We are Jack and Mary Jean Mulder.

We have been part of the Lacombe community for many years. We were married in 1981, raised 5 boys and have been actively farming for most of our lives. We started out our farming lives as dairy farmers, then were cow calf farmers and now we grain farm and raise Quarter Horses.  We have had many ups and downs in life and have learned to work through them and look for the positives.

Over the last 40 + years we have enjoyed being active in our community. Raising 5 boys gave us the opportunity to be involved in school sports and activities, church clubs, 4H clubs and Lincoln Community events.  Working with and being with youth has always been part of our lives. 

I, Mary Jean, was fortunate to spend many years as a stay-at-home mom.  I completely understand the difficulties and frustrations of that amazing career.  When our boys were older and our finances poor, I went to work.  I was an Educational Assistant in the Wolf Creek School Division for just over 10 years.  I was fortunate to work in the Outreach School (2 years) and then at a specialized behaviour school called the YES Program (8 years).   Amalgamations happened and Jack had a bad accident, so I had to think outside of the box and become resourceful in creating our second income.  I started a private music studio in Lacombe teaching piano and voice.  I am still involved in teaching about 25 wonderful students.

Jack LOVES farming and through the course of our marriage he not only farmed our own cows and now horses, but he also worked in the agricultural sectors.  Everything from being a hand on a feedlot, to silaging, to working for a fertilizer company to trucking, he enjoyed working with people and working with the land.  He was the inspiration for our family to have horses.

Unfortunately, he had a devastating horse accident in 2010.  While training one of the youngsters, it spooked at something and threw him to the ground.  He received a traumatic brain injury which ended his ability to work off the farm.  This did not stop him from working with our horses or working the land on our farm.  He has had to learn new ways to cope with the trauma and the injury and to look for the positive and the potentials in all areas of his life. 

Jack has ALWAYS loved horses, and I believe he is a special kind of horse whisperer.  He has always understood the special powers that horses have for helping humans.  He experienced this firsthand when he got back in the saddle after his accident.  Midnite is Jack’s horse, and he was so sensitive to the fear and anxiety that Jack had for his first ride after the injury.  Midnite taught Jack that he could do hard things!!

I came slower to the world of understanding horses.   I LOVE riding in the mountains and the places that the horse is willing take me.  I learned a lot about their trust and reliance on me.  I learned that I can be real with them, they honor my fear and anxiety by giving me their trust that I can be authentic about it and that I can learn to work through my fears and become more confident in myself.

I became an Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator in June of 2022.  I knew that people need our horses.  Horse Connect was born out of our desire to help people.  We have seen firsthand how they have helped us and helped the people who came to our farm to enjoy riding and spending time with them.  I am also a Certified Horse Facilitated Grief Guide (November 2024) so that I could have a better understanding of ways that horses can help people through their journeys of loss. 

It is our honor and privilege to provide Lacombe and surrounding area with a place for people to be seen, be heard and be accepted through their interactions with our horses.