CAMP COWBOY

By PAMELA GRANT

Cove Leader-Press 

 

Camp Cowboy isn’t just about horsing around, it’s about healing.

 

Hosted by Robison Ranch in Kempner, Camp Cowboy kicked off on Wednesday by treating veterans and their families to a demonstration and introduction to horses. The session featured demonstrations by Fort Hood’s 1st Cavalry Division and Larry Mayhan, a rodeo champion inducted into multiple Hall of Fames and winner of eight World Championships.

 

The session was one small part of Camp Cowboy, a 12-week course offered to all military members active, reserve, and retired to help them make positive changes in their life through equine based experiences. The course covers an introduction to horses followed by lessons in health and wellness, riding lessons, tacking up, equipment information, event planning, equine careers, and more.

 

“We’re basically giving them a college 101 on horses,” said Scott Robison, owner of Robison Ranch. “We hope that maybe when they finish this, they can go get a job at a ranch or something. But it also gives some of these guys who have severe disabilities… a place to come out and be in a group and have camaraderie.”

 

Robison said that he served 23 years in the Army and, after coming to Texas learned to love riding horses. He said he likes seeing the veterans bonding with the horses and coming out of their shells. Robison said he wants to share that bonding experience with as many as he can.

 

Tony Cole serves as the director for Camp Cowboy. During his time in the military, Cole received multiple Purple Hearts and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He said he withdrew from society and said he got pretty bad for a little while. One day, he’d had enough and began to work with a horse and develop techniques that kept not only him calm, but the horse as well. He said it was important to him to be able to help other veterans.

 

“With today’s VA market, most of these guys and gals are exposed to going to a room and talking about their feelings for an hour,” said Cole. “Whereas out here, we allow them to come out for a couple hours and get around a horse, and trees, and birds, and sunsets, and sunrises. We let them naturally bring out any issues they may have rather than making it a forced event, and, by that, I think we get a better result.”

 

The non-profit group believes that, by interacting with the horses, “life’s scars” can begin to heal and/or be overcome. They do this by forming a bond of trust between the individual and the horse.

 

“The most important things in life that we learn are the things we learn after we think we know it all,” said Larry Mayhan, a rodeo champion inducted into multiple Hall of Fames and winner of eight World Championships.

 

Mayhan put on a demonstration at the event teaching how to create trust with the horses. He showed the participants various techniques to help them learn how to calm down a horse and begin to build bonds with them. Mayhan donated some horses to the Camp Cowboy program.

 

“The fun thing is listening to all these people,” said Darla Wurtz after Mayhan’s demonstration. Wurtz is the owner of Cross Creek Meadows, a therapeutic riding and retreat center which treats those with mental, behavioral, or developmental issues. “I thought this was amazing, especially for someone who knows nothing. I mean, I’ve read. But hands on…I wouldn’t know how to get on there. Everything I’ve read about this therapy, how it affects people, and how the horses interact and bond—I just saw that. I just saw that connection, and I understand what he’s saying…I know it will help these kids and these veterans start to trust again.”

 

“The relationship we have with Robison Ranch and Camp Cowboy and what they are doing here is very personal to us,” said Cpt. Jeremy A. Woodard, commander for 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry. Woodard and three other members of the 1st Cavalry Division put on a demonstration for the event. “What they’re doing for the veterans and active duty soldiers is very near and dear to our hearts…This organization is making that opportunity available for soldiers on a regular basis.