​ HORSES FOR HEROES - NEW MEXICO, INC.™
COWBOY UP!

How Our Horses Help Our Veterans

When Veterans come to the ranch and meet our horses they soon realize that it is the horse who is their teacher. Horses carry us both physically and spiritually and experiencing a horse either through ground work or riding is transforming. As our Native American brothers tell us, the horse is our connection between the physical world and the spiritual world.

Horses teach us to focus our intention by commanding us to be in the present moment. They are Zen masters, with gentle spirits who help us to live in the here and now, to be aware, and help one to achieve tranquility.  

The horse has long been known as the symbol of transcendence and that is exactly what they do here, they help our Veterans to transcend, rise above, surpass, eclipse and throw into the shade adversity. Horses will help you to create that inner peace that we all can use, if you are willing to listen and learn.

"Horses For Heroes Cowboy Up! is an extraordinary program for mind body and spirit and makes an exceptional contribution to the healing of veterans and all people who have suffered trauma, PTSD and shock!  Rick Iannucci and his program is moving the world forward with the intuitive wisdom of horses to bring forth healing!
~Dr. Ronald A. Alexander Santa Monica, CA

Horses are great teachers ~ they perceive, interpret and respond to where we are in the moment thus creating an opportunity to help us with:

Learning to be present and live in the moment
Attain inner peace and calm
Patience
Build confidence and leadership
Develop boundaries
Move beyond fear
Learning to trust
Improve communication
Increase energy and vitality
Expand our awareness and
Work through Grief & Loss

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Retired Four-legged Instructors Hall of Fame

Leo

Rain Dancer

Hollywood

Rain Dancer was Wyatt Earp's horse in the History Channel "Cowboy's & Outlaws which was partially filmed here ~ he could handle loud crowds and gunshot ~ a hell-of-a horse!!! He retired from all his work including working cattle and chasing bulls.  He lived out the rest of his life in Abiquiu, NM with two lovely girls who doted on him regularly. He lived to be 30. 

Jack

The Horse             ~ By Ronald Duncan

Where in the wide world can man find 
Nobility without pride, 
Friendship without envy 
Or Beauty without vanity? 
Here, where grace is laced with muscle, 
And Strength by gentleness confined. 
He serves without servility, 
He has fought without enmity.
There is nothing so powerful, 
Nothing less violent; there is nothing 
So quick, nothing more patient. 
All of our past has been borne on his back. 
All our history is his industry, 
We are his heirs, he our inheritance. 
Ladies and Gentlemen – 
The Horse.

Duke

Star

Moondancer

HORSES AS HEALERS

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.  
~ Winston Churchill

OUR FOUR-LEGGED INSTRUCTORS

The Cowboy Up! program features the American Quarter Horse  |  American Quarter Horse Association ID #:  1832444

Roper

Aztec & Duke

Traveler one heck of a horse who we thought would be with us forever, however, 5 months after we came to us he suffered a severe colic.

There are no words for how our hearts still ache.

Knight

T4

Our Horses serve our veterans with the same heart and valor and dedication that our Veterans have served us with. 

With deep appreciations and  love we honor them here.

T4 & Leo are holdin' down the fort until our reinforcements arrive!

Jack, Junior, Roper and Hollywood ~ the best boys ever are now enjoying retirement since the end of 2025

Junior aka Houdini

Sokee