Meet EDENS Owner Susan Maynard
Susan’s love and passion for animals were obvious from a very young age, so she was destined to become a horse rider and instructor.
She has ridden competitively in all disciplines and reached a very high standard of excellence. She took part in show jumping and hunting for North Canterbury and was awarded Champion at many shows, including the Christchurch A&P Show. A winner in eventing Novice grade, Susan was a live in-pupil for Florence West, where at a very young age she helped start and train young horses (The Natural Way).
Susan went on to become an instructor and has worked in that capacity in both New Zealand and England.
Despite a very rewarding lifestyle Susan still felt that something was missing. She studied vet nursing and animal medicine at the holistic college in Christchurch, New Zealand. Her healing work with animals was deeply fulfilling, but it took a close call with death for Susan to really find her niche.
“I was trekking down by the Clarence River on horseback very early one warm summer morning,” she says. “The sun was shining and there wasn’t another soul for miles. Suddenly my horse was startled by a rising bird and I was thrown off the edge of a bluff.
“I found myself dangling from the reins above a 50ft drop. At that point, my skittish horse was my only hope. As I looked up at the horse, I amazingly found myself able to communicate with him on ‘another level’ and I promised him that if he saved my life that day, I would devote myself to helping animals and people.”
Susan has been fine tuning her ability for over 30 years to help animals as a ConTact C.A.R.E. advanced practitioner, riding instructor and owner of Edens Herbals.
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Handcrafted Small Batch 100% Natural Effective Herbals
What People Are Saying
“Susan has been regularly visiting our two horses and family for nearly two years. The reason she returns is that we have all had immediate relief from a variety of muscular skeletal problems following her treatments. We have also seen long term improvement, especially with the horses, one of whom is very asymmetric due to past trauma. He was almost unrideable last summer, but I am now able to canter him.
Susan is consummately professional and gives wonderful explanations, which along with her compassionate manner and wicked sense of humour, make every visit a pleasure and most therapeutic.
Although I have done a weekend course myself, with Dale Speedy, I still book Susan in bi-monthly, because of her skills and personality. I know she will increase my knowledge base and observation skills of my horse. She is dedicated to deepening her knowledge of the muscular skeletal systems as well as a broader knowledge in other areas.
We have found her herbal range makes a noticeable difference to our horses’ health, sometimes within days. We hope to keep seeing her for a very long time”.
~ Yours sincerely, Wendy Mackereth.” (Auckland)
“After my horse had repetitive “Gutteral Pouch” infections and several courses of Antibiotics I decided to consult Susan to treat her. She performed ConTact Care on her putting her Poll and hip back in place. After just two treatments my horse appeared a lot happier and free moving. Susan administered a “Well being” Tonic and a “Detox” Tonic which proved to have shown great results to my horses health inside and out. She was competent and kind and my horse was very co-operative and responsive to her treatment. I would thoroughly recommend her and her treatment.
I also attended a day Equine Workshop at Susan’s residence with her horses. I found it to be beneficial and learnt a lot about my own inner awareness and connecting to horses and their feelings, I learnt a lot of useful tips from Susan and the surroundings were pleasant also”.
~ Karen.
““Used Parasite Ex. Am very happy with the results. Had a worm count and it came back 200. Very good, vets impressed. Will order more.”
~ Jan Allan (Auckland)
I have been fortunate enough to have Susan treating first of all my horse, and then me. It has been wonderful to see my horse Jade go from stiff, unbalanced and introverted, to playful, fluid and balanced in her movement. As for myself, I had not realised how much an old pelvic fracture had locked up my lower back, the freedom and movement I have through my back and hips now is wonderful and has certainly helped my riding!
I had the opportunity to have a lesson with Susan recently, hoping to address the issues with the impulsiveness of my horse on the circle online and also my crippling confidence issues when it came to riding. I couldn’t believe how quickly Susan pinpointed the problem with our circles, and literally within minutes I had a calm, connected circling horse. Susan talked with me through my confidence issues with riding, including some tears! And slowly took me through mounting up, and soon I was riding around for the first time in months, in a brand new environment for both Jade and I – an indoor arena. There was a moment when I thought about getting off, but Susan kept me calm and aboard, teaching me the tools I needed to be safe, a big confidence boost! So much so I was confident enough to ride in the same arena with 8 other horses two days later, a huge achievement for Jade and I (I even felt safe enough to snap a quick pic to remember the occasion!) Susan had given me the tools to use, not only if something went wrong, but to keep Jade calm and connected to me, so I felt safe.
My confidence has continued to grow since our lesson, I am riding again, even trekking out on the farm, something I couldn’t even think about before. I’m looking forward to seeing what my next lesson with Susan brings!
~ Anna-Marie Woodcock
“Horse Junior used ©Edens Anti-inflammatory, Individual Remedy & Bowen. The treatments have been the most successful we are amazed. Even the farrier is so pleased. Junior is walking so freely. Amazing improvements, this laminitis is under control, a much happier horse.”
~ Donna Perry (Maungaturoto)
“I was very lucky to be at Susan’s seminar “In tune with your animal” I have learned more about myself and my animals than the last 10 years of work. Susan is an amazing facilitator with a lot of knowledge. Extremely rewarding & full filling (when’s the next one?).”
~ Chrissy Grobben (Workshop)
“Our ponies are on the Anti-inflammatory Plus. Great results even our farrier is so amazed. They are much healthier.”
~ Lorrine Jones (Auckland)