The Mustang Discovery Ride: America's Horse on America's Trail

Meet the Team: Hannah Catalino and Lisanne Fear, with Executive Director Lisa Diersen

JA Media Productions Season 1 Episode 1

JA Media Productions 0:07

Welcome to America's Horse on America's Trail with the Mustang Discovery Ride. I'm your host, Julianne Neal. Over the next 12 months we'll be following TIP trainers Hannah Catalina and Lisanne Fear, along with Abilene, Begheera, Chile, Cody, Phin and Rosette and of course, Phyra and Kayuh, as they cross the American Discovery Trail on a quest to bring attention to the plight of America's Mustangs. With a goal of 5000 miles 5000 Mustangs, the Mustang Discovery Ride team hopes to bring attention to adoption into appropriate homes for these Living Legends. We hope that you'll join Hana and was saying on this journey of a lifetime by following the Mustang Discovery Ride Podcast. Enjoy the ride!

Julianne Neal 1:03

In this first podcast episode, you'll meet Hannah Catalina and Lisanne Fear, the two women who will take you on one wild ride over the next year. We'll also introduce Lisa Diersen, Executive Director of the Mustang Discovery Foundation 

Julianne Neal 1:17

LIVE: We're with Lisa Diersen of the Equus Film and Arts Fest, but also the new Executive Director of the Mustang Discovery Foundation, along with Hannah Catalina and Lisanne Fear.
Lisanne Fear 1:31

I'm sorry to interrupt... which camera do we look at?

Julianne Neal 1:34

Just look at me, forget all the cameras. Cameras are not here. I'm the fly on the wall for the rest of this week and so just no matter what's going on, no cameras rolling, right? So welcome again, because that's all part of the journey right? I mean getting used to all of this has got to be kind of different. Lisanne, we'll start with you on this one. Have you carried cameras with you as you've ridden before? Has this been a part of your life before? Is this all brand new? 

Lisanne Fear 2:03

Yeah, I've only ever had my phone with me before and if I filmed any training sessions it was just me hanging a phone off of the fence and that's about it. I've never really been in front of the camera very often so yeah, it's a lot to get used to.

Julianne Neal 2:18

Well Hannah, you travel quite a bit with your your clinics and things like that. Have cameras been a part of your life already? 

Hannah Catalino 2:24

Yeah, actually. Even right before coming here we were filming for two weeks, like three sessions a day and I had two cameras rolling on me at all times. I'm not like loving the camera like all the time, you know, always there but when I have a horse in front of me especially or something like that, you know when I'm doing what I'm doing, then it's not so bad. But yeah, it's still gonna take some getting used to in everyday life you know, it's different than having the cameras on us you know, outside of the round pin, which is gonna be everything.

Julianne Neal  2:45

it's gonna be, you'll get used to it and I can tell already today everything's getting a little bit easier, a little bit more normal. So Lisa, cameras are a no brainer for you. I mean from the Equus Film and Arts Fest on even before that all the things that you've done. We're going to start with you. Tell us a little bit about how you're feeling right now. You've done a lot of work to get things go in and to get this ride started. So give us a little bit of background.

Lisa Diersen 3:23

Well I'm beyond excited for tomorrow. Like I can't stand it. I'm so excited for tomorrow for the girls to ride off to the beach because this has been... It feels like forever but then it feels like so fast. Because I just met them the end at the very end of June at the Art of the Cowgirl Fest out in Montana with our friend Trudy Midas who's like, "oh, the girls need your help." And Julianne knows me well enough to know that it's kind of like, I can't say no when it's something like this and you naturally fit into what our mission is at Equus Film and Arts Fest which is the educational part of getting the horse message out so this is an incredible opportunity.... that's the president flying over. He's going to Delaware to his beach house. Coming from Washington DC, we found out that the little beach we're at happens to be the President's home away from home that he goes to so that's why there seems to be added security at the beach for us versus just riding anywhere else. But when when Trudy said they needed help and I met with them and started to talk with them and went okay, oh boy, okay, we can get this pulled together. And they wanted to do it at the beginning of October and so that was okay, that means we really got to work a little bit harder. But then when we I started to talk to Ross Peddicord, who is the Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board, because of course, Delaware's a very small state, considered to Maryland, and I knew we'd be riding right into Maryland. So I reached out to Ross right away and he's like, well, October 2 is our kickoff for Maryland Horse Month. So what better way to kick off Maryland Horse Month then with the girls and their Mustangs promoting the Mustang Heritage Foundation and finding homes for 5000 Mustangs. So we move the day up the date up tomorrow, September 28. And they'll be at Tuckahoe on October 2 for that event and then moving into Maryland to do some fun things in Maryland throughout the month. 

Julianne Neal  5:50

Well you're gonna hear the term "the girls" a lot over the next year so we're gonna we're gonna move over to the girls. So tell me Hannah, to have you written on the beach before?

Hannah Catalino 5:59

I have a few times I wrote on the beach with one of my first Mustangs I trained It was literally just for a photo op though, just to say I did it but I actually had the had the great honor and privilege to get to travel to New Zealand with some of my friends, the Wilson sisters, and they let me ride some of their horses on on the beach. And man that was, that was a dream come true here to get to ride on those gorgeous beaches. And it was it was quite a trip. So I really enjoyed that. This will be the first time on on these horses.

Julianne Neal  6:32

Right? Right. How about you Lisanne?,

Lisanne Fear 6:34

I've never ridden a horse on the beach before. I've surfed in like three different oceans. But I've never ridden a horse on the beach. So it'll be a first for me. I'm really excited. Well, I'll

Julianne Neal  6:44

Well, I'll tell you I have a little mare that we wrote on the beach years and years ago. And as the tide, the water comes in, the wave goes out, she would try to stay at the edge of the wave. And so we thought we were drunk by the time we go into 100 yards down the beach. So hopefully that won't happen with the Mustangs! I know you're excited. So so stick with you. Lisanne, tell me about how the two of you met. Tell me the first time you ever saw Hannah, what was going on?

Lisanne Fear 7:08

Well, it would have been through Facebook. So back in 2014, we both entered into the same Extreme Mustang Makeover Competition. And at that time, the makeover competitions you didn't get to select your horse at all, you just showed up at a facility and they threw a random horse in your trailer. And then you took off and luckily there was a Facebook group started just for us trainers to kind of interact and share stories and maybe tips and tricks of what was going on. And Hannah was doing some really cool things with Liberty stuff. And I knew like when I went to the competition, like I wanted to meet her in person because I had been following her stuff online through that group. And so yeah, I made it a point when I went to the competition to reach out and met her I was really happy. I was sad that her competition horse actually had to drop out of that competition for something but Hannah still came to the show and showed up and did a demonstration with one of our other Mustangs there so I'm happy it all worked out that way. It's kind of crazy that we got that lucky. Yeah. 

Julianne Neal 8:10

Hannah, do you remember the first time you ever saw Lisanne? 

Hannah Catalino 8:14

So yeah, my first or it wasn't my first make over horse but the horse for that makeover just wasn't 100 day horse and you know, I was really on the fence of whether I would still go or not. But thank goodness. Thank goodness I did otherwise we might not have met. But yeah, I the biggest thing I remember about will say and it was really cool, let's say and I think was even after that makeover, because during the makeover everyone's so busy, everyone's kind of in the zone. I think it was like between like the announcement of the finalist or something like that, but let's say it was just chilling on Phin, her big black Mustang, and she was in a war bridle. So it's just a piece of leather that goes in the horse's mouth but there's nothing else on him and I like oh that's so cool. I've never seen one in person but I think she had done some riding in it and you know, posted it on Facebook and I was like oh, that's so neat. And I think I we went up and I might have talked to her I don't remember the conversation necessarily but i think i think we introduced ourselves to each other just like hey, like I know you but I don't know you. Here I am meeting a person finally. And yeah, we kind of kept in contact ever since. 

Julianne Neal  9:19

That's awesome. Yeah, that's the impression that i have. I've seen the pictures of you standing on the back of your horse. You know, Facebook Fearlessly. Yeah, I wondered if it was she was doing something dramatic The first time you ever

Hannah Catalino 9:32

I recall that's pretty dramatic. I mean, not everybody would be willing to be on their, you know, 100 day Mustang and nothing but a war bridle. I thought it was pretty impressive. 

Lisanne Fear 9:43

I think the photo I shared on Facebook was I had ridden that horse. I had broken my arm during that competition, not because of him. I'm just a bit of a blonde and I walked into a sprinkler and I fractured my wrist. And yeah, so I like had this cast steel on But I ended up riding him in a parade he had only been 70 days out of the wild, bareback and then a war bridle, in my cast, and he was just awesome for it all so yeah I figured if he can handle that if he could handle going to the show and all of that.

Julianne Neal  10:15

So why Mustang? Why Mustangs?

Lisanne Fear 10:20

That's that's a great question. I grew up with Quarter Horses and Paint Horses and wasn't really like ever involved with the "Desert Rats" or ever looked at one and then in college I was pretty broke and looking to ride anything that I could put a little bit of food on the table with and I was able to one of my clients had a Mustang mare that she wanted me to start training to ride and that little mare, she was awesome. Like she just trusted me so much and anything I asked her like if I showed her the way like she would just dive in for it and I was I thought that was so cool and like everything I had ever known as a kid growing up. I was like wow, these horses are really great. And then I was told my client told me to watch Wild Horse, Wild Ride that's about the Extreme Mustang Makeover Competition. And I came back the next day after having watched it and I was like oh my gosh, I really want to do this and she's like I figured you whatever and like she had already printed out the application and filled out a referral and then she had already talked to one of my other clients. She was like she'll fill out the other referral for you and I was like All right, we're locked in and then I got Phin and he was just so awesome he was eating out of my hand the very first night in my clients hands the first night like he's just been such like a stellar guy all the whole time. I will say the next Mustang I got she was really hard I didn't touch her for the first two months didn't ride her for two years. And I think if that had been my first Mustang I might feel a little differently so I owe a lot to my my Mustang Phin and Chileno is actually able to acquire the very first Mustang I ever rode and interacted with she's in my herd now too So yeah, and ever since then, like I just feel like once you get that trust they're willing to do and try anything for you like they really it's a bond with them like I haven't had any experience with any other horse ever before. 

Julianne Neal  12:12

So have you had the same experience Hannah? I mean or has it been...have you had any that were really tough?

Hannah Catalino 12:17

Oh man Yeah. Like I was really like, you know, thankful I got three really, I'll call them pretty easy horses like my first and I was only 17 when I when I started next year, it'll be 10 years that I've been involved in the Mustangs This is really exciting that wasn't planned. But a cool way to celebrate 10 years with with these amazing horses but yeah, my first three were super easy going and I'm like oh yeah, I can do this. I can be a Mustang trainer. And then roset came into my life and Zuko the one that I got for the same nampa Idaho 2014 and then I got another one the next year that was really really challenging and you know at that point I was like 50/50 you know and you know it was it was a good because it pushed me to become better had I just continued to get those easier ones my horsemanship would have never improved but I mean at the time it didn't feel great I'm like I don't know anything about training horses anymore. But you know it pushed me to go and study and intern under people and yeah, like I mean now I'm riding one of these horses that was super challenging and took a couple years to really get her quieted down or I can handle her like a normal horse I think it was like three and a half months in or four months I was haltering her which is pretty crazy and generally haltering in that first week so for her to be that tough was was, you know, but to see her now like that this is a horse I would have never imagined I'd be doing anything like this with you know at one point. So I think that's really cool and I mean for me, one thing you know, really amazing thing about the Mustangs is they are that blank slate I really like love working with that clean slate and last night we were working here, with there's a Mustang here who has a little bit of handling but not not a lot and you know I was just talking about the guy who's like yeah, the most exciting thing is like learning more about them and who they are and I'm like yeah, it's like having a box of chocolate you know, you don't know what this horse is about. And so like peeling away the fear and the layers is just such a rewarding experience to see that horse really bloom into their like potential. So that's one thing that's really rewarding, you know, it might take a long time to get there but it's a it's a lovely like, process you know, and so rewarding to see see the horses progress and I think something else especially the the more difficult ones. They just teach us so much self awareness. I mean for me if I I've had some horses so difficult if I wear a different colored jacket, if I like shift my shoulder wrong, like every little thing. They're paying attention to They've taught me like so much self awareness. Just like what am I signaling to the horse? Because very rarely Is it the horses fault that something happens it's usually we did something and so like, you know, going back and reassessing ourselves ourselves and like what what did we do to you know, cause that reaction and, and kind of taking a step back and breaking things down. That's been a really neat part of the process of, especially with the wild ones and the ones that are a little bit more challenging. 

Julianne Neal  15:30

So, I mean, that makes me wonder, how much do you go back and research the ones that you end up with? Do you find out where they came from? Do you know which herd they were in? Is that part of what you do? Or do you like that blank slate? You don't want to know any of that?

Hannah Catalino 15:46

Yeah, I mean, I always I generally always know where the horse comes from, which I mean there's beauty into and maybe not knowing and not having that preconceived notion of like, Oh, this hurts gonna be easy, I kind of go you know, in it with like a grain of salt. Like, you know, I'm just, I like to know the history, but that horse has that opportunity to prove me wrong, I'm not gonna go in with I mean, one of the herds I work heavily with is the Sulfur Utah Mustangs, I've worked nine Sulphurs, now, and they generally have a more bad reputation for being hot, sensitive horses. They are like the Arabians of the Mustang Community I but I'm riding one, and he's my first one. And I really love the horses, about a third have been really challenging, a third have been kind of intermediate. And then a third have been like, so easy, I use kind of gentle bumps. So you know, it's kind of fun. That's the most I've gentle from, like, most pool of horses from one herd. And it was fun to kind of compare and see them all, but I let them prove to me like what they're all about. I don't like to go in with too much, you know, they're gonna tell me what they're about, I'm gonna give them that chance to tell me. 

Lisanne Fear 17:00

Yeah, I also have a theory like where my horses come from, like, so fins from, like the desert in Nevada. And so like, you can see danger coming from a long ways away, and you have a lot of time to react to that. And so like, there's just like a lower, lower vibe, it's just a lot more chill about life. Whereas like my one mare, that was super reactive, she came out of the mountains of Wyoming where there's actually like a high Cougar, Mountain Lion population. And so I mean, like, around any tree or underneath, like he could be attacked at any time. And so like, she just felt like had like more self aware awareness and was just a lot more quick to react. Whereas Phin was like, it would take him a minute to like, decide to react. But I think like, knowing that environment of like, where they actually came from, like, in my book, like it does make a difference. But like Hannah said, I mean, she's had nine different verses from the same hurt area. So who knows it's just a theory of mine, because my Wyoming ones have been a little bit more difficult than my Nevada one. So I don't know. 

Hannah Catalino 17:58

I know there's definitely something to it though, that word Zuko that I wasn't able to compete with, I think they call them like timber Mustangs or something. And that half of the herd was actually on the plains. And those are the easier ones. Everyone was like, Oh, those horses from that herd are so great. And I was like, great, like, I'm excited. And he was so reactive. I mean, I was still learning a lot too at the time. And, you know, so it was kind of a learning phase. I'm sure things might have been a little differently had I had him now, but I mean, I'm like, I got the one that came from the woods. I feel like I think there's definitely something to that.

Julianne Neal 18:32

So with all those different personalities, how nerve wracking, is it going to be to take the step off the beach and to get on the road and do and go into the unknown with them? I mean, Lisanne, what do you think? Are you worried at all about how they'll react to things?

Lisanne Fear 18:46

Yeah, I mean, I, I can't lie about that. Like I'm riding a horse that I never in a million years thought that I'd be riding across America. He's a good boy, like he has to work really hard to get a "B" passing grade. Maybe, maybe not the brightest horse around but he tries really hard and I really I really enjoy that about him. But he does look and watch things and he's actually from that horse that Hannah was talking about that she's really excited to be writing about across the country that was really difficult for her and took four months to halter. They're actually from the same herd we don't know like, what the chances are of that, but they're from the same herd and I mean, he he can be reactive in the past. Like, I will say, I watched him break a guy's collarbone one time like I was, I was the one in the vehicle driving. And he the guy, there was someone else riding him. We came down the road and I came around a corner and I spooked him and he just like turn so fast like the guy lost and like just fell and hit his collarbone. And so, I mean I witnessed that in front of me and then I took this horse on 27 mile ride with some girls that are riding the Continental Divide trail and we were along a road and like semis were passing us so close, like you could touch them and they really like going 70 miles per hour. And he was perfectly fine. But it was really interesting. Like I want to get to know my horse a little bit better because like, I've given my heart horse up,  like the one that I was doing all the cool things, he's going to the videographer. And so like I don't really no, this horse, so I reached out to an animal communicator to like, see if she could like, help me with, with everything. And she actually told me that he told her that he knows that I'm concerned about him in traffic after watching everything, and that he's fine. And I was like, well, I see that but like, I need to convince myself but like, it was just him like reassuring me again that like, he really is okay, and so yeah, and then we have this wild mule that yeah, that I'm supposed to be leading through everything. And so yeah, we were doing a lot of talking like, with like me traveling so much this summer all over the place. Like I didn't get the chance to really work with any of the horses and like she was super busy with filming different things and working with students and training and taming a whole bunch of other Mustangs and finding them homes that we really didn't get the chance to work with our own horses, like we really thought we would. And so it is a little bit nerve wracking to be here. And we're already making plans to adapt. We might ride the first couple days just on my riding horses and pick up our pack animals a little bit later, like we are super lucky to have the support that we do. Where we're able to kind of put a lot of our excess gear in a trailer and a truck that'll follow us from stop to stop. So we are lucky to like have the support to have the flexibility to be as safe as possible. So that's a little bit more comforting with with all of the unknowns happening.

Julianne Neal  21:47

And they're things you'll work on along the way for sure that you can't even foresee, I'm sure.

Lisanne Fear 21:52

Yeah, that's all part of the adventure.

Lisa Diersen 21:54

365 days of adventure.

Julianne Neal  21:58

Speaking of all that, Lisa, you have been putting in the hours to get everything pulled together and sponsors and all the rest of it. And listen, I know you're the one organizing sort of where you're going the logistics of the ride, right? 

Lisanne Fear 22:12

Yeah, I feel like Lisa is the captain of the ship right now. And like, I'll adjust some rigging on the sails. And yeah, we're super grateful and thankful to have her for sure. Yeah, we need some guidance and life there's a lot there's a large learning curve on multiple fronts right now.

Lisa Diersen 22:30

There's so many people out there to support that, once they find out about the project are so willing to come on board and say oh my gosh shall get involved, like the War Horse Endurance Project, who would have thought we would have been able to get get a virtual ride. And people are already putting their miles in, which has to make you guys feel so excited because even after the year after that is up, that ride now will be continuous in honor of the Mustangs in honor of your 5000 mile ride and Mustang Discovery Ride. So there's something that's kind of going to be there forever. So already, you know you're making an impact you're making when you do things, and involve everyone and make everyone feel like they can come along and be part of it, which is what's fabulous about this is not only are we going to have videographers who've been with Equus before riding along with you and helping to tell the tell the story. People can ride with you people can come and join people can join virtually they can come right along with you, alongside of you all the way across the country. And with the different horse councils and organizations that have already been reaching out like I'm pretty sure you're going to be escorted all the way along across Kansas and Missouri and in Illinois, we have 22 veterans who who have committed to ride with you across the state of Illinois to honor the 22 veterans that commit suicide every day. The the just the power of that takes this to to another level. It's not. It's no longer just the story about finding homes for 500 Mustangs. Now we're showing people what those Mustangs can do, they can work with veterans, they can work with prisons, I have an email today that came in from the prison program in Kansas that wants to make sure that we get involved with them, because they want to they want to be really cool. So you know from from the saddle sponsors to to snack sponsors to water sponsors. People are coming on to help you guys all the way across and then the name of the group that we met up with the first Mustang group they did Delaware horse console, so they're hitting the first horse console. In the first state they're riding with they did an event with them. Yesterday and then the Delaware Mustang and Burro Association is helping them out with loaning them their trailer 

Lisanne Fear 23:39

Actually the American Mustang and Burro Association. America National. Yeah, so they're the head chapter.

Lisa Diersen 25:17

And they're the end they're the only ones in Delaware doing Mustangs right? So they they're helping these girls right away even before the ride started.

Lisanne Fear 25:27

We're actually staying on a place right now where he has nine of his own Mustangs, and that's all that's all he has around here is nothing but Mustangs, which is really cool. So yeah.

Lisa Diersen 25:37

So just spread that message. And tomorrow when you ride off on the beach, we have SueAnne Wells' girls choir from their Mustang Leadership Program, singing the National Anthem as you're going to ride off on the beach. And now they've come up with a song called Mustang Girls, which is another really cool song. So it just is going to keep going and Julianne, last week with her students at school to talk about the bill that's in front of Congress right now the HR 4878 which is about the American Discovery Trail, getting it part of the National Trail System so it's it's gone from this one little idea that when we talked about it, and enjoy the end of June, when Jacqueline first got to meet you who she had no idea when she did the beautiful little interview that's on EQUUS TV right now like kaboom Here we go.

Julianne Neal  26:36

I think that's the exciting thing. Jacqueline Taylor is here right now representing EQUUS TV and she will be along with you for what the first three weeks Jacqueline, so two weeks? I mean, you talk about I will be living vicariously through you and through you because we can't all just get out and go but to be able to watch and see what happens sacrifice. Exactly. Well, that's what I wondered. I mean, you've got labs at home that you're leaving behind for a year or more. Who takes care of all your animals while you're gone?

Lisanne Fear 27:07

Yeah, my critters spread out all over the place. My dad's watching my other dog, my aunt and uncle are watching a couple of my cats. I have two horses in Wyoming I've a donkey in one part of Montana, I have a horse in another part of Montana. I have two horses in Washington, Hannah and I co-own another mule that's also in Washington and like so like I've spread everything out all over the country. And thankfully like again we just have like amazing family and friends that are willing to like help support take care of things back at home.

Julianne Neal  27:38

Well that support that you just mentioned, I love just reading and hearing you say that now, that there are other girls or other people riding these other trails and you're loaning horses, loaning mules, that the support that you'll have for each other that's a camaraderie, a family of Mustang lovers really and so from Lisa like you said from those big huge sponsorship $100,000 and all that to the power of one with just one person giving $5 through a ride, it makes all of us feel like we're right along supporting so it's pretty exciting. So what else is there anything else that you want us to know before you start off? This is our first podcast we're going to catch up with you a lot. And Lisa you mentioned my students will be zooming in and doing some arts integration lessons that go along with this will be podcasting on the way but this is the before the ride. Is there anything we should know?

Lisanne Fear 28:32

I think you should mention your experience with riding.

Hannah Catalino 28:34

My experience with riding? Oh goodness, okay. Okay, well, so we have "Fearless" over here. And then we joke I'm "Fear-ful" so I'm not the right one. This is totally out of my comfort zone but I think it's good for people to you know relate to I mean, I will say...

Lisanne Fear 28:53

I think a lot more people relate to your story than mine.

Hannah Catalino 29:01

Yeah, so I mean I'm a Liberty trainer which means that yeah, I do bareback and riderless work which is a little nerve wracking in itself but and I tame wild mustangs but I also you know I prefer to work with my horses on the ground I really I'm not even like a big time trail rider which might make some people really sad. We were with a lovely group yesterday who were just so in love with trail riding and everything but when I you know for me I like working in the arena and you know, it's a situation an area that's a little bit more controlled and there's not so many variables to be aware, you know, we're working through and things like that and then I like to take my horses out on the trail kind of to cool them off and reward them and I haven't really spent a lot of time on the trails and you know, I live in Montana where I don't, it's normally just me who rides it lets my students around so like I just don't go off into the woods by myself, we've you know, bears and mountain lions and all kinds of things. So yeah and I'm not exactly the bravest writer but at the same time, like having a purpose and motivation behind it I'm really stepping out of my comfort zone to do something that I never imagined I would do. It still kind of thinking in a little bit, I think but I just really wanted to push myself self growth, push my horsemanship, I think another factor that's really inspiring This is that everyone wants to think, oh, like you must have such a strong bond with your Mustangs or you must have such a strong bond with your horses, you know, not just gentling them but also doing liberty and I still feel like something's missing in my relationship with my horses. I really just miss being with them and and things like that, you know, I used to read to my Mustangs if I couldn't touch them that I just read to them and things like that and so I'm really excited to like have such a personal relationship where we're spending every day together and I mean it's really kind of stepping back kind of like our you know, ancestors you know, same with the Mustangs I mean, we're starting on the east and heading west and traveling with these amazing animals and it's kind of amazing what this journey has kind of come into you. I also hadn't camped a lot I think our promo video that we shot in April was my second time that I can remember camping so yeah, but I'm excited what Yeah, so I mean there's been a lot I've been researching a lot of camping gear it took me like five or six days to dwell on which tent I was gonna buy and it was quite nerve wracking but I mean it's kind of fun to be learning as we go but also to see everything come together and I'm just like super excited to really be able to yeah, hopefully just your support dog knows she's like I know you're nervous Yeah, but just to be able to have the opportunity to do something that I never thought I would do and then really see how this kind of common goal comes together it also helped Mustangs along the way so I'm really excited about that.

Julianne Neal  32:24

Right exactly. Oh yeah, I was gonna say my partner Bruce is gonna be one of those people.

Lisa Diersen 32:33

...trainers over the you know, even before you guys are off the beach, that's to me, are the messages getting out there if it's just before you're even off the beach? The other thing I wanted to mention for people who are going to be kind of following and watching this go watch The Caravan. The documentary The Caravan go watch Unbridled oh Unbranded. Unbridled too, talks about a little bit of what we were talking about with abusers and sexual exploitation of young women. That's another film that they use horses in therapy with that so we've had these these films have been part of the Equus Film Festival, Wind Eaters and Wild Ride Wild Horses these are all really good documentaries to watch and get an idea about what is going to be unfolding for the next 12 months with the girls and the documentary that will get made and the stories that will get told.

Hannah Catalino 33:39

Well even you had mentioned like the Endurance Horse. Our partnership with them, I mean it's kind of crazy to think that four years or three years after the guy people will still be logging in there 5000 miles and I just one thing on Facebook today and I see my friend one of my friends is already like 20 something miles and like man she's already got more miles put down than we do!

Lisa Diersen 34:05

The power of one, the power of Facebook is is so great to get the message out there but the power of the internet it connects. When Ben did Unbranded, there was, people could start to follow but not at the level that you guys have and the ability to every day. People will be able to see where you're at, they'll be able to say, Hey, can we come ride along. You'll be pretty connected all the way across the country with with people who want to support you and ride with you and be part of this. This is epic. You know, this is two young women, girl girl power and a lot of female filmmakers and a lot of people who are stepping up to help you get this out there and across the country. 5000 miles, there's those that are saying, Oh, well, they can't do that. Well, I am here to tell you, you girls will do that he'll get you'll get across the country and in a year when we're sitting close to the beach, we'll be in Napa, it'll be having a glass of wine on the last of the year, right? And we'll be saying, okay, they're going to the beach tomorrow, and they're going to hit, touch, touch the Pacific Ocean, all the way across the country with the they've traveled with these Mustangs and the Mule-Stang.

Hannah Catalino 35:33

And I have a donkey that's arriving. 

Lisa Diersen 35:36

It's just, it's the, it's the power of positive when people when people come together and want to do something that's positive, and we will find homes for more Mustangs, and they're going to probably know what to do with so

Julianne Neal  35:51

And so I look forward to following along with this journey and seeing where things go. And I think on our next episode, we need to meet all the animals. So that's going to be that's going to be our goal. So tune in for Episode Two, to get to meet all the all the babies. Right. So Lisa, is there anything else? Yes, sure. Anything else? Where can people go to find out more?

Lisa Diersen 36:15

They can find out more on www.mustangdiscovery.com. They can go on to the Mustang Discovery Facebook page, you'll find my number you can always email me. You can always reach out and call me. You can contact me. You can go to EQUUS Film Festival.net. To find more there'll be a page for the girls so you can reach out to me and I'll make sure that we connect you Wherever the girls are, whatever part of the country they're in. And we'll we'll make it happen.

Julianne Neal  36:46

And JA Media Productions will be starting our docu-series filmmaking quest and so if anybody wants to follow along with that, we're excited. Very excited. Girls, I guess you've got a lot to do today, tonight, tomorrow. So we're gonna let you go with that and look forward to seeing you on the beach in a few hours. We'll see in a little bit!