About Yellowbird’s Healing Horses

About Yellowbird’s Healing Horses

Mission: Assist the healing medicine of the horse to help Native woman and Native youth navigate Complex PTSD created by Historical Trauma.

Yellowbird is an Ojibwe Native American that is a certified equine assisted coach. My horses assist in the healing process helping Native Americans heal from Historical Trauma. 

Yellowbird’s relationship with horses began when she was very young. Her father was an avid trail rider and he was her primary inspiration for working with these magnificent animals. No matter what was happening in her life, Yellowbird always felt safe with horses. Growing up, horses taught her about trust, guidance and direction.  Horses continue to help Yellowbird have trust, guidance and direction today. Horses provide her with a lens in which to see the world around her. This led her to get certified in equine coaching. 

Through various life circumstances, Yellowbird eventually found herself working in other spheres outside of horses. It was during this time that she discovered her heart’s other passion – working with Native women and Native youth. She spent her days working with at-risk Native youth at AIN DAH YUNG emergency shelter and at Four Winds School as a hall monitor. She also served as a volunteer and youth mentor through the Healthy Nations Program in Minneapolis.

In the early 2000’s Yellowbird felt the desire to go back to school. In 2004, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Native American Community Studies and Public Policy. As she was healing, she felt the desire to work with horses again. She began going through equine healing and volunteering with the “We Can Ride” program at the University of Minnesota. Horses have the remarkable ability to read and respond to the emotional state of those around them, and Yellowbird wanted to be the same. This led her to get certified in equine coaching and healing. She later completed a certification program in Equine Assisted Coaching through the EACA.

Now, Yellowbird is applying her love for horses, diverse life experience, and passion to help Native women and Native youth experience healing from past historical trauma. Yellowbird has experience and knowledge of CPTSD, historical trauma, at-risk youth, battered women, chemical dependency issues and addictions, along with Ojibwe traditions, Native Spirituality and culture. 

Yellowbird would not have been able to achieve all that she has without the love and support from her parents, Rides a Painted Horse and Miska Benais Ikwe (Bibish), and her best friend Thasina Ota. Their memory and legacy are with Yellowbird every day and continue to inspire her to care about the world around her and the people in it.

I would like to bring hope to those that have experienced similar challenges and are dealing with severe complex trauma and or historical trauma.

I pursued my Bachelor of Arts degree in Native American Community Studies and Public Policy. Graduated with my degree from NAES College in 2004. I did my internship with State Representative, Karen Clark at the Minnesota State Capital. Although horses have not always been a part of my life, I’ve always had a deep connection with them.

Having done my own personal work through equine therapy at Acres for Life in Chisago, MN. I became interested in healing through horses. I found “Equine Assisted Coaching Association,” founded by Pam Kachelmeier. With much enthusiasm I began the necessary steps start and complete my certification. I am now a fully Certified Equine Assisted Coach.

What I Believe

I believe everyone has a purpose.

Horses have healing medicine to help people with CPTSD and Historical Trauma to heal!

I value; Taking care of all living things; including myself.

I am doing this work to help my people; Native American woman with trauma and Native youth heal from trauma.

What action word explains my business? "Healing Soul".

The healing is powerful, yet gentle, like a horse.

Suzette Belgarde leads her horse on a walk.
Suzette Belgarde stands with her arm resting on hitching post and looking into the distance.
Suzette Belgarde standing in front of the trees and smiling sweetly for the camera.
A donkey stands still in its pen.
Suzette Belgarde stands in front of a hitching post and smiles for a picture.
Suzette Belgarde holding out her hands together in front of her donkey.
Two donkeys looking towards the camera, one standing in front of another laying.
Suzette Belgarde stands next to her horse, petting it softly.
A donkey looking towards the camera with another donkey in the background.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF:

Rides a Painted Horse

Miska Benais Ikwe (Bibish)

Thasina Ota

Sister Michelle Weske “White Morning Dove”

Brother Gerald “Big Brown Makwa! (Bear) Kodiak!!!

Sharon Fasthorse: Good Wind Woman “Tate Waste Win”

Kevin C. Fasthorse 

Corybeth Papasodora