Director of Hamilton Equine Service PTY LTD
Alycia Marks:
Creating Confidence in the Saddle
Originally from the Blue Mountains, Alycia’s story begins in the quiet surrounds of the Kanimbla Valley, where she spent 17 years volunteering, guiding, training and instructing. Even while at school, she immersed herself into rodeo, liberty, racing, pony club and equine entertainment. She traded volunteer hours for lessons in trick riding, reining and horsemanship with project horses, experiences that would shape the foundation for her future.
Three years ago, Alycia and her husband Lachlan Marks relocated to Cooma from Wollongong and quickly recognised a gap in the Monaro Region equestrian scene: While trail rides were available, fully insured riding lessons were not. From that need, Hamilton Equine Services was born, a riding school grounded in safety, inclusivity and positive learning.
Today, the business supports a growing team of instructors, volunteers and versatile horses. In addition to weekly lessons and not-for-profit events, Hamilton Equine Services delivers trick riding demonstrations, live entertainment, leadership programs, birthday parties, The HES Learning Club which is their own version of pony club and equine-assisted learning programs.
Accessibility is central to the program’s philosophy. With foundations in Western Pleasure and reining, Alycia’s horses are trained to respond to neck reining and alternative aids, allowing riders including those with limited hand function or disabilities to ride and handle horses with confidence and safety.
The vision is simple: Empowered riders and adaptable, well-educated horses, each with a story and purpose.
Alycia takes particular pride in developing both her staff and her horses. The school creates employment and volunteer pathways for individuals facing disabilities or social challenges, fostering genuine growth within the industry. Many of the program’s standout horses began as donated or low-cost projects, carefully rehabilitated and retrained into reliable lesson and trick mounts.
Establishing a business in a rural town presented its challenges, particularly as a newcomer to the region. However, strong community connection has become a defining strength. Today, Hamilton Equine Services hosts expanding gymkhanas, horse shows and horsemanship clinics, strengthening regional ties and contributing to local tourism.
Supported early on by mentors Ray Gall and Jim Commens, who encouraged a once-quiet child to find her voice, Alycia now carries that same belief into her work, mentoring students, staff and horses alike.