then the three of them 229 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:39.200 trotted towards the person who was helping. Is that like 230 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:42.679 a common horse behavior, like almost like a pack mentality? 231 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:43.480 Is that correct? 232 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:47.720 Absolutely? Yeah, I actually saw that video. Like you know, 233 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.600 horses that we have a big herd of horses, and 234 00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:54.399 horses have that herd mentality, and there's all different hierarchies 235 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:55.639 and lead mares. 236 00:11:55.799 --> 00:11:57.799 But yeah, they're very attached. 237 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:01.759 So it wouldn't It would very similar things happened here, 238 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:05.720 Like when horses got separated from their friends, you know, 239 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:08.159 they'll call and scream to each other, but yeah, they'll 240 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:11.240 absolutely go back to try to round up their friends 241 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:13.679 if that's if they're not with them. 242 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:16.600 Yeah, No, that's so cool. I mean, that's so yeah. 243 00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:18.559 I just I mean that's what I thought, and I 244 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:20.360 was like, oh, that's just so so cool. 245 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:23.279 That's why we love these animals so much, you know 246 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:28.519 so much. So speaking of horses, so for someone who 247 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:32.919 is listening, what is something that from your vast knowledge 248 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:36.039 of horses? And maybe it's more than one thing, but 249 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:39.080 what's one thing that probably most people don't know about 250 00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:42.960 horses or is there one thing that I mean, I 251 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:44.320 mean there might not be I know, I don't mean 252 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:47.840 to put you on the spot, but something I don't. 253 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:50.559 Know, and maybe they might not be because you know, 254 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:52.080 I don't know. 255 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:55.919 Well, no, there's so many things. I mean, I don't 256 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:59.080 know how many much people know about. 257 00:12:58.879 --> 00:12:59.480 Horses or not. 258 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:02.919 But like the one thing I always try to say 259 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:06.320 to people that don't work or ride, you know, for 260 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:08.360 fun or for a living, is that you know, they're 261 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:11.759 so intuitive and they can read your emotions and they 262 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:18.279 can they're an animal that feels things versus so they 263 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:21.519 feel your energy, they feel your emotions. So if you're 264 00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:25.679 having a bad day, you're gonna have a bad interaction 265 00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:28.320 with a horse if you're letting that kind of carry 266 00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:30.759 you through. So it's one of those things they always 267 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:33.559 say horses are a mirror to your soul, and it's 268 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:35.759 a great way of kind of being able to check 269 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:38.759 yourself and be like, even though I'm having a bad day, 270 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:42.799 I can't let my energy interfere with my communication with 271 00:13:42.840 --> 00:13:45.519 a horse. So horses, I would say, the one thing 272 00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:48.000 that I've gotten really good at through my career and 273 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:52.080 through my life of having horses is compartmentalizing even though 274 00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:55.879 you know the fire might be happening, a boyfriend would 275 00:13:55.879 --> 00:14:00.080 have broken up with me whatever, whatever I or is like, 276 00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:03.440 if you keep that at the forefront of what you're doing, 277 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:04.840 that they will pick up on it. 278 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:06.080 Well they don't want to be. 279 00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:10.759 Around you then sure, and people don't want to be either, Yeah, exactly. 280 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:14.240 Yeah, So I think it translates a lot over to 281 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.679 your interactions with humans and leadership on how to be 282 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:21.799 the best person you can be in a moment. And 283 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.480 that's the other thing. Like courses, it's all they live. 284 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:27.000 In a moment. They don't remember and they don't know 285 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:27.600 what's coming. 286 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:30.320 So in that moment they're just trying to trust and 287 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:33.039 communicate with you. So it's just I think the biggest 288 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:35.679 thing that I've gotten out of courses is just I've 289 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:38.600 really learned how to be present rather than try to 290 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:41.679 worry about the future, dwell on maybe what has happened. 291 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:45.000 Right. Oh no, that's great. That's like so I felt back, 292 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:46.159 I's putting you on the spot. 293 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:49.600 But that's like a that's like a bonus what you 294 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:50.039 just said. 295 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:50.919 That's really cool. 296 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:53.080 No, thank you for sharing that, because I mean for 297 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:56.519 people who don't really know, I think that's really it's 298 00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:59.559 a very good tip, especially if someone's like listening and said, oh, 299 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:01.320 you know what, always wanted to go ride a horse, 300 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:03.799 so maybe I will. You just gave them like a 301 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:06.679 pearl of wisdom to bring with them. So that so thanks, 302 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:09.399 that's perfect. Yeah, perfect. 303 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:13.159 So Running Free is the book? Do you have? 304 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:15.679 Were there things in the book that you left out 305 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:20.759 that could be a sequel or everything you have in 306 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:22.759 Running Free? 307 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:25.840 I mean, you know, I don't know if I would 308 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:28.960 write a sequel, but it was my first book. Oh, 309 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:31.240 I mean, now looking back on it, you know I 310 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:32.840 wish I had I wish I'd done this. 311 00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:35.919 Differently, But no, it started out as. 312 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:38.919 A memoir, which I found very difficult to write. I 313 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:41.639 just really struggled with like writing about myself and about 314 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:44.639 what happened from like a personal perspective. So I was 315 00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:47.240 able to kind of create characters and the book kind 316 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:52.240 of evolved from there. The two of the storylines that 317 00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:56.039 I think I'm most proud of is the one, like 318 00:15:56.519 --> 00:15:59.159 there are two messages within the book. I'd probably say 319 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:01.480 the one is, you know, I work with a lot 320 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:04.320 of young girls, like twenty year olds are in college 321 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:06.559 that aren't sure what they want to do with their life, 322 00:16:06.679 --> 00:16:09.159 or they got a degree in this and they're questioning 323 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:11.759 that decision now that they've like had some time in 324 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:15.519 their job, and so you know, i'd love I love 325 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:19.759 my personal journey where it's like it doesn't I was, 326 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:22.159 you don't have to be so boxed in of like 327 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:24.399 check all the check boxes of what you think you 328 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:27.840 need to do by a certain age, and just encouraging 329 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:30.960 you know, people to stay open to what's out there. 330 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:34.360 I love. I love that that message got put into 331 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:37.320 the book, and then we spoke on it earlier just 332 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:41.600 about the wildfire and you know, not being prepared and right, 333 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:44.200 you know, the beauty of relying on your community and 334 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:48.000 your neighbors to help you. I mean that story to 335 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:50.840 me is just one that I think, you know, we'll 336 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:55.200 just kind of never die because every natural disaster tragedy 337 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:57.879 out there, you just see people helping each other, which 338 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:00.200 is always a great thing to be a part of. 339 00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:03.559 No, absolutely, I mean it actually, and reading the book 340 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:06.160 it made me feel good about people again because that, 341 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:08.960 you know, people really, I think, deep down are good 342 00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:11.279 when they get off social media and don't fight about 343 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:13.640 stupid politics or stuff, you know, because that's what I 344 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:16.759 feel like, you know, that makes people like, oh, like 345 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:19.680 politics have no place in social media and all that. 346 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:23.680 Deep down you know, people are for the most part, 347 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:29.039 most people are good and wired well to and when 348 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:31.680 there is need, they come through. 349 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:36.920 And we see that in your book, So I completely 350 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:37.279 get that. 351 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:39.079 Yeah. 352 00:17:39.079 --> 00:17:41.799 And when the fire happened, I mean it was October 353 00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:44.599 of twenty twenty, so it was like a bitter election year. 354 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:46.960 People just nobody seemed to like each other. 355 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:51.680 That's kind of what brought it to like ahead for 356 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:54.440 me was even though all that was going on, it 357 00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:57.359 was all forgotten when it came down to it. 358 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:01.079 Sure, And it was also COVID was it was all right. 359 00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:05.240 It was the first six months of COVID. Yeah, that's right, 360 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:09.799 because that was yeah, yeah crazy as much. 361 00:18:09.640 --> 00:18:12.400 As like, you know, I think I personally struggle with 362 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:14.359 social media and you're. 363 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:16.240 Getting wrapped up in it and I'm not. 364 00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:20.119 Liking it, but it, honestly, when I it was one 365 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.720 of the things that saved us, Yes, because we were 366 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:25.680 able to go on to social media and communicate that 367 00:18:25.720 --> 00:18:29.319 we needed help and the amount of people that responded, 368 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:33.279 like we people that so many people saw the post 369 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:35.920 on social media and that's what made them hook up 370 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:37.519 their truck and trailer to come help us. 371 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:40.200 Wow. Yeah, yes, I get that. I get that, And 372 00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:42.119 that goes back to what we said. I mean, I 373 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:46.359 feel like I have like a like hate relationship with 374 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:48.920 it in the sense that I like it for that 375 00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:51.680 reason when you need to get a message out and 376 00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:55.240 social media is just there's no other way, you know, 377 00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:58.720 think back of people making phone calls or sending out flyers. 378 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:01.359 Social media it's so immediate. 379 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:04.559 But the part I hate, obviously is the you know, 380 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:07.759 people just being nasty and stupid because I think they 381 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:11.079 need hobbies or they need to volunteer, you know, get 382 00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:12.640 a job, a volunteer somewhere. 383 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:16.200 No, but that's great, A great. 384 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:19.160 I know, I know it's like everybody who's smart agrees 385 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:23.400 with that, but but no, I think it's amazing that. Uh. 386 00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:26.559 That's the best part about social media is that people 387 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:28.480 do come through and it's a way to get a 388 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:30.839 message out, like for you with the fire and the 389 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:34.920 help and you know, instant. So so for that, we're 390 00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:36.240 grateful for social media. 391 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:37.960 Absolutely. 392 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:41.440 Yeah. So where can my listeners get running free? 393 00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:46.839 So the books available on Amazon, so it's running free 394 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:51.400 on Amazon. And my name, my name is spelled whird, 395 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:53.559 so it's a m I and then Cullens U l 396 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:56.880 Ean And then I also have a website running free 397 00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:59.599 Horses dot com that I'll just link it at Amazon 398 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:05.240 and then the rand se lazyrand dot com. If anybody 399 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:07.559 just wants to know more about like where I work with, 400 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:10.839 how many horses we have, all the programs we have here, 401 00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:14.960