There is a tremendous amount that can be learned from the saddle of a horse. As the College’s Horsemanship curriculum reminds us, “learning to understand and work with a horse is a particularly effective way of learning humility, co-adaptation, and respect.” That’s why every Wyoming Catholic College student spends a semester of their sophomore year working with a particular horse that been assigned to them from the College’s herd. Over the course of the semester, students hone their riding skills under the tutelage of an equine instructor, with the goal of being able to participate in a “quadrille” exercise by the end of the semester.
This week, as part of Spring Break 2026, nine WCC students are spending the next few days camping out near the Christine Allen Memorial Horsebarn and Horsemanship Arena, a local arena at the edge of Lander that houses the College’s Equestrian program. There, they are discovering just how much can be learned about oneself and one’s relationship to Creation and its creatures without getting up on the horse at all.
A key component of their focus during the week is the practice of “groundwork,” an exercise designed to build communication and establish trust between horse and rider, providing a strong foundation upon which to base future training. Conducted primarily in a round pen, it helps the horse grow more confident and responsive to human body language and cues. It requires significant time and patience, so this week-long break is the perfect opportunity to more intensely explore and develop a valuable skill that can be difficult to work into the time-constraints of the busy Sophomore semester. (Several of the College’s Horsemanship instructors and staff are participating, as well; learning at Wyoming Catholic is certainly not restricted to the students!)
For several of the students in this week’s group, this is actually their second experience with the concept of groundwork, having already taken part in the pilot program offered during last year’s Fall Break. As the old saying goes, “you don’t really know something until you can teach it to someoneelse,” so they’re eagerly taking the opportunity to share what they’ve learned with their classmates. It’s fascinating to see the same dynamic so frequently present in our classrooms—students offering one another advise, encouragement, and working together toward the common goal of knowledge and of mastery—play out here at the horse barn.
From the classroom to the barn, and back again; there’s no place like Wyoming Catholic!
The week’s activities started off with a special guest: Father Bryce Lungren, a priest from the Diocese of Cheyenne (currently serving in Buffalo) and the author of The Catholic Cowboy Way: Finding Peace and Purpose on the Bronc Called Life and The Catholic Cowboy Way of Prayer. After celebrating Mass at noon in the College’s Immaculate Conception Oratory, the group headed out to the arena, where Father had the opportunity to offer his reflections on the many ways in which horsemanship (and the kinds of training they’re undertaking this week) serves as the perfect metaphor for the spiritual life. “Life with Christ is such an adventure,” he reminded them. “You’re already ahead of the game. Stay on track; stay humble. Stay disciplined. Keep up the good work. And God bless you!”
This notion of “transference”—the way in which a thing that is learned in one context or environment translates into another—is a constant theme with the Horsemanship program, both in terms of what it teaches our students about themselves and about the natural order of things, and in how it allows them to tap into the metaphorical and historical richness of Western thought. It is a theme that will come up again and again as we visit various with groups throughout the week, and it’s one that we experience on a daily basis here at Wyoming Catholic.
Rich and intentional interaction between the various human “spheres” of Mind, Body, and Spirit has a tremendous impact on our young men and women. It plays a huge part of what it means to be a Wyoming Catholic College student, and it is a principle that is increasingly valuable in an educational environment accelerating towards academic specialization and siloing. A well-rounded education depends on “transference” in countless ways, and we are grateful to be an institution that makes such transformative learning possible.
“Groundwork as Soulcraft” is a perfect example of why Wyoming Catholic is a one-of-a-kind place, and why our work is so vitally important in today’s fractured culture. Please help us to continue offering this extraordinary education by joining this year’s Spring Break Match Campaign. And remember: Everything we receive this week will be MATCHED by generous members of our Board of Directors, doubling the impact of your gift up to $50,000!
