India 68 Foundation

Be sure and have a listen to this episode! Daniel Dauphin pulled more out of me in this conversation than most I’ve interviewed with! Please have a listen! Given his guest list, I am absolutely honored to be included!

Tomorrow morning ep. 34 of the Adult Onset Horsemanship podcast will be live. If you're new to our podcast, it can be found on all major directories like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. This time I talk with a former professional scumbag.

Jason Swick was just some guy I met at the Best Horse Practices Summit last fall and we started up a conversation while pulling cockleburs out of a paint horse's tail behind the scenes. We hit it off immediately and I discovered a pretty unique and interesting guy in the horse world and warrior communities. Behind the scenes serving is where you're always going to find Jason. He's not a fame seeker, but it's amazing just how many friends in high places he has. He just might be another Kevin Baconesque horse guy, as he's just a few degrees of separation from anyone in this business.

Jason had a college and pro baseball career as a younger guy. He then got into the Firefighter/EMS/Law Enforcement communities and recently retired after years working as an undercover detective.
Jason now owns Day 6 Ranch with his wife where he coaches/mentors those in the warrior community to lead better lives and gives them tools forvdealing with the stresses/baggage of that profession.

He's been a friend of Chris Cox's for years and produces and co-hosts Chris' podcast, Come Ride the Journey. Additionally, Jason has had his own podcast for years, Let Freedom Rein, where he talks about human optimization through horsemanship with his guests. Jason and JR Vezain have more recently begun the podcast, White Horse Remuda, where they talk about the western lifestyle, horses, and walking in your faith with Christ.

Jason will soon be starting another podcast, Contact and Cover, which is specifically intended for the warrior community. Jason is also a part of the India 68 Foundation, which seeks to help out other non-profits in the veteran and horse worlds come together. They recently provided the arena and event help for the last Road to The Horse event.

We talk about his life, what it's like to have your cover blown, the worlds of drug and human trafficking, dealing with seeing things that you can't un-see, and how he found horses again as a grown man and their part in his healing/growing into the man he is today.
I really enjoy Jason and we tend to cut up a fair bit. This one turned out more serious than I'd have expected. It's a real conversation about some real but unpleasant topics, and I'm sure it will lead to more good conversations as well.

You can find Jason at:
https://www.day6ranch.com/
https://www.facebook.com/India68Foundation
His podcasts are:
Let Freedom Rein
White Horse Remuda
Contact and Cover

Had the honor to speak at an old friend’s retirement. We have known each other since 2003, we got to show our kids the mighty warbirds that we have ridden into so many battles. Those same birds carried many of our brothers and sisters on the first leg of their journey home to their families. Sometimes with their legs dangling carefree out the doors. Other times covered in blood and a flag and strapped to a litter. The smells and sounds of those years are so close to the surface.
My brother said at his retirement, “…it’s time to move on. The men here don’t need me anymore.” That is a hard statement for those who have served, but our job was to make it so the people we trained don’t need us. They have to carry the fight and our job was to teach them how. Now our job is to find men and women who still need the experience and advice we have to offer.

"It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle." - Norman Schwarzkopf

Today we honor the heroes who did not return home.

https://www.day6ranch.com/podcasts/let-freedom-rein/episodes/2147917095

Here’s a podcast episode one of our founders Jason and his wife Kelly did discussing some of the “closed door” conversations they had about leaving Law Enforcement and starting Day 6 Ranch!

Have a listen and share the episode with a vet or first reaponder you think may benefit from the conversation!

Take care, God Bless and make today a great one!

Where did Let Freedom Rein Podcast go??? Ep107 On this episode, my wife Kelly and I discussed the reasons Let Freedom Rein Podcast went off air for nearly two years. We also discussed conversations had behind closed doors that helped us battle plan our exit strategy from law enforcement to make Day 6 Ranch a reality, in support of the warrior...

COL David Hackworth once compared what would later become known as PTSD to a cup. He said that some people have larger cups than others, but when your cup was full it was full. You could take a break and empty it, but you could never fill it up to the same level again.

In combat that is easy to see. Our servicemen and women have known this for years and our nation has created a large support system for when a service-member leaves the military. They are given resources to find another career where they can be successful and thrive. GI Bill, VA programming and military schooling are all ways for our front line servants to transition into another career.

Our police and first responders have the same cup, and are asked to fill it with things that no one wants to see or do. However, when their cup is full, what happens for them? What transitions are they given? What support into a new career do they have? They have given pieces of their lives for the community around them just as our military has. And who helps them?

India 68 will.

Stay tuned for ways to help us do it.

The final member of our founders is Toby Cross. Toby is an occupational therapist who has been involved in the equine assisted service industry for over 20 years. While the focus of her service provision has varied throughout her career, the provision of veterans and first responder focused services has always been a passion of hers.

Toby attended the University of Michigan, receiving a Bachelors of Science with honors in Movement Science, following that with a Masters in Occupational Therapy from Baker Center for Graduate Studies. Throughout her educational journey she was active as a volunteer, instructor, staff member and board member for a variety of equine assisted service non profits.

In seeking gainful employment with her professional degree she moved to Kentucky where she met her husband, Eric. Through him she was introduced to the cowboy culture that she now lives. Her passion for equine assisted service, melded with her passion for roping and cattle work, creating a vision of using western life and the camaraderie within that culture to help provide structure, organization and community for veterans and first responders.

Toby and her husband currently reside in Decatur, Texas where they live on a small farm and raise working ranch horses and Brahman influenced cattle. They are active with their local church both serving on the Arena Ministry Team. Prior to moving to Texas Toby served as a regional representative for PATH, International. She holds certifications in the instruction of therapeutic riding, the provision of hippotherapy and several specialty certifications in the analysis and prescription of movement.

The second member of our founding team is Josh McElroy. Josh is a 20-year Veteran of the US Army, deploying 10 times during the global war on terror. He served 14 years on active duty and 6 in the National Guard. During most of his active duty time he served as a Special Operations Medic. In that role he designed and wrote curriculum for special operations medics that is still in use today.

Josh grew up with horses and working on ranches from the time he was 9 years old. His father was a cowboy and a Baptist preacher, and his God Father was a rancher in the Oklahoma panhandle. He got his start training horses for other people when he was 9 years old and he has continued to train outside horses and work with people to better their communication with their horses for the past 30 years.

Josh has seen first hand the impact that combat service can have on both the service member and their families. Personally he used his experience with horses to help address the stressors of combat service in his own life. Since leaving active service, Josh has sought ways to bring that same healing experience to other veterans and first responders. Josh has served with multiple non-profit organizations, generally working to design programs and curriculum. He has served on the Board of Directors for “Veterans Club Kentucky” which is a nationally recognized veterans service organization based in Louisville KY and currently serves as the President of the Board for “Best Horse Practices Summit”, an organization that promotes evidence-based practices in horsemanship, equine care and management. Josh has seen the issues that plague the veteran and first responder community, and wants to share his experiences with those who may still be struggling.

Since we already discussed his history a little bit, let's start our founder introductions with Jason Swick.

After baseball ended, it was time for Jason to get a “real” job! Jason dedicated the next 15 years to serving in Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Law Enforcement. Although he had a multitude of assignments throughout his career, mentoring the next generation of warriors and instructing his peers was where he found the most fulfillment. Whether it was combating Human Trafficking, Instructing Active Shooter/Threat training, or investigating Arson; Jason developed forward thinking and cutting edge solutions to meet the needs of his given task. The relentless work came with a cost, both mentally and physically, that impacted Jason and those around him.

Around the age of 9 years old Jason’s grandfather, a cowboy from Missouri, introduced Jason to horses. Little did Jason know the fun spent with his grandfather would grow into a lifestyle that would later save his life! Jason has always been fascinated with horse/human interaction and trying to better understand their mutually beneficial relationship. Throughout his first hand experience and educational pursuit of horsemanship Jason has witnessed the profound effect that many aspects of the western culture can have in restoring one’s warrior spirit!

North Texas is where Jason calls home. He founded Day 6 Ranch, a human performance company that uses the western way of life to coach other warriors through their personal and professional transitional seasons of life. Jason has a passion for helping others achieve the best versions of themselves! Additionally, Jason serves as an advisor to the North Texas Search and Rescue.

While the process has been slow, we are excited to announce that India 68 has officially become a recognized non-profit corporate entity and had begun the process of applying for our national 501 c-3 status. In a fortuitous turn of events, the paperwork was signed by one of our founders, Jason Swick, on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Prior to his current roles with Day 6 Ranch and India 68 Foundation, Jason served in a variety of first responder roles. His unique perspective and experience, combined with his respect for the transformative power of the horse make him an invaluable member of our leadership team.

I have had the honor to walk amongst Giants for over 20 years now. I was able to see the best of America in her sons and daughters who chose to hold the line with me. And as I look back over my career I see that I was prepared for success by the culture I was raised in. The cowboy and the soldier share more traits than either of them realizes I think. And soon Jason Swick, Toby Cross and I will be endeavoring to bring those two together in service of those who have sacrificed so much for us as a nation. I am blessed beyond measure, and I look forward to what God has in store, for those who have said “Here I am, send me.”

While India 68 is not fully operational, we choose to step forward today and thank all of our brothers and sisters who have served this great nation. In the coming weeks we will begin introducing our founders and our mission, but today we choose to give thanks to those we serve.

"Here I am. Send me."

While India 68 is not fully operational, we choose to step forward today and thank all of our brothers and sisters who have served this great nation. In the coming weeks we will begin introducing our founders and our mission, but today we choose to give thanks to those we serve.

India 68 Foundation updated their business hours.