Meet Mary Guthrie | Equestrian Coach and Trainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Guthrie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

Risk is a tricky subject because how you view risk depends on your relationship with failure. Seeing failure as a tool or a chance to find your shortcomings and grow helps ease the fear of taking a risk because you’re no longer negatively entangled with failure. Taking risks directly involves facing the fear of uncertainty. You have no idea what’s going to happen when you start to share yourself with the world, because to take risk is to truly be vulnerable, to be open, and to be seen. Taking risks is living at the edge of our capabilities and understanding and accepting that no matter how it turns out we gain something valuable, even if we “fail”.

A lot of times the risks we take are because we’re passionate about something and we choose to make ourselves vulnerable. Other times the risks you have to take aren’t the ones you choose yourself, they’re the ones that are laid out in front of you and the only option to get what you want is to take that risk. I’ve always seen that as my path pushing me into things I wouldn’t choose for myself and the only way to navigate through that is to be open to it and let it guide you. Taking risks allows your path to unfold however it is meant to because you’re creating opportunities for yourself by broadening the possibilities.

Taking or being forced to take risks and allowing myself the space for failure and growth is the only thing that has ever elevated me to a higher place in my personal life and career and made me take the next step forward. Uncertainty is the essence of risk, and it’s the only thing that pushes us to be our higher selves.

What should our readers know about your business?

I started my riding lesson program at 16 under the guidance of my mentor, Patty, as I knew I wanted to be involved with horses pretty much for the rest of my life. Growing up in Patty’s barn I was able to have somewhere to call my safe place. A place where I could go with no judgement, total freedom to be my horse crazy self and just really be present and grow with the horses.

As the business started to grow, I put a lot of importance on making sure I could create that same safe space for others that I was so lucky to have growing up. I wanted to create a sanctuary of sorts that young girls flourished in and a space that helped them navigate life. I believe that horses have so much more to teach us than just about riding. They teach us about hard work, success and failure, bravery, fear, over coming obstacles, empathy and understanding for other living beings and so much more.

My parents fully handed the business over to me at the age of 19 after their divorce and I think really doing things on my own was the biggest and longest challenge I’ve faced. I didn’t know if I was capable of doing it on my own, of being fully self employed, or even if I would be successful enough to actually make it work. I learned so very much through many mistakes and failures and started to understand that everything in life was pushing for “my path” to be successful. I had something different to offer the horse industry, something unique, and when you’re truly following your calling and have something to give to the world, I fully believe there is a conspiring force that helps you along the way.

Now a decade later after starting my business I am able to really see how all those challenges and failed attempts and doubt I had along the way shaped me and built me to grow into the horse and business woman I am today. I’m so very thankful to have a lesson program and boarding facility to call my own and to be able to influence and share life with 30+ horse girls a week! We talk about the hard stuff, we relate challenges we encounter with horses to the real world, we face and process our fears, and we laugh and cry along the way. Horses offer us a journey through life, and the things we learn from them stay with us forever.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I believe everyone has to visit Red Rocks for a concert at least once in their lives! It’s truly an amazing experience that is super unique to Colorado. The ranch is also in a really charming part of the front range next to two cool little mountain towns that have amazing local food, lakes, and in true Colorado fashion we aren’t more than a few miles away from an amazing hiking trail!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

My success is the combined efforts of a lot of really amazing people! As far as horse girl dreams go my parents were the biggest supporters and gave me a really amazing start in the industry, as well as my mentor Patty Shellman who truly believed in me and helped shape me into the horsewoman I am today.

I’m also really blessed to have formed fierce friendships with other horse girls that are just as crazy and as passionate as me and love to talk about all the small intricacies not only to do with horses but pertaining to life as well. I have to thank all my wonderful clients for believing and trusting in me from a very young age and continuing to follow me all over Colorado there for a little! And last but not least my amazing partner in crime, who continues to support my every endeavor and looks being the boyfriend of a horse girl right in the eye and is always up for the challenge!

Website: www.MaeBreeranch.com

Instagram: @mgg.eventing

Image Credits
Christian Leigh Photgraphy Susan Sheldon Photography 719 design