Conroe Courier November 11, 2023

With a history of working with children and rescuing horses, Willis resident Ty Nordic found a way to blend his passions at the Cherokee Outlaw Ranch.

The nonprofit, which Nordic and his wife Amy launched in May 2022, helps children and adults overcome challenges, fear and abuses through horse riding therapy at Nordic’s 27-acre ranch 10 miles away from New Waverly.

“We’re really just trying to find people that have suffered different kinds of trauma, whether it be homelessness, neglect, abuse, whatever,” Nordic said. “And (we’re) trying to provide a safe, rewarding and fun environment for them to just come out and enjoy a couple of hours here on the ranch, bond with some of the horses and just have something that is positive in their life, because they’ve had such negative before.”

More than two thirds of children reported at least one traumatic event by age 16, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. Women experience post traumatic stress disorder two to three times the rate that men do, according to a  2017 European Journal of Psychotraumatology study, 

The family-owned nonprofit at 91 Scott Lane in Willis helps women and children with trauma from Conroe, The Woodlands, Montgomery, Huntsville and Tomball, according to its website. 

“That just kind of felt right,” Nordic said. “It looked like there was a need. That particular population hadn’t been addressed, really.” 

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‘A real cowboy’

Nordic has been around horses his whole life, he said. 

“I grew up with horses and had horses when I was younger,” Nordic said. “Throughout my adult life, we had them most of the time and then we moved to Texas seven years ago and found a couple of horses that had been neglected. We took them in because we had the property. And we decided that was something that felt good. It felt right.”

When Nordic started the nonprofit, he originally wanted to rescue horses, he said. As of Friday, he has rescued 22 horses, which are all rehabilitated and trained for equine therapy with children. 

Having spent 31 years as a strength and conditioning coach, Nordic started to miss working with children, he said.

Before working with children that had trauma, Nordic helped children with Autism.

Eventually, the nonprofit partnered with H-Town Dream Center, a Splendora nonprofit that provides housing and resources to women and children that have experienced trauma. 

H-Town Dream Center Development Director Josh Mason says Nordic defines the cowboy way. 

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“Ty, to me and a lot of people that know him is a real cowboy,” Mason said. “Whatever you think a cowboy is, when you meet Ty, He’s a cowboy.” 

Mason has known Nordic for more than a decade, working alongside him at Legends Sports Complex in The Woodlands, which closed in 2017. 

Both Nordic and Mason ended up working in the nonprofit world, he said. 

“When he told me that he and his wife were going to start a nonprofit, I wasn’t surprised at all just by seeing how he interacts with people,” Mason said, noting Nordic’s interaction with clients during his time as a trainer. “I just saw how he developed relationships as opposed to clients…he was building a big family.”

When Nordic was in early discussions about starting the nonprofit, he reached out to Mason. Eventually, Mason would call Nordic to ask him if he would be willing to provide therapy to the women and children that H-Town Dream Center houses at no cost, Mason said.

These women and children housed by the nonprofit often come from domestic violence, human trafficking and addiction, he said. 

Without hesitation, Nordic agreed, Mason said. 

The service that Nordic provides allows these women and children express their feelings and heal from past traumas, as well as build trust, teaches them compassion and empathy, enhances their communication skills and boosts their self-esteem, Mason said. 

Since the partnership with the nonprofit, Nordic has helped 50 women and children, Mason said. 

Spreading awareness about the ranch

Aside from H-Town Dream Center, Nordic has also worked with Love Heals Youth and Angel Reach, two Conroe nonprofits that assist foster children.

The nonprofit held its second fundraiser, which had 400 people in attendance, Nordic said. 

“We did create some awareness,” he said. “We got some good interest and people talking about maybe signing up for lessons and doing some trail rides.” 

Aside from therapy riding, the nonprofit also provides riding lessons, romantic rides, trail rides, and archery and shooting ranges. 

For more information, visit cherokeeoutlawranch.org.