"There is much we can learn from a friend who happens to be a horse." - Aleksandra Layland

Welcome to Wild at Heart

Wild at Heart is a personal chronicle of returning — to where the horses graze, the seasons set the pace, and life unfolds in rhythms older than our calendars. Letters about presence, pace, and the quiet lessons of herd life, alongside the daily rituals and small magics that tether us to what’s true. Coming to you from the edges of the Ozark Mountains.

Hi, I’m Hannah. 👋🏼

I’m a seeker, a striver, a multi-passionate mess of a human. A dreamer who feels a lot and worries a lot and does her best thinking while tossing hay or singing in the shower.

I was born a horse girl, but life had other plans until right before my 30th birthday... My mom’s new partner was a bonafide cowboy, and when he put me up on his favorite horse, Mooney, the shit-eating grin on my face sealed the deal. I started riding lessons the next week, and within a few months, I had a horse of my own—a mustang named Takota. My wild one.

That decision changed everything.

Takota and I didn’t just learn to ride. He inspired me to train as an equine-assisted coach (who knew that was even a thing?). Now I’ve had revelations in round pens from California to North Carolina to the Arizona desert and even up in the Pacific Northwest. But home has always been these Arkansas hills, where I live, work, and play.

The horses I’ve met along the way have taught me about freedom, resilience, sensitivity, and presence. About living with more attunement — to my body, to the land, to the quiet intelligence that gets drowned out by screens and schedules and the constant hum of modern life.

Wild at Heart is my attempt to write toward that attunement. To chronicle what it looks like to build a wilder, gentler life. To share what I’m learning and unlearning along the way.

What to Expect

Posts in your inbox about once a month — stories, reflections, my favorite tea recipes, horse wisdom, and whatever else feels alive in this season.

Occasionally, I host gatherings and offer one-on-one coaching for folks navigating their own return to wildness, presence, and embodied living. If you’re curious about working together, you can learn more here or just reply to any email. I’d love to hear from you.

For now, I’m just glad you’re here. 🤗

You’ll receive posts in your inbox, but for a little more fun, you can get the Substack app. There’s some cool stuff happening there.

Join the Wild at Heart Herd

When you subscribe, know that I’ll be waving furiously from my front porch to wherever you are in the world, thrilled you’ve joined the herd.

Happy to have you along for the ride.