Meet Hesper Colohan | Equine Specialist and Life Coach

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

Hi Hesper, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?

One Track thinking can lead to nowhere. The path we think we’re going to take towards our goal is never in a straight line. Zig Zags are where pockets of momentum live. Especially when the going gets tough. The biggest thing to come out of my own “zig zags” was learning the importance of being in touch with my feelings, living authentically is where it’s at. Working with horses has taught me that if my heart isn’t in it then I’m not in it.

I came out to LA to further an acting career. I took a job as a trail guide to make some extra cash and realized that my desire to continue being an actress wasn’t as strong as my desire to keep working with horses. This was a shocking revelation to me. I have been acting and performing since a very young age. My entire identity or at least what I THOUGHT was my identity, being an actor, was shifting. My heart was saying that it would rather skip an audition because if I got the role in a project then I wouldn’t be able to work with horses. That’s when I really started getting curious about my intentions or ideas around becoming an actor. But also being open to other possibilities, and following my heart. Because my heart had ultimately brought me to a horse ranch directly underneath The Hollywood Sign. The irony is real.

It was a fellow trail guide who suggested I look into Life Coaching because it “suited” me. That I was good at helping people with their lives. She had no idea that I was considering leaving acting all together. But after researching what Life Coaching was about, I knew in my heart of hearts that this was speaking to me. Acting was stressing me out for various reasons. But I thought that I just had to push through it and hope for the best. That’s not fun and I refuse to be miserable in my life.

Once I started being open to this idea of NOT being an actor, that perhaps there was something else like Life Coaching with horses, all kinds of things started opening up. There was less resistance in my life, more drive and inspiration. More ease and flow to living authentically.

Working with horses taught me that I have more power and courage to do the impossible than I ever thought. They continue to teach me to let shit go and to be present in my life. To show up exactly who I am.

Living an authentic life is easier than being someone I thought everyone wanted me to be.

One track thinking about what we’re supposed to be doing in order to get to our goals is a sure-fire way to lose steam in the inspiration piece of it. When inspiration starts to wane, when the way becomes harder than the will to do it then it might be time to stop and check in with yourself about what’s really happening and how you’re feeling about it. Like REALLY feeling about it. Be open to other possibilities, other avenues and you might find a way to get there with it being less of a drag.

OR…you might find something entirely different that’s even better. Having that initial goal and eyes on the trail leading towards it can take you on an exciting journey. Be present and open to ways around the obstacles that get in your way. Those paths can also lead to better outcomes that you had no idea even existed or dared to dream about.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I’m a Certified Equine Specialist and an Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Facilitator. More specifically an Equine Life Coach. I specialize in facilitating horse and human relationships for personal growth and self-development. My areas of expertise include horse and human behavior, stress management, work life balance, career/life transitions and relationships. I also work with teens and young adults in treatment for addictions and mental illness.

It’s a mouthful. Explaining what I do and “how it all works” isn’t always able to be summed up in a few sentences. But I’m glad to have an opportunity to share a little about what it is and how/why Equine Assisted Learning can be helpful to make real changes in peoples lives.

For starters, I usually have to say “Equine Therapy” for people to understand what I’m talking about. I do work in conjunction with therapists as an Equine Specialist for an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy program at Stand InBalance. AND I also work with individual clients doing EAL…Equine Assisted Learning.

There’s a difference. I am not a therapist, and this is not therapy. While both life coaches and therapists help individuals improve their lives, therapists typically focus on addressing mental health issues and past traumas, while life coaches focus on helping individuals achieve their goals and improve their overall well-being.

Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) explores personal growth and development through a form of experiential learning while connecting with a horse or donkey. It’s ground based (no riding) and no experience is necessary. Even if you have a ton of horse experience there’s always something to learn while working with them.

Horses teach us about connection and communication. They also teach us about leadership, confidence, and getting congruent about our feelings. Making sure that our insides match our outsides is the root of authenticity.

One of the things about horses is that they’re prey animals. They are always concerned about what could potentially eat them. While we as human beings have evolved as predators and our main concern is what are we going TO eat. Because of this they are experts at communicating and reading body language. They can detect our heart rate, muscle tension, respiratory system…et al. And they can tell when our body language isn’t matching up to what our insides are saying. Being in relationship is very important with horses. They expect us to communicate, set boundaries, and ask for what we want in a way that’s kind and effective. All attributes that humans require in our own relationships.

They have been joining up with humans for thousands of years. It’s a relationship based on trust and respect. It is not about dominance or having control over something. They basically teach us how to be better at being human through example.

Equine Life Coaching gets to the heart of the matter quickly. Often my clients are referred to me via their therapist as a way to deepen what may be coming up in their therapy. A horse’s behavior can often remind us of certain aspects of ourselves or others. It’s worth noting that the power of a good metaphor can really drive home what’s showing up underneath our personas.

I get excited about helping people work through challenges and overcoming obstacles (literally and figuratively) in their lives. It’s not easy being human. Our minds can wreak havoc with our feelings and emotions. It can get pretty tangled up and I help untangle it.

If we want humanity to move forward, we must embrace mindfulness and clarity about our feelings in our daily lives as individuals to make better choices for ourselves. Which in turn has an impact not only on the relationship we have to our self but also with the people around us. It’s the ripple effect. One small seemingly insignificant drop in the ocean can reach far and wide. I believe our humanity depends upon the strength of us as individuals. The health of our family, our community and the world at large are directly related to the health of the people in it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love this question. LA is so vast it might seem overwhelming to know where to go, how to navigate time and traffic, plus getting that full LA experience. I have just recently moved to The Valley after spending 20 plus years in Hollywood. I’m still learning about the Valley so I’ll start with what I know about Hollywood and LA Proper.

When my best friends come to visit I call it the Casa De Colohan Package. A Thursday-Sunday trip was the most popular but occasionally a week’s stay would happen which meant for more down time in between excursions.

First thing would be brunch after a good night’s sleep from arriving the night before. Los Feliz/Silverlake has some of the best places to eat with a cool LA hip vibe. A beloved restaurant in Los Feliz is simply called Home. Outdoor seating under the canopy of a couple of huge Ficus Trees, a large fountain in the center of the patio, with a neighborhood local vibe. Great food, and drinks to just relax and discuss the game plan for the rest of the visit.

Then it’s straight to Hollywood Blvd to check out the walk of fame and the Kodak Theatre where the Oscars are held. Super touristy of course but it’s part of history and LA’s story. We would only spend an hour or so here. Walking around buying kitschy souvenirs to take back home.
From the boulevard we would continue the celebrity theme and take a drive through Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive. Up and down the hillsides to check out the views and the mansions. Then dinner, Mexican of course. My two favorite spots are El Coyote in West Hollywood and Casita De Campo in Silverlake. Because Mexican food is a must when visiting LA.

The next day we get all fancy’ied up and go The Music Center to see a play or an Opera or a concert at the LA Phil with dinner at Kendall’s Brasserie.

A visit to the ranch to see some horses and donkeys of course. Then drive over the Santa Monica Mountains to spend a beach day in Malibu. Sometimes I take them to Venice/Santa Monica beach because it’s such a scene there that’s so fun with excellent people watching.

Other things on the itinerary would definitely include a day spent at The Getty Museum in Los Angeles (Or Malibu) But the one in LA is much bigger. You can bring a picnic lunch and eat on the lawn next to the garden. Or dine in one of their delightful cafe/restaurants.
An alternative to The Getty would be The Griffith Observatory. A little hike through Griffith Park (or drive up and park) then a tour through a working observatory with stellar views of the city. They have a telescope inside that enables you to look directly at the sun and there’s a lot of great history about Los Angeles to learn about from the guided tours.

And last but certainly not least, one of my absolute favorite things to do in LA is to see a concert at the Hollywood Bowl or The Ford Theatre. Two awesome outdoor music venues nestled in the Hollywood Hills. This is a real treat.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So. Many. Helpers.

I have a ridiculously supportive group of friends and family in my life. Even though I don’t always lean on them for support when I need to or should. Just having their shout out’s and *atta-girrrl*’s in my head keeps me from giving up all together when I feel like I’m losing at life.
This includes my Life Coaching mentor and friend, Gail Barrie. I found her while researching the field of Life Coaching through The Coaches Training Institute and figured I should hire an actual Life Coach to see what it’s about. Her coaching with humor, compassion and fun is something that continues to inspire my coaching today.

I also have to thank Dr. Valerie Coleman and Dr. Natasha Filippides along with my Stand In Balance Team at Stand In Balance Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. Their infinite wisdom in the human psyche and horse behavior was a game changer for me in how I approach horses combined with developing emotional awareness both personally and professionally.

But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my fellow trail guides at a little horse ranch in Hollywood. Our lives have led us on different trails at this point but everything I learned about horses and the horses themselves with their innate wisdom, inspired me to continue seeking out more horses and becoming a certified Equine Specialist and professional Life Coach.

Website: northstarequinelifecoaching.com

Other: Email is northstarequinecoaching@gmail.com

Image Credits
“Urban Cowgirl” Derek L’ Estrange