Credit Michael Stylianos
In the movie, The Man from Snowy River, Jack seems to have a magical ability that enables him to speak to horses beyond conventional methods. Indeed, there are equestrians who carry an innate sense through gentle techniques to understand and communicate with horses. One such horseman is Guy McLean.
Guy will once again appear as a clinician and performer at the 20th Horse World Expo. He has been a steadfast and reoccurring guest for 12 consecutive years. He says it is one of his favorite events, expressing admiration for both the loyalty of the fans and the venue. But what gives him the unique ability to positively uplift not only horses but humans as well? He would answer that his horses are responsible, but people who truly know him have much more to say.
I had the privilege to not only interview Guy in the past, but to spend time with him and his wife, Emily. When we first met, my daughter and I were in turmoil after the loss of my husband. The chance meeting with this humble man and his team brought a new perspective and hope for us both—to follow our hearts in whatever we do and to always give our best to the horse. I didn’t fully realize the value of his advice in the moment, but those words still hold true today. His demonstration of passion for his animals and life is inspirational.
Since I last spoke to him, Guy says he has been blessed to have been named the official “Australian Stock Horse Ambassador” and represent the fine homebred breed across the world. Last November, he was able to return to Equitana Melbourne (the very first major equine Expo, held in Australia since 1999) as a featured presenter. “The response from the crowd was truly overwhelming.” This coming March is especially exciting for him and his fans as he returns after ten years to “Road to the Horse” for his third time at the World Championships of Colt Starting. The experience gained from dedication and hard work will help him achieve new potential with a chosen three-year-old ranch-born colt.
I asked Guy how he takes care of his horses and keeps up the pace. He said they have three performance teams: one in Australia, and two in America. This way they are able to perform throughout the year, across a variety of countries, without placing too much travel pressure on the horses. He and his wife Emily do not have a lot of rest time but he says, “When doing something you truly love, the rewards are always worth the effort.” This year, Guy is bringing five horses to the Expo. Four of them have performed at the location in the past but one will be making her debut in his clinics.
Guy is often asked who his most influential teachers have been. Although thankful his family introduced him, he says, “It’s the horses themselves who have been my greatest mentors. I have been, and continue to be, very blessed to have some special horses enter my life, and they now live deep inside my heart.” Particularly instrumental were Nancy, a fiery red mare, and Ebony, a cheeky grey. But without question, his heart horse was a golden-haired colt. “This horse believed in me before I even believed in myself.” This wonderful dun stallion called Nugget is now in his golden years, age 28, and Guy says Nugget brings as much joy to them today as when 20,000 people chanted his name when he rode bridle-less and saddle-less at major events around Australia. “He is now and will always be ‘The Stallion that Runs in my Heart’.”
Guy has a kind and truthful spirit that attracts and persuades horses as well as the fans. Liz Shorb, former President of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Association from 1995-2015, recalls Guy as having a quiet effortlessness and receptive nature. “He spoke with his soul,” she says.
Guy feels he has been blessed to be able to follow his life’s passion. He hopes audiences will see what true desire and dedication can achieve when a person completely devotes to something they love. He sincerely believes that horses know when we are giving our all or not, regardless of our level of expertise. “These dear and wonderful animals bring their best in return.”
“I have so very much to be thankful to horses for,” he shares, “and I continue to give back to them across the world for what they have shared with me. I have leaned on horses since I was a very young boy, for confidence, courage, a place of calm, my own self-belief, and in some small way, a sense of sanity in an increasingly confusing world. They are non-judging, always present, and never anything else but who they truly are. I will always be grateful for their wonderful presence in my life.”
Horses, Guy states, are his life’s goal, and as a horseman he desires to be a “leader worth following,” for that is what he feels horses yearn for most. They are in the pursuit of a calm and safe life.
I believe we reap what we sow, and blessed is exactly what most of us feel after experiencing Guy’s performances and clinics—including my family decades ago. I am grateful my daughter and I had the opportunity to meet Guy, his team and his wife, Emily, through our amazing horse family. In a world with endless confusion, horses can provide some stability and teach us vital life lessons to live by.
“We all have the potential to be anything that we want in life,” he says, “just as I have in mine, and by putting hard work and dedication behind our dreams, we can achieve anything.”
In 2023, Guy and his beloved team will perform across America, Canada, and Australia. Tour dates can be viewed on his Facebook calendar at https://www.facebook.com/GuyMcLeanHorsemanship.