It takes heart, determination, and dedication to create a business or to work with animals. Erik Kokal ’09, Kris Kokal, and Nik Kokal ’11, three brothers who attended Keene State College, have put plenty of these attributes into their horse training business, HorseTenders, and the HorseTenders Mustang Foundation.
Erik, the behind-the-scenes financials and computer guy, and also works at Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center as a counselor. Kris, a graduate of equine dentistry school and a certified farrier, is with the horses daily. Nik is entering his second year of veterinary school at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, but when he’s home, he spends every day with the horses. While each brother has a different role, each is vital to their business’ success.
Kris and Nik decided in their early teens that they wanted to work with horses. The Kokal family has always used a holistic approach toward working with horses and their trainers/owners. They have developed their “Mettle without Metal” philosophy to prove it’s possible to train and build a relationship with the horse without using metal bits, spurs, or horseshoes. “HorseTenders is here to help the horses and the owners,” Nik explained. “Relationships are built with the horses, bonds develop, and we get to see horses enhance people’s lives.”
Kris and Nik applied their Mettle without Metal approach when they participated in the Extreme Mustang Makeover in 2008 and again in 2009. In the competition, 100 participants had 100 days to train a wild mustang. Each brother had his own horse, which each prepared for a competition in Texas. The second time around, they were filmed for the documentary, Wild Horse Wild Ride—all while taking classes at KSC!
After the Extreme Mustang Makeover, the Kokals realized that other mustangs needed their support. The family fosters and works with mustangs and neglected or abused horses until they’re ready for a new home. No horse is too difficult to work with. Each mustang gets personal attention, and the Kokals spend as much time as needed with the horse, until they’re sure the mustang can be moved to its forever home. “They are never lost” Kris simply states, “There is always hope.”