Meet Your Coaches

Kelli Richardson

Horses have been my greatest teachers for as long as I can remember. From the moment I first sat in the saddle as a child, I felt an unspoken connection with them, a fascination that would shape my life in ways I never expected.

My equestrian journey began early, with years of formal riding lessons, hands on experience at various barns, and a deep interest in liberty training, an approach that fosters trust and connection without physical restraints. I wasn’t just interested in riding; I was captivated by how horses communicate, how they respond to human energy, and what they reveal about us.

At 18, I was gifted my first horse, a brilliant but challenging partner who taught me the invaluable lesson: You don’t get the horse you want you get the horse you need. This truth shaped my approach to working with horses and people alike. While technique is important, true mastery comes from self-awareness, presence, and emotional intelligence.

For years, I immersed myself in the equestrian world, training my own horse, competing at a young age and just hanging around them. However, as life evolved, I stepped away from horses to focus on raising my family and growing a couple of businesses, including a salon, and a breakfast-and-lunch eatery. As much as I loved those adventures and more, I always felt something was missing, until life led me right back to where I started.

The Journey Back & the Birth of My Calling

Four years ago, my family acquired a pony named Owen for my daughters. That simple decision rekindled my passion and set us on a path of transformation. Our suburban life shifted into homesteading, and soon we welcomed another horse, Romeo, into our growing herd. Then came Kamali the horse that changed everything.

Kamali was an act of instinct. He was bound for slaughter, and with only an hour left to live, I stepped in to save him. What I didn’t realize at the time was that he would be the one to save me. Arriving wild and dangerously unhandled, he forced me to tap into every skill I had developed and pushed me to learn so much more. Patience, trust building, intuitive leadership, and liberty training. Through the years of working with him, I rediscovered my purpose.

That experience led me to Equine Assisted Coaching, a field that perfectly blends my lifelong passions with helping people and my passion for horses.

The Power of Equine Guided Coaching

As a certified Equus Coach trained at The Center for Equus Coaching in Arizona, with additional training from Lisa at Equine Alchemy, I now guide others through deeply transformative experiences with horses.