Meet Michelle Kaye | Founder & Executive Director of Operation Equine

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Kaye and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
This is a very personal question, incredibly relevant especially over the last 2 and 1/2 years. I recently heard that there is a fine line – but a very important one – between faith/trust/belief and of KNOWING. And that knowing rarely comes from one’s head, rather from one’s heart….

For instance: every time in the past couple of years when I thought “this is too much…we’re not going to make it through this…how is this going to work out??” That was then a surprise donation would come through, or we would get a phone call with a new client who wanted to book sessions with the horses, or a partnership would follow up and start to come through/move forward.

One of the biggest tests of that was this past August. We had just hit our organizational 3-year mark, and the coffers were running low…we were building up towards our big annual fundraising event, the Barnyard Jubilee, and 3 weeks before the event, on the outside, it didn’t look like we were going to hit our fundraising goals….but I held fast. I had to cultivate my knowing that it was all going to turn out ok, no matter what. I had an amazing planning committee who were all working overtime, we were “doing all the right things,” and it wasn’t looking the way we had hoped it would, at that point.

And then, when things weren’t looking “good” from a very practical perspective, I decided to make a choice, right then, to simply know that we would not only do well at the Jubilee, but also that we would positively impact those who attended, and inspire them with our programs so that they would feel good about donating to help keep us going strong.

So instead of stressing more, working even more hours, and panicking, I decided to relax the stress of the “doing,” and rather, practiced all that needed to be done with the knowing that it was all going to turn out successfully. It’s not that we didn’t all continue to “hustle” to make sure it was all happening, we sure did! But I decided to envision all of the details, visioned all of the people who were doing All The Things, put a number in my head, and sure enough…the Jubilee was our biggest success yet AND it enabled us to launch our new WARRIOR Pack Trip Program from a fiscally responsible and solid foundation, as well as seed the ongoing trips starting up again in the Spring!

I have found that even when I have those moments of frustration where I want to give up and it seems like the most “practical” thing to do, I use all of my skills and tools that I teach our participants to pay attention to, – like notice where the frustration or fear or stressors are, address what needs addressing on a practical level (pay a bill, make a phone call, return an email, work on a grant application), and then take a break (go for a hike, join a friend for a coffee or a happy hour, go play with the horses), take a huge deep breath, strengthen the vision of what I KNOW Operation Equine has the potential to continue being, smile, and move forward from an even stronger place of knowing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
At the deepest core of my being, I am a connector, a teacher, a facilitator, an advisor, a source of unconditional love, non-judgment, and of lightness. That may sound strange – “lightness.” What it includes is a sense of humor (even when, and especially when) things feel the darkest, finding the opportunity in crisis (in a fundamental, tangible way, rather than a “puppies and rainbows” kind of way), and a reminder that to do the most difficult work of healing and growing and letting go of trauma, that we must also find moments of not taking ourselves so darn seriously.

The Operation Equine WARRIOR Pack Trip Program evolved from doing what we do best with equine-assisted therapy on the ground, combined with one of the most impactful things in the entire world (in our opinion): riding a horse out into the wilderness, camping with friends under the stars, talking out our challenges around a campfire, and waking up at sunrise to the smell of fresh coffee, the sounds and the picturesque vision of the horses grazing, and the camaraderie that unfolds when people have made the commitment to work on their evolvement: together.

It is not easy to run a Military/Veteran/Emergency Responder-serving agency as a civilian. I am not even one of those things. What I AM, though, is a bridge; I AM a passionate supporter and appreciator of these communities, determined to help bridge the gap between the civilian world and the Warrior, Protector, and Defender worlds, helping to create more understanding, compassion, empathy, connection, and healing, on all the sides.

In serving and working exclusively with these communities over the last 12 years, I have learned how to be a better listener, to question my own beliefs about concepts such as “freedom,” “sacrifice,” and “service,” and to do my own research before forming a strong opinion about complex and challenging topics.

What I would like the world to know about what makes Operation Equine unique is that it is our mission to serve the entire family; not just the active service member, veteran, or emergency responder, but also their spouses/partners, children, and caregivers, as well. We firmly believe that since the whole family serves their nation and communities, so will we also serve all of them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In Colorado, where does one start?! In Denver, definitely visit the Botanic Gardens: not to be missed! Followed up (if you like Thai Food) at Tommy’s Thai: a Denver “staple” for authentic Thai food. Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with the Denver Biscuit Company on Colfax (as long as you’re ok getting all of your calories for the day in 1 meal. It’s well worth it!) In Louisville: Moxie’s Bakery. It’s THE. BEST. The most delicious things to enjoy (REAL pastries made from Heirloom grains, and scrumptious coffee drinks, and the avocado toast with salmon on it is the best in town). In Boulder: it’s always easy to pick a hike in the beautiful Chautauqua/Flatirons area, but to go somewhere a little off the “beaten path,” head to the Eldorado Canyon area or up the canyon further to go hike in Nederland, Ward, or past Jamestown up at the 4th of July trailhead: gorgeous! And for a real, local treat to eat in Boulder, go visit Dot’s Diner: it has been in Boulder forever, always reliably good food, and always classic Boulder people-watching (personal recommendation: the breakfast burrito with “Christmas chile” which means it gets BOTH the red and the green chile). And in Broomfield, the Butterfly Pavilion! A magical place for people of all ages.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely! Abigail G. Manning. AbigailGManning.com

Website: Www.OperationEquine.org

Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/MichelleLKaye/

Facebook: Facebook.com/OperationEquine

Other: https://filmfestivalflix.com/festival/equus-film-arts-fest/film/operation-equine-warrior-pack-trip/

Image Credits
Lynn Shore, Michelle Kastner, George Rosales