Hi, my name is Penny Hawes, The Horsey Life Coach.  I’ve been a trainer, instructor and coach for over 40 years, and my Mission is to help you ditch the overwhelm, anxiety, and guilt and become the owner your horse deserves.

I got my first horse, O’Malley (pictured above), when I was 12. Unbeknownst to me, my Dad was horse shopping during his lunch breaks. O’Malley got her name because she had an “OM” brand… and because my Dad was Irish.

I was involved in 4-H and Pony Club through my teens, which taught me about every aspect of horse care (because it’s never just about the riding).

After high school, I attended the Talland School of Equitation in England, where I earned my British Horse Society Assistant Instructor (BHSAI) certificate, and met my husband, James.

I had wanted to attend Talland since I’d read a magazine article when I was 12 or 13 called Talland the Terrible. It covered the author’s experience at Talland – the hard work, the long days riding and caring for horses; and the exhilarating experience of passing her BHSAI exam. And the best part? The author’s name was Jeanne Theodore O’Malley. (It was a sign).

After getting married in 1980, James and I lived in the UK for two years, where we both taught riding – and I had a part-time job at Kentucky Fried Chicken!

We moved back to the States, had our daughter Sarah, and did a few years of adulting. I got my next horse, Trevelyan (Trev), in the late ’80s (for $1.00!).  We competed side-saddle in several divisions and won many regional and national championships together.

One of my favorite memories from showing side-saddle was overhearing a little boy standing ringside say to his Mom, “Mommy look! That lady only has one leg!”

Since horses were in our blood, when we got the opportunity to lease a (rather run-down) barn in 1991, we jumped at the chance. Three years and a LOT of work later, we moved on and purchased a larger facility (that needed even more work), and our lesson clientele grew exponentially.

The more I taught, the clearer it became to me that riding is life in a microcosm. Eventually we fled the frigid Connecticut winters and moved to Virginia. A few years later, I became a certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, which solidified my belief that lessons learned with horses translated well onto the larger stage (ie real life).

I love helping horsewomen develop deeper relationships with their horses, and, ultimately, themselves.

I created The Horsey Life to help empower women, in the barn and beyond, by creating educational resources like courses, coaching, free downloads, and my blog and podcast.

One of the free resources I’ve created is 60 Seconds to Calm – a set of three exercises you can do in less than a minute whenever and wherever you need them (yes, even on your horse) to help you find the calm we’re all looking for.

So download 60 Seconds to Calm and see improvements in your horsey life today, and remember, it’s never just about the riding.