Through horsemanship and experiential learning, 7 Stars Ranch is helping veterans, youth, and first responders build confidence, connection, and purpose.
At 7 Stars Ranch, the experience is about far more than learning how to ride horses. Through ranch life, equine care, and experiential learning, the nonprofit creates opportunities for personal growth, healing, youth development, and social connection for veterans, first responders, law enforcement officers, youth, and their families.
“It’s never coming here to ride horses,” shared co-founder and director John Moder. “It’s coming here to become a better person, for whatever you want to apply that to.”
For many participants, growth starts with simply showing up. “Just being around the horses is where the magic happens,” Moder explained. Learning something new, asking questions, and humbling yourself — both individually and within a group setting — all become part of the process. Through those experiences, positive growth and confidence begin to take shape naturally.
A proud combat veteran of the United States Army National Guard, Moder now helps lead veteran-focused programming at the ranch through beginner riding fundamentals, horsemanship, and purposeful experiential learning. The veteran programming at 7 Stars Ranch is deeply personal to Executive Director JoLynn McDonald. Inspired by her mentor, Vietnam veteran Dave Scribner, McDonald witnessed firsthand the connection he had with horses and the impact it had on his life.
“She wanted to share that with other veterans because she saw the way he interacted with the horses and what it meant for his life,” Moder shared.
In 2021, McDonald partnered with Strong Compass to provide free horse training to military veterans preparing to participate in a memorial cutting event honoring Scribner. What began as a single event has since grown into a comprehensive 10-week program connecting veterans to horses, mentorship, community, and personal development.
Today, 7 Stars Ranch has expanded its offerings to include leadership and wellness workshops for veterans and first responder leaders, along with multi-day experiential programs in partnership with Wounded Warrior Project. These programs combine horsemanship, reflection, leadership development, and wellness practices to help participants build confidence, connection, and resilience both in and out of the arena.
That work — alongside McDonald’s youth programming through Northern Lights Cutting Center — ultimately led to the official establishment of 7 Stars Ranch as a nonprofit organization in early 2022.
“Horses reflect to you how you are to them — who you are in that moment,” McDonald said. “And that is extremely powerful.”
At its core, 7 Stars Ranch is creating meaningful opportunities for veterans, youth, and families to build confidence, connection, and purpose through the unique bond between people and horses. Visit 7 Stars Ranch to learn more about their mission and programming.
Photography by Carlino Creative
