Our Horses

Ginger

Ginger is a 17-year-old Appaloosa/Morgan mare. She stands 14.2 hands tall (a hand is 4 inches) and weighs 1,300 Pounds + or -. We acquired her and her full brother, Beau, when she was 18 months old, Beau was 6 months old. When she reached the age of 3, we began her training. To say the least she is the herd mare, however, when she is around people, she acts like a lady. With her laid back personality we use her as an introductory horse to our new Disabled Veteran clients and she is the horse of choice for riding lessons. She knows the groundwork and grooming program by heart and is perfect for that first ride (that is why you see her in all the pictures of our Disabled Veterans riding in the round pen and arena on this website).

Beau

Beau is a 16-year-old Appaloosa/Morgan gelding. He stands 15 hands tall and weighs 1,100 pounds. We acquired him and his full sister, Ginger, when he was 6 months old. When he reached the age of 3, we began his training. He too knows the groundwork and grooming program by heart, but as far as personality, we call Ginger “Regular” and Beau “Spicey”. Anyone can ride him, but he likes to go, that is why you see Mr. Allen or our more advanced Disabled Veterans riding him in most of his pictures on our website.

Casper

Casper is a 6-year-old American Standard bred gelding. He is 15.1 hands tall and weighs 1,050 pounds. He is owned by one of our VETS board members. We have yet to find anything he can’t do. He works well in the round pen, arena and on the trail, many of our Disabled Veterans prefer riding him in the arena and on the trail because of his personality and his responsiveness. He works well by himself or in a group ride.

Bud

A 31-year-old registered Paint gelding owned by Ms. Kristy since he was 7. He has miles of trail experience, but because of medical conditions, he is used for round pen and groundwork and some round pen riding. He has a willing disposition to do what he is asked.

Dunny

An 18-year-old registered Quarter Horse mare also owned by Ms. Kristy since she was a weanling. She has been ridden on trails and arena riding. She is quiet and laid back but has an attitude and energy when asked to perform.

Two Socks and Wind in the Hair (Windy)

It began on Labor Day, 2023 at about 11:00 AM with a phone call from Robert Clark, a rescue horse ranch operator located in Sturkie AR. Mr. Clark explained that he was moving and wanted to find a new home for two Prior Mountain Mustangs, age 16. He had seen our VETS brochure for working with Disabled Veterans and as a veteran he wanted his Mustangs to work with Disabled Veterans. Mr. Clark acquired the Mustangs as 2-year-olds from the BLM (Bureau of Land Management), located on the Montana-Wyoming border, home of the Pryor Mountain Mustangs. These two Mustangs have been DNA tested and their lineage goes back to the Spanish Conquistadors.

After talking it over with Debbie, my wife, and Ms. Kristy Baynton, the ranch foreman, we decided to drive to Sturkie, AR (about 30 miles south of us) and look at these Mustangs. They were in great shape; however, they had never been worked with. When Mr. Clark brought them home, he simply turned them into the field and fed them. They were used to human contact, you could touch and rub them, but no halter or lead rope and they did not care for sudden movements.

On the drive home the 3 of us discussed the pros and cons of accepting them and decided that yes, we would take on the project. Mr. Clark, to his credit, followed us home to inspect our facilities. After visiting the VETS training facilities and talking with VETS CEO Allen Dye, Two Socks and Windy have a new home.

When they arrived at the ranch, we unloaded them into the quarantine pen as they had never been vaccinated. Job #1 was get them to eat in a stall, get a halter on them, vaccinate them, and teach them to lead before cold weather and the water tanks froze.

Job #1 is complete, and they are now with the herd settling into their new home with new neighbors. Job #2 is to get them into the round pen and teach them to pick up their feet and the groundwork by spring, the start of the new riding season. Our goal is for the Disabled Veterans to learn how to groom them and do the ground exercises with them. It will be interesting to watch the Mustangs interact with the veterans.

Program Overview

This 6-step equine training program will consist of the following:

Initial meet and greet, then a tour of the ranch.
1. Ground Rules – NO alcohol or drugs, NO foul language and NO firearms. Smoking will be allowed provided the veteran field strips the butt.
Introduction to “Ginger” our 14-year-old Morgan/Appaloosa mare who we have used for years to train people to ride.
1. In the sand filled round pen with the horse the introduction consists of the veteran touching and rubbing the horse and blowing into her nostrils. Allowing the horse to smell and get comfortable with the veteran. Safety tips on being around horses and the horses warning signs. Allowing the veteran to lead the horse with lead rope and halter.
From the 2nd session on it will be all hands-on training/riding.
1. In the round pen the veteran learns safety tips on grooming and proper/safe grooming techniques.
2. Learns the safe way to pick up and clean hoofs.
3. Learning ground exercises such as: lunging a horse, desensitizing a horse to ropes, whips, plastic tarps, plastic shopping bags and plastic water bottles, disengaging front quarters and hind quarters and flexing neck and dropping its head.
4. After the veteran is comfortable in these areas, they learn the proper way to put on saddle pad and saddle, headstall, and bit.
5. Then we move on to the proper way to mount and dismount a horse
Now we are ready to ride in the round pen.
1. With the veteran mounted I will lead the horse in a walk and teach the rider to help me turn the horse using his legs (if able) as a cue, stop the horse and start the horse.
2. At this point I stand in the middle of the round pen and instruct the rider as he walks the horse around the round pen, through turns, figure 8s, starts, & stops.
3. When the veteran is comfortable with this, we introduce the trot and canter if he is comfortable with changing speeds. As this is all about the veteran he will go at his pace and at his comfort level. With encouragement.
Next, we move into the arena and get accustomed to a larger working area where he will ride around barrels and longer straight areas and curves. This is where the veteran gets comfortable in the saddle. With the opportunity to change speeds.
Finally, we hit the trail. Initially, we do a short trail ride through the woods with other riders. Then we finish the course with a 2-hour trail ride in a group setting.
1. At this point the veteran collects Ginger, grooms, and saddles her. Lunges her in the round pen, tightens the cinch one last time and then we ride off into the sunset!

While this is a 6-step program each veteran will progress at a different rate because of experience level or physical limitations. Therefore, it is not practical to lock the veteran into a situation where in lesson #3 we will accomplish this and lesson #4 will include this. The goal is for the veteran to focus on the positive and enjoy the process of equine training. We will set goals that are realistic and attainable. Some veterans have physical and or phycological issues that may limit the ‘ride off into the sunset’ aspect of the program.

This program is not “equine therapy.” The program will provide Veteran Equine Training Services to American Disabled Veterans suffering from PTSD/TBI in our area