Heartfelt with HETRA: Article Twenty-Five
Man’s Connection to the Horse - Jim Opitz’s Story
In 1959, my father purchased a small farm in Bellevue, NE, and one of the first things he bought was a horse named Chief from the Omaha Stockyards. Even as a young boy of 10, I was responsible for caring for Chief and quickly learned the ropes of horse ownership. Throughout my high school years, we had 4-5 horses on the farm, but my focus shifted when I went off to college to play baseball.
While in college, I worked at the Iowa School for the Deaf as a house parent, then as a counselor and basketball coach. After finishing school in Omaha, I joined the rodeo association in Nebraska, where I attempted bareback riding with limited success. My first rodeo in Cayman, NE, was embarrassing. The horse I was on was named Widow Maker. He took off on a dead run and when he turned the corner, I shot off him. Walking back some kid teased, “hey nice ride cowboy”.
My career took me in various directions, including working as a farrier helper at a ranch out west for several years before ultimately retiring as a contracting officer for the Army Corps after 30 years of service. Looking back, I found my time at the Iowa School for the Deaf and with the Army to be the most fulfilling of all my 23 paid jobs throughout my lifetime.
In 2018, my search for an opportunity involving horses led me to a feed store in Elkhorn where I saw a poster on the back wall inviting volunteers for HETRA. Intrigued, I made a call and soon found myself mucking stalls as a volunteer. Over time, I became deeply involved in the Life Skills and Veterans programs offered at HETRA. One particularly touching memory was witnessing the transformation of a middle-aged participant in a wheelchair who was initially terrified of horses. Gradually, she gained confidence and on the second to last day, she expressed her desire to pet and brush one of the horses. By the last session, she had overcome her fear entirely and she confidently stated she could try anything.
The care and dedication shown by the volunteers and staff at HETRA is truly remarkable. It takes a special kind of person to work there, and the impact they have on participants is tangible. Seeing the smiles, improved attitudes, and reluctance to leave at the end of a session is incredibly gratifying. I have also benefitted personally from my experiences at HETRA, finding comfort and peace amidst my own physical ailments and struggles with depression. Being at HETRA puts me on cloud nine and has helped me realize the kind of person I want to be.
My time at HETRA has inspired me to help others and share the same level of care and support that I have received. It has allowed me to form close relationships with like-minded individuals and has even deepened my understanding of my own father's experiences as a World War II Veteran and former Prisoner of War. Hearing stories from participants in the Veterans program has shed new light on my father's struggle with PTSD and how his connection with our horses at the farm served as a source of comfort and relief.
The relationship between horses and individuals with various struggles and challenges is a powerful one, and I now have a newfound appreciation for the role horses played in my father's life. Thanks to HETRA, I have gained a deeper understanding of my own family history and have a renewed sense of purpose in helping others find solace and healing through their interactions with horses.
