Charles Walks, a horse trainer at Terry Bison Ranch in Wyoming, uses his love and respect for horses to turn plucky colts and fillies into gentle giants that anyone can pet or ride. He emphasizes building trust with the horses through vocal commands and desensitization techniques, rather than using traditional methods of breaking horses. Walks quickly builds bonds with the horses and helps them become tolerant to new sounds and touches, ensuring the safety of future riders.

After a decade away from training horses, Walks returned to his passion when he was offered a job at Terry Bison Ranch in 2018. He blends lessons learned from his grandfather and uncle with his own techniques to train the horses. Horses serve as an anchor for Walks, providing him with a sense of calm and confidence, especially as he marks his 12th year of sobriety. His next goal is to get back to riding after recovering from a knee replacement.

Walks’ techniques involve desensitizing the horses to various stimuli, such as flags, blankets, and saddles, to help them overcome fear and build trust. He focuses on reading the horse’s body language and ensuring that both he and the horse remain calm during training sessions. Walks’ approach to training horses at Terry Bison Ranch has been praised for the respect and bonds he builds with the animals, setting him apart from other trainers.