Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi
Ariana is a multi generational horsewoman, zoologist and land steward extraordinaire. A deep connection with animals and nature has spanned her entire life and is easily seen in all that she touches. Ariana grew up traversing pristine lands on horseback and by foot; lands that were originally Miwok and Pomo that became agricultural lands along the Marin County Coastland. She spent countless hours along the creeks and waterways that run to the sea, and worked at numerous horse stables growing up. She graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Zoology and specialized in birds of prey.
She is a visionary maverick, founder of equine guided education, master somatic coach, award winning writer, artist and . Her entrepreneurial commitment to ‘horses healing humans healing earth’ has led the way in the field of equine therapies since 1989. Her unique blend of nature’s wisdom, holistic somatics™ and embodied leadership has changed thousands of lives and is integrated into universities, leadership programs, veterans programs and non profits throughout the world. She founded Leadership, & Horses™ and Intuitive Horsemanship™ in 1989 and Equine Guided Education in 1999.
She grew up training horses and winning champion awards in dressage, jumping, cross country eventing, gymkhana, reining, and working cow horse. She learned through her diverse experience that horses’ primary source of communication is intuitive and deeply sensitive to the energetic essence of their environment.
Ariana graduated from UC Davis with a degree in zoology and animal behavior. She is a well known rancher, sheperd, vintner and supports local food economy and family farms. She is on the Sonoma County Farm Trails Foundation, and is a member of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Sonoma County Horse Council and Russian River Winegrowers.
CaseyMazzucchi
Casey, a licensed contractor, is a 4th generation sheep rancher from the coastal hills of Valley Ford, along the Estero De Americano near Dillon Beach. He grew up on his grandmother and grandfather’s generational sheep ranch. His fond memories include helping his grandma in her garden and fishing with his grandfather. He grew up learning how to operate heavy equipment, build roads, fences, barns and weld various ranch necessities. The classic ‘can do’ attitude of his father and grandfather can be felt in his handshake and seen in the quality of his work. He has built miles of fences, barns, arenas, round pens, building pads, foundations, labyrinths, various handyman home repairs, dairy barn repairs, fire trails and other general building construction projects. His natural wisdom of wood, metal, cement, dirt and plants is apparent in his construction. His kindness, patience, calm presence and grounded demeanor are his super powers.
Being a natural animal whisperer adds to his abundant ranch-ability. It’s a common scene to watch the animals follow him here and there as he tends to the ranch, the fences, the hay fields, and the multiple ranch projects always in play here at Casari Ranch. In addition to Casey’s time on the ranch, he offers construction services, on and off site wood mill services which can make boards-beams-posts-slabs out of fallen or downed trees. He specializes in dairies, ranches and animal sanctuaries.
Wesley May Smith
Wesley is Ariana’s eldest daughter and the marketing director for Casari Ranch, home to SkyHorse Academy. She combines creativity and authenticity to shape and manage the ranch’s digital presence. With a deep-rooted connection to the land, rural life, and the SkyHorse community, Wesley brings a thoughtful and grounded perspective to her work, infusing every project with integrity, purpose, and attention to detail.
She oversees social media, website updates, and newsletter creation to keep the Casari Ranch and SkyHorse communities informed, inspired, and connected. Wesley is passionate about sharing the ranch’s story and the Academy’s mission in ways that honor their values and resonate genuinely with the people who support them.
Drawing from her experience as a Level 1 Certified Equine Guided Educator with SkyHorse Academy, Wesley also offers coaching and marketing support to fellow facilitators, helping them share their gifts authentically and with intention.
When she’s not working, Wesley enjoys outdoor adventures with her three boys and stays connected to her rural roots through a love of hands-on living and the slower, intentional rhythm of country life.
Ariana’s unique approach of blending emotional, somatic and spiritual intelligence with an emphasis on the natural world as a place of healing has helped over six thousand people from all walks of life. Her teachings have been incorporated into numerous leadership institutes and equine therapy programs around the world including Institute for Women’s Leadership, Institute for Generative Leadership, Institute of Noetic Sciences, and Meridian University. Other leadership training programs that incorporate Ariana’s work include U.C. Berkeley Haas School of Business Development, Institute of Noetic Science, Earthrise, New Era Trainings, Newfield Network, PSI Seminars and more. Her corporate clients include Salesforce, Facebook, Visa, Institute for Women’s Leadership, Wells Fargo Bank, Proctor & Gamble, Hewlett-Packard, Agilent, Cisco, Kaiser, Pfizer, Apple Inc, Leadership USA, and more.