My name is Mandy Gagliano and I am the owner and trainer of High Country Rockies located in Gillette Wyoming. I grew up in northern Minnesota and started becoming horse obsessed around the age of 9. I was lucky to have a family friend who really cultivated that obsession by including me in her horse activities like trail riding, camping, and gaming. At the age of 12 I was introduced to Julie, a Rocky breeder from southern Minnesota who must have seen something in me, an eager tween who wanted to soak up as much experience and knowledge as I could, because she gave me many opportunities to do so; starting with riding in Rocky breed demos at the Minnesota Horse Expo, quickly moving on to helping her film certification videos, and not long after starting horses under saddle for her. I learned so much from Julie and will forever be grateful to her for this, and because she allowed me the opportunity to work off my first Rocky, a weanling nicknamed Bub, at the age of 17 in 2001.

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     Not long after working Bub off, my family up and moved to Wyoming. I met my now husband Jared several years later who, unbeknownst to him, was on thin ice the day he met 2 year old Bub. He was not suitably impressed with my gaited and scrawny (his words) Rocky. Lucky for him, I overlooked his lack of enthusiasm and we were married 4 years later. Bub quickly won Jared over with his quirky but incredibly calm disposition, so after having 2 kids, it made it easier to convince Jared that getting another Rocky was a really good idea because by that point my kids had taken over Bub and I needed a horse to ride, and it all expanded from there.  In 2017 we started High Country Rockies and have slowly acquired broodmares and have a young up and coming stud named High Country Addiction, who we think will make an outstanding breeding stallion. Our goal is to produce several babies a year, some who will be sold as well handled weanlings, and some who will be raised and sold as well trained and experienced trail horses.

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     Each of my family members is an integral part of the business as they are always there with me as I get miles on my green horses, and help with all the work that goes along with horses. Our kids, now aged 10 and 14, are learning about the hard work and dedication that goes into horses, and unfortunately they have also learned the hard side of raising horses such as selling babies they have grown attached to, pregnancy complications, losing their first beloved horse Bub, injuries, the list goes on. However, they also get to experience things that not all kids get to. They have traveled to and ridden some amazing bucket list riding in South Dakota, Montana, and of course here in Wyoming.  They have seen countless wildlife and are receiving the kind of education you can’t get from school or devices. They cross rivers, bridges, climb mountains, and navigate steep ravines on their horses all while developing bravery, problem solving skills, and tenacity when their horses don’t always cooperate or things don’t aways go according to plan.

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     It's not easy as we both work full time jobs and the kids are both in sports and activities. Breeding and training horses is not for the faint of heart or those wanting an easy life. It is for those who have a true passion for what they are doing and who are willing to dedicate their life to it, and I think that passion shows in the horses we are producing. You can find us on Facebook as well at High Country Rockies- Wyoming to follow our family adventures and horse progress.

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                        ~ Mandy Gagliano