These days, you might find Jessica Lange busy fixing fence or hauling cattle for neighbors, as well as training and caring for her mares, Sugar Bear and HB. Living on the family farm in Knox County, Neb., she says she has cared for horses as long as she can remember.

And at only 23, Lange has made her mark on the rodeo circuit in Nebraska. The Miss Rodeo Nebraska contestant garnered rodeo queen status from the Days of ’56 Rodeo in Ponca and in Cedar County at Hartington. She is the reigning Miss Oregon Trail Rodeo queen for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo in Hastings.

“My main goal with this platform is to just inspire the next generation of young girls to follow their dreams and never give up, and hopefully, have a thriving future for female farmers and ranchers in Nebraska,” Lange says of her rodeo title.

Tips straight from trainer’s mouth

Lange offers these tips to anyone beginning to ride horses:

Try older horse first. Lange advises young and beginning riders to not be afraid to steer toward an older horse. “They might not be around forever, but they tend to be more easy-going, making them safer to ride for someone just learning the ropes,” she explains.

Take it slow. “Don’t be in a rush to step outside your comfort zone, and be safe by yourself with your horse,” Lange says. “Stepping outside that comfort zone or rushing into the ‘fun’ stuff before you are ready could lead to many issues for yourself and your horse.”

Enjoy your animal. “Horses can be so much fun for any age, so do not be intimidated by them or the thought of getting into them at a later age, because they just might change your life,” she says.

Keep up with maintenance. “Proper nutrition, vaccines, hoof care and teeth care are not luxuries,” she says. “They are necessities.” Horses require more care than dogs and cats, for instance, but Lange says that this shouldn’t stop horse owners from asking a trusted veterinarian to teach the young riders in the family about proper care of their animal. “Don’t be afraid to ask,” she advises.

Lange says that she even loved going along on veterinarian appointments, so she could learn at an early age about proper feeding of her horses and other equine maintenance.

Passion for horses

Lange’s passion for horses has been lifelong. “I competed in horse shows as soon as I could walk [and] then moved on to 4-H shows when I was of age,” she says. “Then, I went on to rodeos and ranch horse competitions as I got older, even winning the Nebraska State Working Ranch Horse competition in 2018.”

The first horse Lange remembers was a Shetland pony named Fluffy that she shared with her brother. “But the first horse that I rode on my own was a gorgeous buckskin named Babe,” she says. “She was the horse I gained so much confidence from riding, so one day in the future I could compete. This was when my obsession with horses really blossomed, and I was blessed to have such a great first horse.”

EARLY MENTOR: Lange says her mother, Jeanine (left), helped her at an early age learn how to saddle and bridle her horse, and properly care for its nutrition and health.

Lange also credits her mother’s involvement. “I owe my mother so much,” she says. “She taught me about horses in my early years. She pushed me to do more on my own from the beginning,” including putting on the horse’s saddle and bridle.

“While growing up in 4-H, I always favored the fun events, like barrels and poles, because it was fast and exciting, but my mother always encouraged me to do the performance events like horsemanship and western pleasure,” Lange says.

“I thought this was a waste of my time, but looking back, I am so grateful that I stuck to it, because it helped me improve my horsemanship and to learn proper riding techniques,” she says. “I encourage others to do the same.”