2024 Free Rein Foundation Cattle Baron’s Ball Honoree, Jesse Coker
For nearly 30 years, Jesse Coker has shod thousands of horses all over Orange County. Every Friday he can be found at the Huntington Beach Central Park Equestrian Center (HCPEC), back where Jesse Coker Horseshoeing began.
“My first account on my own was with Horse Play Rentals, when Mary Behrens [President of HCPEC] gave me a chance,” he recalls. HB’s Equestrian Center is also where he met his wife, Carrie, in the mid-90s.
He laughingly says that what drew him into this line of work was “a series of bad choices.” He adds, “I wasn’t born into a horse family, but from the time I was three or four years old, when my mom would take me for pony rides, I’ve loved horses. I always knew that whatever I did with my life, it would involve them. My parents, who are both highly educated professionals, wanted me to go get a college degree. I initially planned to do team roping and be a horse trainer or veterinarian, until I was in a horse-related accident at age 17. Once I healed from that, I never looked back.”
Shoulder injuries from falling off horses in his youth have changed his horsemanship style, but he still rides. He currently boards two horses at HCPEC, and enjoys the sport of reining with Rick Baer Training Stables. His love of horses was passed on to his three kids. His wife once worked for Windsong Farm at the HCPEC, and their two daughters grew up riding hunters and jumpers. Although their son rides, his current passion is baseball, which Jesse is learning to enjoy as well.
Understanding of Horses
Among those who have never been exposed to horses, a common question is, “Does trimming hooves hurt?” He responds, “It doesn’t. It’s like trimming fingernails. We try very hard not to cut them too short; otherwise, the hoof can be sore until it grows back.” He adds, “Another common question is if I ever get kicked, and yes, I do.”
Jesse communicates with others’ horses by “making an agreement.” He explains, “With each individual horse, there has to be an understanding that we both have a job to do. They allow me to work on them, and if I break the agreement, they get angry.”
Just like people, properly fitting shoes and foot comfort is vital for well-being. “Every horse has a different job, and they are shod accordingly. The analogy I often give is, ‘We don’t jog in boots or slippers, and we don’t wear tennis shoes while riding horses.’ For the Free Rein horses who live in a more natural setting in the pasture, if they are comfortable barefoot, then the natural method is what’s best for them,” he says.
Foundational to Free Rein
For the 10 years that Free Rein has been rescuing horses, Jesse has given his time and talents to keeping their hooves healthy, so they can do their very important job as psychosocial therapy animals. “Unlike other livestock, horses seem to be able to see into your soul,” he shares. “For me personally, they have a very calming effect.”
“Jesse is amazing,” says Free Rein Foundation President Justine Makoff, who trained with his wife and rode and competed with his daughters. “He has such a tight-knit, well-grounded family, and he has passed down his legacy to his kids in such a beautiful way. He gives so much of himself without any expectations, and Jesse would never let you know all he gives. His gift to Free Rein is incredibly special.”
