Meet Halliea Milner | Horseback Riding Instructor, Trainer, and Riding Program Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Halliea Milner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Halliea, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have been equine obsessed from an early age. As a teen, my whole world revolved around my first horse, Classy – who I still have til this day 😊. I was quite good at school, specifically science, so the expectation set was for me to become something “big” – get a full ride scholarship, become a doctor of some sort. I graduated high scho at 16, found that full ride scholarship, and fell in love the summer I turned 18.

I didn’t want to go back to school. I was hopelessly head over heels and the idea of leaving this dude crushed me, so I didn’t. This December we have been married for 20 years 🤣, so I guess it worked out. His family was in business in the automotive body repair industry. His dad, Billy Milner, was self made – born in 1938, he had a formal education theu 8th grade, accidentally passed the GED during his time as a draftee, and carted himself off to Chicago to learn the trade once he got home. Pretty big moves for a chicken-catcher from Hickory Flat. Anyhow, Ken Milner (my husband) and I took over the family business right before The Great Recession. Billy was the single biggest influence I had to becoming a successful business owner – his decades of wisdom and his ability to have simple analysis of big business problems shaped me – I am a proud graduate from “the business school of B.K.M. Like everyone else, we didn’t think it would last that long…. and like everyone else, we struggled financially.

I had always had horses throughout adulthood, and I’d started doing a few sales horses and lessons on the side to help support my horse addiction, so I had some experience teaching and training, but it was mostly for a lark. As the years kept on post recession, the businesses we had were struggling financially, and I decided I needed a J-O-B, so I got hired on as a riding instructor at Huntcliff back when Penny Chester and Jane Hollman were running it. Turns out, I was pretty good at it.

I encouraged my husband to “retire” from the auto business – it was brutal and he had grown to dislike it. Honestly, we couldn’t afford to keep the building going. I could make enough working for someone else to keep our personal affairs afloat, but not the business anymore.

After a couple years, the stables at Huntcliff transitioned and it was time for me to find a new situation, so I went out on my own and started to do it on my own – this time I was on a mission to build a business to support my husband and daughter rather than just have fun and help fund my hobby. So. Here we are.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am so excited and grateful to have the opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the Metro Atlanta area when it comes to introducing the sport of Eventing to riders. I firmly believe life is better looking thru the ears of a horse, and I enjoy sharing that passion with other people. Giving back to the community is a huge passion of mine, and I am eager to continue doing that by developing a non profit organization to support equestrianism in Atlanta as well as a syndicate that will allow up and coming talented kids the opportunity to ride horses at the higher levels while mitigating the cost of owning a horse capable of that. We have only just started – I can’t wait to see what the next few years bring.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The barn!!! Lol

That’s practically all I do!

I enjoy Houcks restaurant right now and Souper Jenny.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Huntcliff Neighborhood- specifically Jane Holman and Penny Chester for giving me a shot by hiring me back in 2011. Tammy Winton for advocating for me to run the business there again in 2018. And Jen Fowler, the current stable liason for being an excellent go between for Go With It Farm and the Huntcliff neighborhood

Tawn Edwards of Willow South Riding school – she gave me my next instructor position and taught me how to create a riding school. She also gave me a leg up by suggesting I take over her old location on Jones Bridge Rd. She changed my life then, and she continues to be my mentor in business as well one of my best friends.

My co-captain and best friend, Meg Bowers who I met at Huntcliff in 2011 by teaching her riding lessons. I encouraged her to explore horses for a living, and she has been doing it with me ever since. As a Georgia Tech business school grad, she has helped me in immeasurable ways. Proverbs says iron sharpens iron, and that’s never been more true than it is with she and I.

My husband, Ken Milner. My rock and center – thanks for taking on the task of emotional support as well as being head of maintenance, security, landscaping, roadside assistance, chief negotiator, and my biggest fan. It’s a full time job being my husband – thanks for spending all of your time on me.

Website: Gowithitfarm.com

Instagram: Gowithitfarm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gowithitfarm?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Image Credits
Shannon Brinkman Liz crawley