Teaching confidence and responsibility through horses

By Gabby Fink for Tri-State Neighbor
Jul 15, 2025
Jul 15, 2025

Ranch Camp 4 - worked.jpg — Laura Benson gives rider Raelynn an encouraging high five after a job well done.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Gabby Fink

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By Gabby Fink for Tri-State Neighbor

Horses have been thought to teach people different lessons, and according to Laura Benson those include confidence and responsibility.

kAmq6?D@?[ 2 >@E96C 2?5 72C> H:76 7C@> E96 q2=E:4 2C62[ 92D 6IA6C:6?465 E96 A@H6C 9@CD6D 92G6 @? E96 D@F=][ }@H D96 E62496D J@F?8 A6@A=6 E9@D6 G2=F23=6 =6DD@?D 2E E96 q6?D@? tBF6DEC:2? r6?E6C H6DE @7 q2=E:4]k^Am

A highland mini cow at the Benson Equestrian Center enjoys scratches from Charlie Benson, daughter of owner Laura Benson.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Gabby Fink

kAm“x H2?E <:5D E@ F?56CDE2?5 E92E E96C6’D D@ >F49 >@C6 E@ C:5:?8 9@CD6D E92? ;FDE C:5:?8[” D2JD q6?D@?] “(6 H2?E E96> E@ DA6?5 2 E@? @7 E:>6 :? E96 D255=6[ 3FE E96C6 :D ;FDE D@ >F49 42C6 2?5 3@?5:?8 E92E 92AA6?D H96? E96J’C6 C62==J E2<:?8 42C6 @7 E96 2?:>2=D[ 2?5 E96J 2C6 =62C?:?8 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 2E 2 5:776C6?E =6G6=]”k^Am

kAmq6?D@? 8C6H FA @? 2 52:CJ 72C> 2?5 >2CC:65 2 72C>6C[ D@ 28C:4F=EFC6 92D 2=H2JD 366? 2 9F86 A2CE @7 96C =:76] tG6? H96? D96 56G6=@A65 2? 6\4@>>6C46 3C2?5 :? H@>6?’D 4=@E9:?8 2?5 96C 7@4FD @? 28C:4F=EFC6 925 E@ E2<6 2 324< D62E[ E96 =@G6 ?6G6C H6?E 2H2J]k^Am

kAm“x =@G6 9@CD6D] x’G6 2=H2JD =@G65 9@CD6D[” q6?D@? D2:5] “x 24EF2==J DE2CE65 >J =2DE 3FD:?6DD 3642FD6 x 5:5?’E 92G6 >@?6J E@ 8@ E@ 32CC6= C246D]”k^Am

kAmpD E96 J@F?86DE D:3=:?8 8C@H:?8 FA[ D96 H2?E65 E@ 36 @FED:56 >@C6 E92? :? E96 9@FD6]k^Am

kAm“x H2D 5C:G:?8 D<:5 =@256C[” D96 D2:5] “%92E’D ;FDE H9@ x H2D]”k^Am

Ranch Camp Happy Riders.jpg — Sawyer, a rider at a ranch camp, smiles and rides with confidence.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Gabby Fink

kAmq6?D@? 2EE6DED H9@ D96 :D E@52J E@ 8C@H:?8 FA @? 2 72C> 2?5 =62C?:?8 9@H E@ 36 C6DA@?D:3=6] %9@D6 =6DD@?D H6C6 E96 >2:? 5C:G6CD 7@C AFEE:?8 @? C2?49 42>AD 7@C <:5D 2E q6?D@? tBF6DEC:2? r6?E6C]k^Am

kAm“x H@F=5?’E 36 92=7 E96 9F>2? x 2> E@52J 925 x ?@E 925 E@ 7665 `__ 3@EE=6 42=G6D 6G6CJ 52J[ 5@ 49@C6D[ 2?5 AFE 2?:>2=DV ?665D 367@C6 >J @H?[” D2:5 q6?D@?] “%96C6 2C6 =:76 =6DD@?D E92E J@F 42?’E =62C? @FED:56 @7 E92E[ :7 x 42? @776C E92E E@ D@>6 <:5D :? EH@\52J >:?: 42>AD[ E96? E92E’D 2 H:?]”k^Am

kAmtG6C D:?46 DE2CE:?8 E96 C2?49 42>AD[ q6?D@? 92D @776C65 6G6?ED H:E9 5:776C6?E 7@4FD6D] $@>6 42>AD 2C6 32D65 @? 72:E9] ~E96CD 7@4FD @? 86EE:?8 <:5D @77 @7 D4C66?D] t249 42>A :D <6AE E@ `d <:5D @C =6DD H:E9 G2C:@FD 42>AD 7@C 5:776C6?E 286 8C@FAD]k^Am

Ranch Camp Hurdle.jpg — Laura Benson and her daughter Cadee help guide rider Eden over a hurdle in an obstacle course.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Gabby Fink

People are also reading…

Dairy era ends in sadness
Lifelong cowboy continues team roping career at 87
Plant soybeans early, Below says
Research farm director welcomes next generation of ag
Fertilizer prices seasonally higher, rising globally
Seasonal supply squeeze drives sheep, goat prices
DSU student designs inventory software for Hadrick Ranch
The sacrifice and perseverance of a ranch woman
Nations race to secure enough fertilizer
2026 Farm Financial Stability loans overwhelm BND
Upside Robotics builds robots with sensors to fertilize cornfields in tiny doses
USDA forecasts 4% increase in soybean acres
Couples partner to open Sasquatch Acres farmstand
EPA allows summer sales of E15 gasoline
Iowa community college ag students explore Brazil

kAm“%96 >@C6 x D66 <:5D 36:?8 DEF4< @? D4C66?D 2== E96 E:>6 2?5 AF==65 :?E@ E9:D C2E C246 @7 2 H@C=5[ E96 >@C6 x D66 E9:D :D DF49 2 ?665 7@C <:5D E@ 36 23=6 E@ 5:D4@??64E[ E@ ?@E 92G6 E96 AC6DDFC6 E@ A6C7@C>[ 2?5 E@ 36 7246 E@ 7246 H:E9 2? 2?:>2= E92E 42? C625 E96:C 6>@E:@?D[” D2JD q6?D@?] “%96C6’D ?@ =J:?8[ J@F 42?’E 9:56 9@H J@F 766=] p 9@CD6 42? C625 2== J@FC 6?6C8J 2?5 :E’D C62==J E96C2A6FE:4 7@C <:5D 2?5 25F=ED]”k^Am

kAmpE 2 C2?49 42>A E92E C2? |2J aa E@ ab[ 2 8C@FA @7 D:I J@F?8 8:C=D 8@E E96 6IA6C:6?46 E@ C:56 2?5 E2<6 42C6 @7 9@CD6D] $>:=6D H6C6 3C:89E 2?5 DA:C:ED H6C6 FA 2E E96 492?46 E@ =62C? D@>6E9:?8 ?6H]k^Am

kAm“u@C >6 :E’D C62==J 23@FE E96 <:5D] yFDE D66:?8 E96 <:5D 86E @? 9@CD6D 2?5 E96 6>@E:@? @? E96:C 7246 :7 E96J’G6 ?6G6C C@56 2 9@CD6 @C EC@EE:?8 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6[” D2JD q6?D@?] “z:5D ?665 @AA@CEF?:E:6D H96C6 E96J 42? =62C? 2?5 8C@H :? 4@?7:56?46]”k^Am

kAmp D64@?5 C2?49 42>A H2D 96=5 yF?6 `f\`g]~E96C D6CG:46D @776C65 2E E96 q6?D@? tBF6DEC:2? r6?E6C :?4=F56 9@CD6 C:5:?8 3:CE952J A2CE:6D[ >:?: 9:89=2?5 3:CE952J A2CE:6D[ 2?5 4@H 4F55=6 D6DD:@?D] q6?D@? AC:56D 96CD6=7 :? 8:G:?8 A6@A=6 ?6H 6IA6C:6?46D @FED:56]k^Am

kAm“%96C6’D ?@E9:?8 E92E 4@>A2C6D E@ 36:?8 23=6 E@ 36 @FED:56[ 36 H:E9 2?:>2=D … 2?5 E@ 92G6 J@FC <:5D 6IA@D65 E@ E92E[” D2JD q6?D@?]k^Am

kAmq6?D@? AFC492D65 96C 72>:=J’D 6BF6DEC:2? 46?E6C :? a_a_ 2D 2 3@2C5:?8 724:=:EJ 2?5 A@FC65 H@C< 2?5 >@?6J :?E@ 86EE:?8 E96 46?E6C FA 2?5 CF??:?8] $96 2=H2JD H2?E65 E@ FD6 :E E@ 96=A 8:G6 324< E@ 96C 4@>>F?:EJ[ 3FE H96? E96 56C649@ 9:E :? a_aa[ :E E@@< 2?@E96C J62C @7 H@C< 2?5 =@ED @7 72:E9 E@ 86E E96 46?E6C FA 2?5 CF??:?8 282:?]k^Am

Ranch Camp Solo.jpg — Luna, a rider at the ranch camp in May, gains the confidence to ride a horse all by herself.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Gabby Fink

kAm“x D@>6E:>6D ;@<6 E92E x D9@F=5 492?86 E96 ?2>6 E@ C6G:G2= C2?49 3642FD6 x 766= =:<6 H6’C6 2== <:?5 @7 86EE:?8 2 =:EE=6 C6G:G2= 2?5 3C:?8:?8 E96 A=246 324< E@ =:76[” D2JD q6?D@?] “xEVD 366? 2>2K:?8 E@ H2E49 E9:D A=246] x 766= =:<6 v@5 92D ;FDE AFE 9:D 92?5 @? E9:D A=246 2?5 3C@F89E :E 324< E@ =:76]”k^Am

kAm$96 :D 8C2E67F= 7@C E96 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E96 6BF6DEC:2? 46?E6C 92D 8:G6? 96C 72>:=J[ 3FE @?6 @7 q6?D@?’D 72G@C:E6 2DA64ED q6?D@? tBF6DEC:2? r6?E6C 42>6 =2DE 72== E9C@F89 2? @C82?:K2E:@? 42==65 w@CD6!@H6C[ 2 ?@?AC@7:E :? $:@FI u2==D E92E FD6D E96 :?7=F6?46 @7 9@CD6D 2D 2 962=:?8 E96C2AJ E@ 96=A :?5:G:5F2=D H:E9 5:776C6?E A9JD:42=[ 4@8?:E:G6 2?5 6>@E:@?2= 492==6?86D]k^Am

kAm“%@ D66 <:5D E92E 42?’E 6G6? H2=< 36 23=6 E@ C:56 2 9@CD6 :D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE F?36=:6G23=6 E9:?8D :? E96 H@C=5[” D2JD q6?D@?] “yFDE E@ D66 E96:C 7246D 2?5 766= =:<6 E96J 42? 5@ D@>6E9:?8 E92E 6G6CJ @E96C 49:=5 42? 5@ :D 2>2K:?8] %@ D66 E96 D4:6?E:7:4 C6D62C49 @? 9@H 9@CD6D 96=A A9JD:42= 2?5 6>@E:@?2= :DDF6D E92E H6 562= H:E9 :D F?36=:6G23=6 :? 2== <:5D]”k^Am

kAm(:E9 E96 96=A @7 9@CD6D[ q6?D@? 36=:6G6D E92E <:5D =62C? C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 2?5 249:6G6 4@?7:56?46] $96 D2:5 D96’D 8C2E67F= 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8 96C 72>:=J’D 6BF6DEC:2? 46?E6C 92D 249:6G65 2?5 42?’E H2:E E@ D66 E96 A@D:E:G6 :>A24E C2?49 42>AD 92G6 @? J@F?8 A6@A=6]k^Am

kAm“u@C >6 :E H2D 36:?8 23=6 E@ 8:G6 2?5 @776C <:5D E96 23:=:EJ E@ 766= 2?5 6IA6C:6?46 H92E :E’D =:<6 E@ 36 H:E9 9@CD6D] xE’D DF49 2? 6>@E:@?2= 2?5 566A 4@??64E:@?[ :E’D 7C665@>[” D2JD q6?D@?] “%96 362FEJ :D H96? J@F 92G6 D@>6E9:?8 E@ @776C 2?5 E96C6’D DF49 2 ?665 E92E :E ;FDE 92AA6?D ?2EFC2==J] *@F 5@?’E 92G6 E@ 7@C46 :E E@ 92AA6?]”k^Am

Ranch camp group photo.jpg — A group of four girls enjoy riding horses at a ranch camp on Friday, May 23 with the help of Laura Benson, her daughters and some other helpers. On the horses are Raelynn, Sawyer, Luna and Eden. Leading the horses are Charlie Benson, Jaimie Zacharias, Laura Benson with her daughter Cadee, and Gracie Pedersen.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Gabby Fink

kAm{62C? >@C6 23@FE q6?D@? tBF6DEC:2? r6?E6C 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]36?D@?6BF6DEC:2?46?E6C]4@>^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmq6?D@?tBF6DEC:2?r6?E6C]4@>k^2m[ G:D:E E96:C u2463@@< A286 @C 42== e_d\ae`\gdha]k^Am

Gabby Fink is an SDSU graduate with a degree in agricultural communications. She is an award winning journalist for the Volga Tribune and in 2022 served as a Tri-State Neighbor Youth Crop Watcher, sharing updates from her family’s farm in Plankinton, South Dakota.