Barn safety & ground work
How to approach, catch, tack and groom. Every moment on the ground is a chance to read the horse, and for the horse to read you.
Welcome
Life skills that apply well beyond the barn.
Our programs are crafted to enhance the lives of veterans, active duty and first responders through the power of connecting with something bigger than themselves, literally and figuratively. Through horsemanship, the men and women in our programs learn leadership, confidence, compassion, nonverbal communication and problem-solving.
We are a 501(c)(3) with deep roots in Douglas County, and every lesson is free to veterans, active duty military and first responders. Nobody who served has ever been billed to ride here. The ranch is sponsor driven, funded by horse sponsorships, corporate and individual giving, and the gala.
Our mission
To build physical, mental, spiritual and emotional well-being through the healing power and strength of horses.
Everything on this ranch works back to that sentence. The lessons, the volunteers, the herd, and the fact that nobody who served has ever been billed for a lesson.
How the program works
Horsemanship for Heroes
Built for the people who answered the call.
★★★★★
Horsemanship for Heroes was designed specifically for veterans and first responders. It gives them a therapeutic riding experience built around what they carry, and it is meant to improve their lives well beyond the arena.Dr. Leigh Anderson, M.D.
Dr. Anderson serves as a certified riding instructor and medical advisor to the board. He was a Rehabilitation Medicine specialist and national physician leader for the Department of Veterans Affairs for over 35 years.
Who we help
Veterans, active duty military and first responders.
For people working through post-traumatic stress, depression and trauma, horses offer a mirror. Participants learn to recognize and regulate emotional responses while working with 1,000-pound animals whose survival instincts compel them to flee when confused or threatened.
Programs & servicesHow it works
Everyone starts on the ground.
Taken at whatever pace fits the participant. Small groups of two to four, with private lessons available throughout, and never a fee.
Lunging
Establishing communication from the ground. Participants see how every motion, even shifting weight from one foot to the other, changes how the horse responds.
Riding
Gentle hands, effective cues and a strong seat, in the indoor arena, the outdoor arena, the round pen and on a hundred acres of trail.
Group & private lessons
Small groups build skills together; private lessons are tailored to one participant's own goal.
Read the full programs pageThe ranch
Horses looked after by the people who live with them.
You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy.Mark Renn, Chief Wrangler
Mark Renn is our Chief Wrangler and a member of the board. He oversees the care of the horses and the horsemanship curriculum, and works directly with Horsemanship for Heroes participants as they build a bond with their horse. Mark co-owns Meadowbrook Farm, the ranch Colorado HorsePower has operated from since 2009, where he and Leigh Anderson raise Dexter cattle, Peruvian horses and llamas. He grew up on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin and has worked with horses and cattle most of his life.
2004Serving Colorado since
100Acres of trail
2Arenas plus a round pen
$0Cost to those who served
14+Age to volunteer
Upcoming events
Come out to the ranch.
Saturday, May 1, 2027
Annual Kentucky Derby Party
MeadowBrook Farm5027 Garton Road
Castle Rock
CO 80104
2027 date coming soon
16th Annual Denim & Diamonds Gala
MeadowBrook Farm5027 Garton Road
Castle Rock
CO 80104
Every December
Colorado Gives Day
Join one of the largest one-day giving movements in the country. Each December Coloradans come together with a common goal to strengthen the community.Volunteer opportunities
Come join the HorsePower volunteer family.
“The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.”DeAnn Hollis
We need trainers, horse care, ranch maintenance, and people to help veterans and first responders prepare their horse. Age 14 and above, throughout the week and at weekends.
For more informationOur sponsors and supporters
The ranch runs on this list.
Auction donors
With our gratitude
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