I spent most of my young adult life feeling completely lost, as I feel many of us do. As a chronic decision-making staller, figuring out “what I want to be when I when grow up” was very difficult for me. But truly, I did not see myself where I am today.
I was introduced to horses in my early teens. Immediately falling in love, like we all seem to do, I worked extremely hard to keep them in my life. I realized early on that the best way to do that for me was through education and jumping at any opportunity that came my way. While that often did not work out, it did eventually lead me to purchasing my first horse: Jasper. Only a few days old when I purchased him, Jasper forever changed my life by joining my little family. He inspired me to be the equestrian I am today, taught me many lessons, and drove my ambitions to become better and learn more. Losing him has been one of the hardest moments of grief I’ve experienced.
Opal Grove Equine Coaching was born out of a desire to memorialize my Jasper forever in my life, passions, and business. From my training philosophy all the way down to the logo, he continues to breathe life into my work and visions.
The pillars of my training philosophy
At the heart of Opal Grove, is a commitment to building trusting partnerships with confident horses. Our work is deeply inspired by my beloved horse, Jasper, who taught me invaluable lessons about trust, communication, and connection. It is these principles that guide my training and instruction.
trust
Underneath all the layers of dreams and ambitions we have with our horses, the main goal we’re chasing after is to have fun and enjoy the time spent with them. In order to achieve that goal: we must have trust in our equines, and they in us. As with all relationships in our lives, trust is the defining factor that makes or breaks a partnership.
confidence
When a horse has confidence in their handler to take care of them, they begin to trust that they can do whatever it is they are asked. When the handler is lacking confidence in their choices or their horse, the partnership often suffers because no one is confidently leading. Making sure that both horse and handler are a good match to build confidence in one another is the key to a strong partnership between human and horse.
Patience
Both confidence and trust cannot be strengthened without patience. These two building blocks of a strong partnership take time to build. When rushed, there are holes left behind that when put under pressure, usually reveal themselves in unpleasant ways. All of that time put into building your relationship can crumble in a moment without patience.
a dream coming to life
My horses and my experiences in the horse industry have been helping to shape this vision I’ve had for a long time now. Imposter syndrome is something I have battled with since starting this journey, and has held me back from accomplishing many of the goals I have. Through the loss of Jasper, I’ve managed to find the one silver lining: the feeling of having nothing left to lose. So here I am, just going for it and starting to build the business I’ve dreamt about for years. While this is just a small step in the process of making that dream become a reality, I am grateful to have you here with me.
thank you for being here
I’m excited to share insights and stories that will deepen your connection with your horse and support your growth in that partnership. Thank you for being a part of this community!
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