United States Air Force Academy
Air Force Academy Cadets come out to the ranch for service project days, working on the facility and alongside our herd.
What we do
Colorado HorsePower runs tuition-free horsemanship for veterans, active duty military and first responders. We operate from Meadowbrook Farm off Garton Road outside Castle Rock: just over 100 acres, an indoor arena, an outdoor arena, a round pen and ample land for trail rides.
Nobody who served has ever been billed for a lesson. The program is sponsor driven, funded by horse sponsorships, corporate and individual giving, and the Denim & Diamonds Gala.
Who runs the ranch
Two people you will actually meet.
Mark Renn is our Chief Wrangler. He oversees the care of the herd and the horsemanship curriculum, and works directly with Horsemanship for Heroes participants to help them build a bond with their horse. Mark co-owns Meadowbrook Farm, where HorsePower has operated since 2009, and grew up working with horses and cattle on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin.
Dr. Leigh Anderson is a CHA Certified riding instructor and medical advisor to the board. He spent over 35 years as a Rehabilitation Medicine specialist and national physician leader for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Between them they set what happens in the arena and how it is taught.
Partnerships
We do not do this alone.
HorsePower works alongside organizations that serve the same people we do.
Veterans Center Denver
A referral and support partner connecting Denver-area veterans to the program.
Banyan Treatment Center
A partner and long-standing sponsor of the ranch and the Denim & Diamonds Gala.
Tunnel to Towers
Aligned with our work supporting first responders and their families.
Our history
HorsePower was founded in 2004 by Joseph Howard, a Castle Rock Civitan member. It has operated from Meadowbrook Farm since 2009, and today focuses on horsemanship for heroes.
HorsePower is possible through the generous support of our community and partners with several local organizations, including the Castle Rock Civitan Club, the Castle Rock Kiwanis, the Castle Rock Rotary, the Air Force Academy Cadets and the Douglas County Volunteer Coalition.
There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.Winston Churchill