18/08/2026
🤠 Cowboy Jerry — 86 Years Young
Today was one of those days at EKE that I know I will remember for a very long time.
Cowboy Jerry, an 86-year-old cowboy from the USA, came out for a horse experience today, bringing with him a lifetime of stories, horsemanship and practical knowledge. From the moment we started talking, there was an immediate connection. When you meet another person who has genuinely lived the horse life, there is often a shared understanding that does not need much explanation. The conversation simply flows.
Jerry spent many years working as a farrier and later teaching the trade. He also worked on stations in the Northern Territory and spent years around horses in different parts of the United States. With my own background in horses and the cowgirl life, we had plenty to talk about. We shared stories about groundwork, riding, stations, horses we had known, lessons we had learned, and the different ways experience teaches you things that no textbook ever really can.
Saffron seemed to understand him straight away as well. In her older age she can be quite sensitive, and she is very aware of how people handle themselves around her. She absolutely loved Jerry’s gentle way of riding her. We did not need to do anything fast or fancy; we simply walked, and that was enough. Watching the smile on Jerry’s face as he sat on Saffron genuinely lit up my heart.
What I enjoyed most was the balance of the whole session. Before we rode, we spent time talking through groundwork and sharing our own experiences. It reminded me of something I learned many years ago: although I may be the person facilitating a session, I do not always have to be the teacher. Sometimes the horse teaches. Sometimes the person works something out for themselves. Sometimes the person who comes through my gate brings decades of knowledge with them, and my role is to create a safe space, guide where needed and allow the experience to unfold naturally.
Jerry reaffirmed that for me today. Horsemanship is not always about doing more. It is not about proving how much you know, how fast you can go or how much you can make a horse do. Quite often, the best horsemanship is quieter than that. It is about listening, observing, sharing knowledge, respecting the horse and remaining open to what another person or another horse may have to teach you.
I am also beginning to see more clearly what EKE has become over the years. It has always been about horses, therapy, learning and confidence, but it has also gradually become a place where people form new connections with one another. With my background in community development and local government, I probably should have recognised that sooner. People come here from different backgrounds and different stages of life, yet one shared interest can create conversation, trust and friendship very quickly.
That is something I have become incredibly proud of. I am proud of Saffron for the way she carried Jerry today, I am proud of Jerry for getting back in the saddle and sharing so much of himself with us, and I am proud of what I have created through EKE over nearly a decade of building it.
Jerry is planning to return, hopefully on a regular basis, and I am really looking forward to having him back in the coming days and weeks. I have also invited him to our upcoming volunteer gathering if he is able to make it, so some of the EKE community may get the chance to meet Cowboy Jerry for themselves.
Today was a beautiful reminder that some of the most meaningful horse experiences are not the biggest or the fastest. Sometimes it is simply an old cowboy, a sensitive mare, a quiet ride and two horse people swapping stories.
That is the kind of horsemanship I never want to lose.
