Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Rubin.
Adrienne, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Travel, adventure, and horseback riding have all shaped my life for as long as I can remember, but founding Equescapes Equestrian Adventures tied all three of these elements together. A lifelong rider, I trained horses, taught riding lessons, and rode competitively growing up in Denver, and this is where the seed of entrepreneurship was planted. In order to pay for my own riding and competing in high school, I began teaching younger riders and riding difficult horses, and eventually built my program into a business and riding school which also offered summer horse camps, show coaching and riding, schooling shows, clinics, and internships. I traveled as much as I could, spending winters abroad when it was too cold to ride regularly in Colorado, riding and training horses in warm, sunny places like Brazil, Argentina, France, and South Africa.
Following a bad fall off a young horse one winter, I took a step back from riding for a while as I put myself back together, physically and emotionally, and realized that rather than ride all year in order to travel and ride for a few weeks, what I really wanted was to focus more on travel, exploring riding and equestrian culture around the world. More than just sharing my knowledge of riding methodology, I wanted to share my passion for travel and adventure. I wanted to keep doing what I loved, but not in a way that was breaking my back (literally) and burning me out. I wanted to give more riders the opportunity to see the world beyond the arena rail, as I had.
Today, Equescapes offers horseback riding trips in over a dozen countries worldwide. Ranging from wildlife safaris on horseback in Africa, to rounding up bison in Utah, to exploring medieval castles and village by horse in Europe, to practicing yoga with horses, to trekking across Iceland on gaited ponies, to riding the Rocky Mountains right here in Colorado, Equescapes has an adventure to offer for every intrepid equestrian and avid traveler.
While I still train horses, the focus these days is more on the adventure on the horizon than on the show ring. Running my own business also gives me the flexibility to explore other passions, such as woodworking, a hobby that always played second fiddle to riding. During the pandemic, I was able to finally dedicate time to my craft, which I had always said I would do more of when I had more time. Suddenly, with nothing but time on my hands, I dove in, learning in the capable hands of my dad. We build artistic pieces as well as custom furniture with an artistic twist, and it’s a way for me to pursue my creative passions as well as spend quality time with my dad.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No one who has ridden horses for any considerable amount of time has done so without a few falls. It’s a crucial part of the sport, and “getting back on the horse” is taken literally as well as figuratively. Like the riders and trainers before me, I’ve had my share of falls and injuries, some more serious than others. The fall that gave me the most pause because I couldn’t get back on the horse happened far from home in rural South Africa and resulted in several broken bones and surgery. In its own way, it was a blessing; it was the push I needed to leave my training business and start my travel business, closing one chapter and beginning another.
It seemed like we were finally hitting our stride when the pandemic hit and all international travel came to a grinding halt. In the months that followed, Equescapes pivoted, turning towards more domestic travel, riders bringing their own horses on local trips which allowed our guests to meet fellow riders from their own communities. These have since become some of our most popular and beloved trips.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in mosaic woodwork with a focus on mountain scenes and southwest themes. All of my work is created from reclaimed materials; pallets, scrap wood, construction waste, etc. The carpentry industry is incredibly wasteful, and I try to put as many of these otherwise-wasted materials to use as I can. This adds a backstory to every piece, whose wood might come from the old fence of someone’s home, boards from an old barn, or landfill-bound pallets.
Right now, I’m incorporating some of my woodwork designs into the interior of a campervan build-out, which I plan to hit the road with as soon as it’s finished! I love finding unique and creative uses and placements for my art.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Aside from my dad, who is my greatest resource, YouTube is a treasure trove where you can learn how to do absolutely anything, especially when it comes to building furniture, using power tools, and remodeling vans.
Think Like a Horse, by Grant Golliher, is a great read – he talks about training horses, but as it applies to life, leadership, and relationships.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.equescapes.com
- Instagram: @equescapes, @wild.mountain.creative
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/equescapes
