My Story

Chapter One

Beginning Again

For 23 years, I ran a horse farm in the USA. Horses, riders and long days at the barn were simply part of who I was. Then my life changed completely.

I became a widow and discovered that the financial security I believed had been put in place for me simply wasn’t there. I was left in a deep hole, both personally and financially, with a horse business that had been completely depleted.

But the universe was looking out for me. A client offered me the opportunity to relocate with the horses and begin again. I said yes, and it turned out to be a much better situation for all of us. Their kindness gave me the chance to rebuild when I needed it most, and I will be eternally grateful for everything they did for me then and continue to do today.

I knew that if I was going to rebuild my life, I needed to begin with myself. I attended the Landmark Forum, continued with seminars, completed the communications course, and attended the Introduction Leaders Program. Little by little, I began creating, not the life I had lost, but the life I truly wanted.

Chapter Two

Where Coaching Found Me

Then I booked my first Equine-Assisted Coaching course with Pam Kachelmeier in Wisconsin. I couldn’t afford it, so I borrowed the money and went anyway. The experience helped me understand why certain people and horses had always seemed to find their way into my barn. I came home knowing I needed to keep going, and paid back every penny I had borrowed.

I continued my education in Equine-Assisted Coaching and Equine-Assisted Learning and became an accredited Equus Coach. I was also fortunate to receive a scholarship from Christine Cavalieri to complete the Dare to Lead™ program.

One of the things I loved most was discovering that this work wasn’t only for riders. You don’t need to ride, own a horse or know anything about horses to benefit from being around them. I began to see how this work could support people who felt stuck or overwhelmed, were moving through loss or facing a big change.

Horses don’t care about job titles or how polished someone appears. They have a lovely way of inviting us to slow down, become present and notice what may really be getting in our way.

I wanted to keep learning for the horses too. The TRT Method taught me to look beyond behavior and consider what a horse might be experiencing when something feels difficult or uncertain. For me, the horse and human sides of this work have always belonged together.

Even with everything I had learned, I still felt as though one piece was missing.

Chapter Three

Finding My Place

Then one day, while scrolling through Facebook, I found Jenni Winter-Leach of Flying Changes Mindset Coaching. I kept returning to her page, thinking, “This is the missing piece, but how am I going to make it happen?”

When I eventually arranged a call, I asked whether there was a scholarship available. Jenni told me that if I truly wanted to do the course, I would find a way. I remember thinking, “She’s right. I will.”

I canceled subscriptions I wasn’t using. Two months later, I received a notice telling me my car was paid off. Suddenly, there were the funds I needed.

Through Flying Changes Mindset Coaching, I trained in NLP, NLP+® and Timeline Resourcing® and gained the practical tools I had been looking for.

I was surrounded by riders who trained with Olympians and highly experienced trainers. I felt like a small fish in a very big pond, and for a long time I wondered where I fitted or what I could possibly offer alongside people with that level of expertise.

Then I understood: I wasn’t there to compete with them or replace what they did. My work filled a different space. My place wasn’t to teach technical riding. It was to coach the person inside the rider.

I could help someone whose confidence had changed after a fall, a rider returning after time away, or someone carrying life’s stresses into the saddle. Their trainer could continue teaching while I helped them understand what was happening in both their mind and body. Sometimes the body braces or tightens before the mind has even recognized that fear is present. Learning to notice those early signals can help a rider return to the present and take one manageable step at a time.

When a rider becomes more settled and present, it can positively affect the whole partnership. Watching someone begin trusting themselves and enjoying their horse again gives me the most incredible sense of gratitude.