A Stable Business And Lots Of Horsing Around

When Olga Comeau was two years old, she ran away from home. The allure? A set of hoof prints that beckoned the youngster to follow. She has been following that path ever since.

As owner of Mandala Riding and Awareness Center in Hampton, Annapolis Co., Ms. Comeau oversees a stable with 14 horses, seven of which are Icelandic horses, a spirited breed with an unusual gait. Those horses are a cornerstone of the business which features camps, workshops, clinics, retreats and weekly lessons.

"I use a different approach to riding called centered riding," she said. "I want to help people understand their own bodies better. We do a lot of breathing exercises and work off the horse. We also work on balance and understanding the horse."

Although Mandala is not the only riding centre in Atlantic Canada, it is the only East Coast business that uses this approach. "It's as much about the person as it is about getting on a horse," said Ms. Comeau, who has been in business since she moved from Toronto almost 35 years ago.

Her client base, she adds, is diverse. Some people have never been on a horse, others have had a bad experience, still others rode as children and want to reconnect. Some are people with arthritis looking for an outdoor activity.

In keeping with her philosophy of reconnecting -- with earth, with nature, with herself -- a number of Ms. Comeau's horses are officially retired. "They are the elders," she said. "In a not- very-practical woman's business sense, I maintain them. They have earned a good retirement."

It is her love of horses, and her desire to help, that led Ms. Comeau to establish her business. But there is no doubt it is a business. "I've chosen a lifestyle rather than a livelihood, but you also have to pay the bills," she said.

Olga Comeau advises young women to have a passion for their chosen professions. "You really need to love what you're doing. Otherwise you give up," she said. "A belief in what you're doing gives you so much more than an income."

International Women's Day, March 8, is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women and to renew commitments to equality. This year, the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women is giving special recognition to women working in non-traditional sectors.