So, who am I, why now and why horses?
Ever since I was a young girl, I had a connection and understanding with animals, cats, dogs, birds, and horses. I also loved dolphins, but a pet dolphin was pushing it, horses were also a no go – I had a mean daddy. The closest I was able to get to having a horse was my pop’s horse, Nutmeg – he was a cranky bugger, so I was never allowed to ride him or be alone with him. My pop was definitely the family member who encouraged my love and obsession for horses, by organising lease ponies for my Christmas visits and then later organising a job as a riding instructor at the local trail riding business.
Memories moment: My fondest memory as a child was spending time with my pop and running my fingers around the outline of the horseshoe tattoo on his forearm.
During my teenage years I had plenty of riding experiences for a city girl.
In my teenage years, my father got into owning a racehorse with our family friends, the Cooks. I used to love going out to the trainer’s place to meet all the horses and foals and watching the training. This is where my passion and appreciation for these spectacular athletes started. Fast forward 20 years and I started riding and re-educating retired racehorses with a horse-crazy friend out at Boonah.
Spark moment: My passion and interest for looking after these BIG-hearted athletes.
But it was not until three years ago when I got back into horses to relieve the stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep my job was putting me under (my own PTSD). I got back into riding lessons – that was the best 45 minutes where I did not think about my stress or job. Following this realisation of the freedom and connection to nature and horses I felt, I decided to take a three month “Eat. Pray. Love” sabbatical to the USA and Canada working on horse ranches. This experience was a huge eye opener and grounding experience. Working day by day with horses (some with issues and some without) taught me patience, trust, communication, bonding, emotional awareness, and persistence. My anxiety and stress started to fade, my confidence and self-worth started to restore itself. I also weaned myself off the sleeping tablets and was able to sleep a solid eight hours.
So, returning home I quickly realised I could not return to the corporate world – there was more to life than a title and money. The dream of working with animals and horses became a reality, “Life with Horses” was born!
The goal was to provide the eye-opening experience for veterans and including those suffering with PTSD while working on my other passion, re-educating, and rehoming retired racehorses. And that is when I realised, I could offer all these experiences for others, who like myself, want to help these BIG-hearted horses, by “sponsoring a horse”. Through sponsorship, you can enjoy a hands-on experience and share in the journey with your sponsor horse.
Through the journey of the business idea and charity concept it was fitting to name the business, “Life with Horses, Healing Together”. The journey the charity will take all our stakeholders on, is what “Life with Horses” is like and how these experiences help them grow and develop through awareness.
Living in Teneriffe, Brisbane and working with horses does not really work. Mind you, I would love to see a horse walking along the river walk and watch peoples’ reactions. I am sure “that” experience would brighten their day!
My biggest supporters, Mum and Dad are retiring to Brisbane from Sydney, and joining me on this adventure of Life with Horses. We are starting small with five goals in the first two years:
- First horse for sponsorship, re-education and re-training – mid 2021
- Kat to complete her “Equine Assisted Learning” course – end 2021
- Second horse with PTSD client program – early 2022
- Locate to a property to run complete program – mid 2022
- Take on three horses and PTSD clients at a time – end 2022
This is our transparent journey, and we would love for you to join us on the ride.
How can you be involved?
You can sponsor a horse – experience being part of the horse’s journey to extend their education and learn to be a horse again. You and your family can be involved in all aspects of their journey as they are broadening their education and knowledge.
I am so excited and pumped to take this new direction in my career and help both human and horse heal together. My journey so far has taught me to surround myself with the wise owls within the horse industry who have given me so much time, knowledge, and experience to help me get to where I am with the charity – to them I say THANK YOU!