Member Feature: Susan Soderman

SBC-CDS member Susan Soderman is proud to call 6-year-old Hanoverian mare 'Lady Lupita' her own. She purchased the bay mare from Lauren Ogden in December 2024, and they are in training with Kate Sulzbach at In The Irons Farm.

Lupita is a total love bug! She takes her cookie searching very seriously and loves to be pampered.

Although Susan has been riding horses for over 30 years, dressage is new to her.

What drew her to dressage is its logic and structure.

I have had many "a-ha" moments over the last couple of years, and I'm eager to continue learning and progressing through the levels.

Susan is looking forward to getting to know "Lady Lupita' this year and watching her daughter participate in pony club and having fun riding! She's also looking forward to volunteering at the SBC-CDS shows. About the recognized shows, she acknowledged:

There are so many moving parts and I am happy to give back and be a small piece of it all coming together.

The new horse mom owns Coastline Therapy Group. The psychotherapy group practice provides trauma focused mental health services in downtown Santa Barbara as well as via telehealth state wide. Their mission is to provide quality, accessible mental health services to support the health and growth of the community. They are contracted with most major insurance providers and are committed to creating a safe and supportive space for their team and clients.

SBC-CDS has been a welcoming and fun group to be a part of. I have enjoyed getting to know members of the chapter and my daughter and I have fun volunteering at the shows. I love that there is space for my 8 year old daughter to participate and I appreciate the opportunity for her to learn valuable life lessons while having fun.