A Life Worth Riding

Sandi Simons recounts how she recovered from a life of abuse and trauma to help other women rediscover their self-confidence through working with horses in her hugely popular Confidence Clinics in Australia and the U.S.

Sandi Simons grew up in a small country town and, like many young girls, developed a passion for horses. However, her childhood was far from easy. At a very young age, she was placed in a situation in which her innocence was destroyed and her life affected forever. Then she watched her parents’ marriage fall apart and her mother suffer debilitating depression. She moved out of home hoping to improve her situation. However, Sandi soon found herself a teenage mom at the age of 14, and a series of abusive relationships followed. But somewhere in her heart she knew there was always hope for a better life, and always horses waiting for her. After meeting talented horseman David Simons, Sandi realized that her life experiences had completely destroyed her confidence in everything she did, including riding horses. Determined to overcome her fears, she worked with David to regain her old skills. She began to understand that it was not just riding she was relearning—she was learning to trust herself and let herself be loved. Since then Sandi created her Confidence Clinics and has helped thousands of women all over Australia and the U.S. to find the strength within to overcome their perceived limitations, both with their horses and in their lives. In her work with women using horses, Sandi helps them face their fears and become stronger, more complete individuals, who are able to banish self-doubt and believe in their own value. This is her story.