Dreams that matter do not arrive wrapped in ease. They arrive wrapped in responsibility, sacrifice, and moments where quitting would feel like relief. This is the chapter where Kariâs dream collides with real life in a way that forces her to decide who she is going to be.
Motherhood Changes Everything
Kariâs marriage to Tony brought three extraordinary gifts into her life. Karsyn was born in May of 1994. Rylee followed in August of 1995. Raegyn arrived in March of 1997. Three daughters in just under three years.
Life shifted fast.
Becoming a mother once changes you. Becoming a mother three times in rapid succession reshapes every part of who you are. Kari was deeply committed to her children, but she was also deeply aware that she could not lose herself in the process.
She was more determined than ever to keep moving forward.
Not just for herself, but for her girls.
Building Strength Through Work
As life often does, opportunity arrived when it was most needed. Kari found her way into what would become an eleven year career with Weekenders, a clothing business where she thrived. Through this work, she learned something invaluable.
She learned women.
She learned how strong they are, how much they carry, and how often they underestimate themselves. She learned that selling is not about pressure. It is about belief. It is about understanding people and meeting them where they are.
These lessons did more than help her succeed professionally. They built her confidence. They showed her that she had the ability to lead, to teach, and to stand in her own power.
But while Kari was growing stronger in business, her personal life was unraveling.
When Home Is Not a Safe Place
Life at home with Tony was volatile. There was yelling. There was constant fighting. There was no peace. And over time, Kari came to a painful realization.
This is not the model I want my daughters to grow up with.
That realization is never easy. It comes with fear. It comes with guilt. It comes with the terrifying question of how you leave when you have so much to lose.
But Kari knew something else just as clearly.
Staying would cost her more.
She began preparing quietly. Strengthening herself emotionally. Planning. Waiting for the moment when she knew she could not stay one more day.
The Night Everything Changed
That moment came when Kari left one night with her three babies loaded into the car and the clothes on their backs. The girls were between one and three years old. She did not have a perfect plan. She did not have a safety net.
What she had was resolve.
Leaving was terrifying. But it was also freeing. For the first time in a long time, Kari felt peace. She knew her daughters would never live in a home filled with constant conflict again.
It was the start of a new chapter. One that would demand everything she had.
What Horses Teach Us About Hard Choices
This chapter mirrors what we see every day when people partner with horses. Horses do not stay in environments that are unsafe if they have a choice. They move away from chaos. They seek regulation. They protect the herd.
When humans ignore that instinct in themselves, they suffer.
When humans honour it, even when it is hard, something powerful happens.
Kariâs decision to leave was not about running away. It was about running toward a healthier life. It was about choosing courage over comfort. And that choice would shape every piece of the work she would one day do with horses and people.
Why Hard Is Not a Warning Sign
So many people believe that if something is meant to be, it should feel easy. But the truth is, the most meaningful paths often feel brutal before they feel beautiful.
Raising three children alone. Rebuilding financially. Carrying the weight of responsibility without a partner. These are not light burdens.
But they are forging fires.
They are the kind of experiences that build the depth required to hold space for others later on.
Final Thought
If your dream feels hard right now, do not assume you are failing.
You may be forging.
Horses do not apologize for the work it takes to survive. They move forward with honesty, strength, and presence. When we partner with them, they remind us that hardship is not a sign to stop.
It is often a sign that what you are building matters.
Because if it isnât hard, it isnât a dream.