The Power
Behind
Horse Empower
Link to: Kim Hardesty
Kim Hardesty is the founder and Managing Member of Horse Empower, LLC — a well-respected Equine Assisted Learning Center located in Durango, Colorado serving the greater Four Corners area and beyond. Under Kim’s direction and along with her co-facilitators who specialize in complementary disciplines such as human resources, psychotherapy and experiential learning, as well as her equine partners, Horse Empower has become a trusted resource for …
Link to: Lauren Watterud
In 2012 Lauren received her certification as an ESMHL. With a lifetime of horse knowledge, she is very familiar with the valued lessons horses can teach and therefore eager to share it with the world. Lauren has a true passion in providing valuable and lasting lessons for youth development and facilitating for Veterans. She believes whole heartedly in creating a fun and safe learning environment for the leaders of our future and the Men and Women who protect them…
4 Legged Members
The Horse Empower Team is powered by amazing people (pictured above) and, of course, Our horses are carefully selected to ensure they are safe and sound in mind and body. We choose horses that are fit and active as we spend a significant amount of time camping & trail riding during our off time – this ensures our horses are continuously challenged and engaged both inside and outside of our Equine Assisted Learning Programs.
Flag has been a member of Horse Empower for 5 years and he is true asset to the team! A quiet and reliable horse, he insists that you give him respect and practice self-awareness. In return flag will give you everything he has and more. With an amazing work ethic and an overall solid temperament, he is a loved member of our team and a common favorite of those that meet him.
Rocky is another original member of the Horse Empower team. He enjoys competent leaders who have a gentle and clear approach when communicating what they want from him. Rocky will teach you to the importance of effective communication and give and take. He loves to receive affection and enjoys hitting the trails with his best friends Canyon and Harley.
Meet Harley! Weighing in at about 1300 pounds he is a heavyweight in more ways than one! Don’t let his size intimidate you. Harley is a friendly and outgoing guy with plenty of knowledge to share, including respectful leadership, personal space, and the power of strong and lasting relationships. When he is not in the arena hamming it up Harley is in the mountains with Rocky and Canyon making his job look very easy.
Introducing Waylon! Considering that Whalen has just arrived in December 2018 we still have a fair amount to learn about him. What we have observed so far is that he has an introverted personality with the other horses. He is the guy that would prefer to sit back and observe the shenanigan’s rather than partake. He is a jack of all trades and excels everywhere from the back country to the jumping ring. We cannot wait so see but he brings to the table in the EAL world.
Bernard has been with Horse Empower for about three years. He comes from a reigning background so needless to say he is a very well-trained horse. We would best to describe this guy as the resident goof ball. With a loveable and charming personality, he is sure to teach you valuable lessons on how to have fun, not take yourself too seriously, and that frequent napping is good for the soul. Due to his free spirit and independent nature Bernard requires savvy leadership skills and a certain amount of patience from his two legged and four legged friends.
Introducing Georgie, 4 years old and the youngest of our team! He became a valued team member of Horse Empower in July of 2018. Georgie is a true Expressive, with a fun loving and playful energy. He is always bringing laughter to the “office”. He is constantly growing as an individual and proves to us every day that he is willing to put his best hoof forward. Georgie’s favorite past times are splashing in water and learning hat tricks!
Say hey to Luna! Luna is the only mare of the herd and it doesn’t intimidate her! She has a personality that really packs a punch. She is an intelligent girl with more than a couple of tricks up her sleeve. She will encourage you to stay attentive to how she communicates as she has a lot to say and many ways to say it. When you learn Lunas language she will go above and beyond to be the best she can. Another well rounded individual, you can find her everywhere from the show ring to the mountains. She is sure to cast a huge smile and a big bow at the end of every program.
Smokey is another brand-new member of Horse Empower and a driver in more than one way. He and Waylon arrived at the same time in December 2018. Smokey has very strong personality and we are learning more about his complex character every day. He is cunningly smart and knows how to draw a hard boundary without taking it too far. Smokey will always challenge you to be one step ahead. His favorite pastimes – trucking straight up the steepest mountains and pulling carriages!
Meet Canyon! One of the original members of the Horse Empower team, canyon is intelligent, resilient and spirited. A competent leader, he can navigate his team effectively and accurately, whether in an EAL setting or in dense forest. He will challenge you to think outside of the box, communicate authentically and tune in to your team.
