Today we’d like to introduce you to Joan-Marie MacCoy.
Hi Joan-Marie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For a question I get prompted with so frequently I don’t have a great answer. The truth is, it’s long and complex enough that not even I have fully processed it. With a lot of encouragement, I have started to write about my story, which is an entire journey in and of itself. In the current chapter, I am stepping out of my role as sole captain of a giant ship called Maverick Horseback Riding so that I can focus on all the other important things in my life: my own health, relationships, and always adventure. Maverick’s is what most people know me for, but many folks know I have a lot more than public riding ventures keeping me on my toes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My life has been filled with many, many mountains. I was separated from my family at an early age and this resulted in growing up in a fragile home environment. Not having that “family tribe” made climbing those life mountains even harder. Despite that, I made it through schooling years strongly, and grad school summa cum laude and embarked on a wild venture to establish a sustainable ranch that I hope one day will serve foster children and families with an integrated and holistic approach to educating our youth (and their supporters) about real-world working skills, while maintaining an element of culture and sophistication. Sound like a mouthful? It is! It’s even more colorful when building this as a single parent. Single parenting is hard. Single motherhood with zero family is brutal at times. Ranching is hard. Really, really hard. Setting up a ranch from ground zero as a young first-generation female rancher? Come on! Combine it all together and sprinkle on top some extra awkward challenges I’m starting to talk and write about now for my life storybook, and it turns into Everest. But I’ve climbed it! And, I’ve made it back down. At this point in my journey, because of a lifetime of painful challenges, very little poses a true obstacle to me. Through the grace of God and some serious grit, I’ve made it past the hardships and come to enjoy what I now understand is the greatest thing and also the worst thing about a life lived working with animals and managing land stewardship programs: you don’t get “off.” It’s forced me to keep going when otherwise I may have quit.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Maverick’s is a truly unique horseback riding company that allows public riders to experience the joys and challenges of handling responsive horses in real environments. Our team is absolutely phenomenal and the students of Maverick’s are totally dedicated to making life for the animals better while educating people about why it’s worth our while to do that. The holistic approach of our regular rider’s program covers everything from leadership skills to land management to a working dressage approach that keeps the horses in good shape despite being ridden by total newbies who come to us for our authentic lesson-based trail rides. Obviously, we could not do what we do without the horses. Finite words cannot describe the infinite admiration the Mavericks have for our horses and other farm animals, who have a reputation for having unbeatable personalities and quirks while taking people of all ages and skill levels on epic Texas journeys on beautiful ranch land and even into the cities on horseback!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I used to answer this questions, often: “Grit and gratitude.” You’ve got to have it if you want to do something big. Understanding that whatever one does, there will always be that small percentage of the population hell bent on complaining, I encourage people to dream big and follow the gut. Remember, even Jesus had his vocal protestors. When the going gets really tough and you find difficulty finding the silver lining in life, get gritty. If you can’t get grateful, get gritty! I’ve also said “having a definition.” In order to achieve success, one must first define success. How can we measure our success without defining the goal of what that looks like? For me, success meant having a little bit of everything. I’ve had the opportunity to share my passion for all of life with others. My wanderlust, support of the arts, fascination with language and of course comfort and communication with a wide range of animals has lent me the opportunity to feel like, at age 36, I’ve already lived a truly full and rewarding life. Start with the end in mind, and live big. The truth is the one thing that’s always a constant, and encompasses these ideas together, is my choice that no matter what is going on around me, I will serve God. I’ve been hesitant in the past about calling it what it is and speaking about what keeps me going, mostly because I believe that what one person comprehends on a spiritual level is really for that person alone. However, more people are asking these days and I’m starting to be more forward about this crucial element that has given me the greatest of wings. It’s easy to serve when the going is good. Continuing to serve when life gets challenging… for me… is still easy. My long term goal is serve. God keeps me gritty and grateful. Amen!
Pricing:
- $35-$350 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: www.
MaverickHorsebackRiding.com - Instagram: @maverick_
horseback_riding - Facebook: https://m.facebook.
com/pages/category/Horseback- Riding-Center/Maverick- Horseback-Riding- 533495850053543/
Image Credits
Jay Murphy Sam MacCoy Chuck Foreman Erick Vega Maya Messaykeh
