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 corporations, businesses, schools, youth groups, mental health facilities and others interested in leading their organizations and people to further success — both personally and professionally.

Kim holds multiple certifications as an Equine Specialist and owns the Equine Assisted Learning Center, having earned her first certification as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL) in 2010. Her facilitation of Horse Empower programs is strengthened and deepened by a broad range of business and life experience including positions within the industries of law, construction, wilderness out-fitting, scuba diving instruction, marketing, hospitality, ski instruction, and business ownership of an art gallery. She is an active member of the Equine Experiential Education Association (E3A) as well as numerous philanthropic endeavors in her community. She is a graduate of the Leadership La Plata Program, and never hesitates to lend a hand or a horse to fundraising efforts within the community. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Kim holds a BA in Southwest Studies with a minor in Agriculture.

Kim developed her passion for horses at a very early age when she lived in Maryland. She began riding horses at the age of three and has partnered with horses ever since. After her graduation from Oldfield’s School, she moved to Durango, Colorado in 1991 to attend Fort Lewis College. Her own personal growth enhanced by her relationship with horses fuels her passion to connect others with these amazing and transformative experiences.

Kim lives on a ranch in La Plata County with her husband Jack and skilled horsewoman-daughter Sophia. With four generations of strong women in one place (Kim’s mother and grandmother live on the family ranch as well), Kim enjoys an active lifestyle that includes adventure travel, skiing, scuba diving, fishing, attending horse shows with her daughter, and riding and camping by horseback.