JAY EM – In the rolling plains of Jay Em, an innovative program connects two groups dealing with trauma: military veterans and wild mustangs. Operation Remount Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, brings together these unlikely partners in a six-week program designed to foster healing for both human and horse.

The organization was founded by a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom who completed multiple deployments. Located at the Mirrored K Legacy Ranch, the program addresses the growing mental health crisis among veterans and first responders while providing American mustangs with permanent homes.

The Program Structure

The Mustangs for Veterans Program operates as a comprehensive six-week course combining classroom instruction with hands-on training. Participants work one-on-one with wild mustangs, learning to gentle and train the horses while building trust between species.

“Through one-on-one gentling and training, these individuals initiate and build a trusting relationship with their mustang,” according to the organization’s website. The program provides all meals at no cost to participants during class days, and successful graduates receive the opportunity to adopt their horse free of charge if they have appropriate facilities for care.

The organization currently operates primarily through donations and is actively fundraising to expand facilities. Plans include constructing a larger training center and providing additional free housing for participants.

Addressing Trauma in Both Species

The program’s foundation rests on the parallel trauma experiences of veterans and mustangs. Veterans and first responders frequently encounter traumatic events during their careers, leading to post-traumatic stress disorder and symptoms including tension, anxiety, emotional numbing, distancing and avoidance. These symptoms can interfere with interpersonal relationships and daily functioning.

Wild mustangs experience similar trauma when gathered from their natural habitat. According to Operation Remount, these animals are removed from wild lands to protect them from starvation, dehydration, overcrowding or wildfires. The gathering process creates heightened “flight or fight” responses in the horses.

“By working together, the traumatized veteran and traumatized horse help each other heal,” the organization states. “Veterans act as therapists to the mustangs, and mustangs act as therapists to the veterans, fostering reciprocal healing.”

The Healing Process

Participants in the program experience measurable improvements in their mental health symptoms. When veterans work with mustangs, they demonstrate reduced anxiety and emotional numbing, improved mastery of fear responses and decreased hypervigilance within a natural learning environment.

The trust-building process works both ways. “As the mustang begins to trust the veteran, the veteran begins to trust the horse and, ultimately, themselves,” Operation Remount explains on its website.

The program targets specific populations facing elevated mental health risks. Since 2001, between 1.9 and 3 million service members have served in post-9/11 war operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, with more than half deploying multiple times. Veterans from these operations represent more than half of the disabled veteran population.

Statistical Context

The mental health crisis among veterans has reached alarming proportions. The 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report documented a veteran suicide rate of 17.6 per day, significantly exceeding rates in the general population.

First responders face similar challenges. Firefighters, law enforcement officers and medical staff work in highly stressful and dangerous situations, leading to elevated rates of PTSD, depression and anxiety.

Program Benefits

The program provides dual benefits addressing both human and animal welfare concerns. For participants, the structured environment offers a natural learning setting where they can process trauma while developing new skills. The hands-on nature of horse training requires focus and presence, potentially reducing symptoms of hypervigilance and anxiety.

For the mustangs, the program provides an alternative to traditional adoption methods. Wild horses removed from federal lands often face uncertain futures, with some ending up in long-term holding facilities. Operation Remount creates a pathway to permanent homes while ensuring the horses receive patient, individualized attention during the training process.

Geographic and Operational Details

The program operates from its base in Jay Em, Wyoming, a rural community where participants can work with horses in a natural setting away from urban stressors. The location provides the space and environment necessary for both horse training and therapeutic work.

Operation Remount serves participants nationwide, drawing veterans and first responders from various geographic locations. The residential nature of the program allows for intensive focus on the human-horse relationship without daily life distractions.

Future Expansion

Growing demand for the program has prompted expansion efforts. The organization is actively seeking funding to build a larger training center and provide additional free housing for participants. These improvements would allow Operation Remount to serve more veterans and first responders while maintaining the quality of individual attention central to the program’s success.

The expansion plans reflect the organization’s commitment to addressing the scale of the mental health crisis among veterans and first responders. With veteran suicide rates remaining elevated and first responder stress continuing to impact communities nationwide, programs like Operation Remount represent innovative approaches to traditional therapy methods.

The organization continues to operate primarily through donations, reflecting its commitment to providing services at no cost to participants. This model ensures financial barriers do not prevent access to the program for those who might benefit most from the therapeutic relationship with mustangs.

Mustang Rendezvous Competition

Operation Remount’s commitment to showcasing the progress of its participants and their mustangs culminated in the annual Mustang Rendezvous competition held earlier this month in Torrington. Operation Remount partners with the Wyoming Mustang Association for this event, so not all competitors are veterans. Many participants were members of the Wyoming Mustang Association who earn points for competing at the Rendezvous. The goal is to celebrate veterans who graduate from Operation Remount’s program while also bringing awareness to the versatility of the mustang. For more information about the Wyoming Mustang Association, please call or text Marillyn at +1 815-608-0354.

During the event, handlers and their horses, most of them Bureau of Land Management mustangs from Wyoming, demonstrated the remarkable transformation achieved through their partnership as formerly wild horses competed alongside their veteran and first responder partners in various equestrian disciplines.

The competition features multiple categories designed to highlight different aspects of horsemanship and the human-horse partnership. In the Under Saddle division, participants compete in events including Cowboy Challenge, Showmanship, Western Equitation, Western Pleasure and Simple Reining. The recent Rendezvous saw Shannon and Choncho earn High Point Champion honors, with Shannon also placing first in both Cowboy Challenge and Western Equitation with Choncho, while achieving success with another horse, Ginger, in additional events.

The Walk Trot division provides opportunities for newer riders and horses still developing their skills. Eric and Frostbite dominated this division’s reining competition, while Sydnee and Clyde claimed High Point Champion status and first place in Western Pleasure. The diversity of participants reflects the program’s accessibility to individuals with varying experience levels.

An In Hand division accommodates horses and handlers not yet ready for riding competition. Anna and Banjo emerged as High Point Champions in this category, demonstrating the value of groundwork in building the essential trust between horse and human.

The competition recognizes special achievements, including Youth Champion honors awarded to Caleb and Jubal, highlighting the program’s impact across age groups. The variety of horses represented in the results, from Choncho to Miss Piggy to SaMule, showcases the individual character and progress of each mustang-human partnership.

A Unique Approach

Operation Remount represents a distinctive approach to addressing trauma in both human and animal populations. By recognizing the parallel experiences of veterans and wild mustangs, the program creates opportunities for mutual healing while addressing practical concerns about horse adoption and veteran mental health.

The Mustang Rendezvous serves as both celebration and validation of the program’s effectiveness. The competition demonstrates how wild horses, once considered untouchable, can develop into willing partners capable of competing in structured equestrian events. For participants, the competition provides goals and measurable achievements in their healing journey.

The program’s success lies in its recognition of the therapeutic value of the human-animal bond, particularly between individuals who have experienced trauma. As both veterans and mustangs work to overcome their respective challenges, they create a partnership based on trust, patience and understanding.

For veterans and first responders seeking alternative approaches to traditional therapy, Operation Remount offers a hands-on program where healing occurs through building relationships with animals who understand the experience of trauma and the process of recovery. The annual Mustang Rendezvous provides tangible evidence of this healing process, showcasing partnerships built on mutual trust and shared growth.

Mustang Rendezvous Competition Results

Under Saddle:

Cowboy Challenge: First – Shannon and Choncho; Second – Eric and Rico; Third – Shannon and Ginger; Fourth – Emmy and Jaxee; Fifth – Clara and Chili; Sixth – Anita and Miss Piggy; Seventh – Hope and Shannon; Eighth – Rob and Moon

Showmanship: First – Adahline and Sarah; Second – Susan and Winston; Third – Anita and Miss Piggy

Western Equitation: First – Shannon and Choncho; Second – Clara and Chili; Third – Emmy and Jubal; Fourth – Anita and Miss Piggy; Fifth – Susan and Winston; Sixth – Serafina and Juney

Western Pleasure: First – Clara and Chili; Second – Shannon and Ginger; Third – Serafina and Juney; Fourth – Anita and Miss Piggy; Fifth – Shannon and Choncho

Simple Reining: First – Eric and Rico; Second – Shannon and Choncho; Third – Anita and Miss Piggy; Fourth – Susan and Winston; Fifth – Clara and Chili; Sixth – Emmy and Jubal; Seventh – Adahline and Sarah

High Point Champion – Shannon and Choncho

Youth Champion – Caleb and Jubal

Walk Trot:

Cowboy Challenge: First – Eric and Frostbite; Second – Sydnee and Clyde; Third – Caleb and Jubal; Fourth – Walson and SaMule; Fifth – Kami and Hippi; Sixth – Clara and SoSo; Seventh – Serafina and Juney

Showmanship: First – Kami and Hippi; Second – Caleb and Jubal; Third – Anita and Samson

Equitation: First – Eric and Frostbite; Second – Sydnee and Clyde; Third – Clara and SoSo; Fourth – Kami and Hippi; Fifth – Anita and Samson; Sixth – Caleb and Jubal

Western Pleasure: First – Sydnee and Clyde; Second – Clara and SoSo; Third – Serafina and Juney; Fourth – Melissa and Inchantress; Fifth – Eric and Frostbite; Sixth – Anita and Samson; Seventh – Hope and Shannon; Eighth – Kami and Hippi

Simple Reining: First – Eric and Frostbite; Second – Sydnee and Clyde; Third – Anita and Samson; Fourth – Caleb and Jubal; Fifth – Clara and SoSo; Sixth – Kami and Hippi; Seventh – Serafina and Juney; Eighth – Walson and SaMule

High Point Champion – Sydnee and Clyde

In Hand:

Cowboy Challenge: First – Susan and Winston; Second – Anna and Banjo

Showmanship: First – Adahline and Belle Star; Second – Anna and Banjo

Equitation: First – Anna and Banjo

Extended Equitation: First – Walson and Jaxee; Second – Anna and Banjo

High Point Champion – Anna and Banjo