Hannah Widmer

The Horse Whisperer

Q: Hannah, how long have you been modeling and what has your experience been like as a model so far?

A: I am really just beginning my career, so the modeling world is new to me. My journey has been great thus far, I have been able to travel, and I have met wonderful people along the way. It’s truly a whole new world than what I am used to. I am grateful that I have had the chance to experience things that I usually wouldn’t have the opportunity to.

Q: We know you're really big in the equestrian world and have won some titles and awards, can you tell us about how you began riding horses?

A: I began riding a few years back. One of my friends and her family ran an American Saddlebred farm. At the time, I had no idea what a Saddlebred was, but on first sight, I fell in love and I knew I had to get involved somehow, so I jumped in head first and that’s where one of the best my journeys of my life began. In every sense, modeling is similar to riding a Saddlebred. It is the thrill of a lifetime. Both riding and modeling are challenging, always pushing to be better. It takes confidence, passion, the inner fire that comes from the soul, and determination. What draws me to both of these careers is that my emphasis is to be the best at what I do, which means giving my best. I know I have to be the best version of myself at both, and I know I won’t stop until I am. Along the way, I have met wonderful people in the horse world, from Rusty Rademann to John Willis to my forever home at Highland Ridge Stables with Sarah McClintock. Sarah McClintock and I bonded right from the start. She took the time to understand me as a person, not just another client. She stood by my side and encouraged me to never give up. She ended up finding me my absolute dream and heart horse, Aussie. Aussie is truly a one of a kind, and I’m not even sure how I landed him, but the cards fell right and I did. Aussie is a top show horse, but he understood that I was a new rider and he gave me tons of patience and waited for me to catch up to his skill level. We trained all year, showed at multiple shows throughout the Midwest. With lots of ups and downs, good moments and bad, tears and excitement. In August, we made the trek to Louisville, Kentucky where we competed at the World Championship Horse Show. It is the most prestigious and richest horse show in the world. We gave it our all. Although we ended up not placing, I gained experience and learned a lot. I had a mishap where I dropped my rein and could not get it back. It was my first time at this event, so nerves got the best of me. Since that moment, Aussie and I have set our sights extremely high and have been working all winter to team up, become one and make our dreams come true. My motto is: Where my energy goes is what grows. So this season we are embarking on a new journey and entered a new division, Adult Country Pleasure. We had our first Country Pleasure show and we won! I look forward to what the rest of the season has to offer with this top show horse and our bond growing even stronger.

Q: How much time do you spend riding every week?

A: As far as my riding schedule, each week has something new to offer and is different as far as to schedule. Usually, it goes somewhat like this: I generally ride once a week that is standard, but now that it is show season sometimes twice a week. I train on a school horse first and then move to my show horse, Aussie. The rides are approximately a half hour each. So now that it is show season, I would say two hours a week.

Q: You are also in University studying Art Therapy as well, what made you choose such a unique degree? What do you love the most about this area of study?

A: I feel that Art Therapy has a way of teaching life lessons as well as obtaining a degree. It is a wonderful degree that is centered on understanding people in a deeper sense than simply talking. Using art as therapy can provide people a release when they don’t have words. I love the fact that even if I do not use this degree as in terms of a career, it has taught me life lessons that I feel are vital. It has taught me to be compassionate and how to understand people on a deeper level. Compassion is vital and I feel that the world is lacking in this area. If we took more time to understand someone’s needs rather than shut them down, the world would be a better place. Art therapy has a way of bringing people together and opening new doors. Humans are constantly evolving. We spend our lives learning.

Q: Do you find it difficult to juggle your horseback riding, modeling and school full time?

A: I have a lot of things to juggle. I have a family that comes first, my modeling career and horses come second. But everything I’ll do has to be something that’s related to higher consciousness. Really my passion for modeling and horses are quite similar. They are related in the sense that confidence, inner fire, and passion are required. These are truly the things that I absolutely love to do, I see myself setting high goals and having horses and modeling be careers in my life. Full-time school is a little tough, but I am finishing in December and couldn’t be any happier to pursue my modeling career as well as see where this degree may take me. While art therapy is a passion of mine, I’m not positive that I see it as a career, but perhaps eventually.

Q: What challenges do you face as a young woman in the fashion industry now?

A: Things can be looking perfect on the outside, but people really have no idea what’s really going on inside. Living up to the persona of something unrealistic can be incredibly draining. I think in order to make it, you have to be able to separate yourself from the persona, the fashion world wants the ideal of glamorous and sexy and all that stuff. But you really have to be comfortable in front of the camera by just being yourself. Being authentic and being who you are is crucial, or else you will lose yourself. When I model, it’s all pretend. I call it another version of myself. Like, I think this other version of Hannah needs to be a little bit more like this, from tilting my head, sucking in my stomach and cheeks, and expressing an exaggerated attitude. It’s almost like an on-and-off button. I don’t see myself as this person. My perception of myself is very different from the perception people have of me. My thought is that I’m always going to give it my all, I’m going to do my best. There are people who are extremely nice and thoughtful, and there are people who are not. You can’t control how other people are going to act towards you, but you can focus on how you are going to react.

Q: What would you say is the most rewarding thing about your career?

A: Modeling has given me the opportunity to see things and do things that I normally wouldn’t be able to. I’ve been able to experience a whole new world and travel, I’ve met people that have changed my life. But I don’t think of myself as a model. Modeling is simply a job that I do, a career that I have. It allowed me to see the world and explore the possibilities. But it doesn’t define me or who I am as a person. At the end of the day, I’m still the same Hannah. The same goes for any career out there.

Q: How would you describe your personal sense of style? What type of fashion do you tend to gravitate to?

A: I really only keep things that I truly treasure. I’m very minimalistic. I don’t have a closet jam-packed with items I might only wear once. Truly, I wear many of the same clothes over and over again. If I buy an expensive item, such as a handbag or a pair of shoes, I always end up regretting and selling them. People think they need more stuff, but no. I’m really happy embracing what I have. I've always felt better with less makeup and basic clothes, I just feel more like myself.

Q: Who is your favorite fashion designer?

A: Karl Lagerfeld is my absolute favorite fashioner designer. Needless to say, Lagerfeld had style and appeal that everyone sought after, but there was so much more to him than that. What I adored about Lagerfeld is that he was a visionary just like me. He sought to do better, to be better, while remaining true to who he was. With this, he made the world a better place. With changing times, he didn’t panic, he remained authentic. Lagerfeld didn’t rush to fit in, simply because he didn’t have to. He was in charge and he knew it. I’m not sure we will ever see another person quite like him.

Q: As someone who loves traveling, what's the craziest spot you've ever gone for a photo shoot, or one that just blew your mind the second you walked off the plane?

A: The most beautiful spot I’ve ever been for a photo shoot is Thousand Steps Beach in California. It’s not really a thousand steps (more like 218 ha), but you'll feel every one of those when you're lugging your stuff back up to Pacific Coast Highway. It’s a stunning beach, surrounded by cliffs. It was one of my most challenging spot to shoot because it was a hot summer day, and here I was photo shoot ready with makeup and hair, in a bikini, and I was lugging items up and down steps. Let me tell you, it wasn’t for the faint of heart. It was my favorite location, like my own little refuge, so peaceful, just me and nature. Just the way I like it.

Q: What’s one thing most people wouldn’t know about you?

A: I’m an Aquarius, I’m a visionary. I imagine my dreams and I work to make them possible. I’m someone with a progressive soul. I spend so much of my time thinking about how things can be better, what I can do better, what I can improve. I can be very impatient, even temperamental, but I want to leave the world a better place then I found it.

Q: With so many hobbies, interests, and successes in your own life, how do you continue to stay motivated throughout your journey?

A: Everything in life starts with a dream. But first the dream needs to be clearly defined and, more importantly, you need to understand why you want it. At 14, and 19, and at 23, I never said to myself, my goal is to be a great model or a great equestrian.

Rather, my emphasis was to be the best at what I do, which means giving my best. I knew I would have to be the best at whatever I set my mind to. Not the best compared with others, but the best version of myself. I feel that when you define what you want it gives you direction and the inner fire that can motivate you. I have an endless amount of fire in my soul when it comes to modeling and my equestrian career. I know exactly what I want and I won’t stop until I achieve it. Maybe I want to be a great human? Maybe I want to be a World Champion with Aussie? Maybe I want to help people through Art Therapy? If these are my goals, then I am very clear with myself up front. How will reaching your goals serve a larger purpose? Why does it matter to you? What are you willing to do to come closer to achieving your goals? What do you need to get there? I focus on taking many small actions to propel myself forward.

Q: Lastly, we've got to know what's next for you?

A: I am so excited for what’s next. I am so incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to grace the cover of QP Magazine, what an honor! I also have two other major covers coming out that I am ecstatic for! As far as my equestrian career, I have multiple shows throughout the Midwest now through October. In August, is the World Championship Horse Show. Please watch and send good thoughts for Aussie and me in the Adult Country Pleasure Division.

Everything in life starts with a dream, but you need to understand why you want it.”

You can stay tuned with my modeling career on: Website: https://www.hannahwidmer.com/ Instagram: @hannahrosewidmer Facebook: Hannah Widmer And with my equestrian career on: Website: http://www.highlandridgestables.com/