Jackie Torgerson | Happy Horses® Ambassador
DDDJST Equine Services | Eriksdale, Manitoba
Horses, Family, and Community
I’m Jackie Torgerson, and I’m proud to call Eriksdale, Manitoba home. Horses have been part of my life for as long as I can remember, with a break during the middle years. Today, my family and I enjoy rodeo and team penning, and we’re committed to creating welcoming opportunities for horse people in our community.
Emotional Well-Being Through Horses
As an equine-assisted learning facilitator, I believe the phrase mental health can sometimes make people feel as though something is wrong with them. I prefer to begin with emotional well-being: understanding our emotions, noticing how they affect our lives, and building practical skills to move forward in a positive way.
A Simple Problem-Solving Process
- Ask what the problem is.
- Brainstorm possible solutions.
- Choose the best solution.
- Do it.
After identifying the problem, we look at what emotion is present and where we may have felt it before. Naming and understanding that emotion can change our perspective, helping us return to the problem with an open heart and use conflict-management and problem-solving skills. Sometimes people can find a solution together without either person having to compromise who they are.
LOVE in Practice
- L — Love
- O — Ourselves
- V — Value
- E — Each other
We are the first person in our own lives that we need to treat well. When we learn to do that, treating others with care becomes easier.
Why Horses?
Horses are nonjudgmental, live in the moment, and communicate honestly through body language. They respond to what we are communicating physically, even when our words say something else. With proper communication, understanding, respect, and trust, we can create an environment where both horse and human feel safe.
Working with horses helps us practise reading body language, respecting personal space, making eye contact, listening beyond words, and understanding both verbal and nonverbal communication. In a world where technology can make genuine connection harder, these skills support stronger relationships and emotional well-being.
Happy Horses® Ambassador and Community Partner
As a Happy Horses® ambassador and Interlake pickup depot, I help local horse people access Happy Horses® Maintenance Mineral and connect with practical equine resources. I offer clinics and lesson programs, and I carry a variety of feed supplements and equine products. Weekend equine therapy workshops are also planned for 2027.
I have hosted Taylor Douglas Performance Horsemanship clinics at DDDJST Equine Services, providing stalls, pens, trailer plug-ins, and rider hospitality. I have also shared my experience transitioning to Happy Horses® Maintenance Mineral, including visible improvements in herd condition and focus. My community work includes supporting stronger connections with the Manitoba Horse Council and conversations about community involvement and equine-assisted psychotherapy through the Caring for Cowboys & Cowgirls Foundation™.