11/26/2025
Time to meet another IMHA founder!
Teddy Franke – Mustang Horseman, Farrier, Educator & IMHA Co-Founder
Teddy’s connection to mustangs began with a Kiger mare named Cabela, a tough, cowy, steady ranch partner who convinced him early on that mustangs could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any using horse. His first adoption-challenge horse, Jeremiah of the Paisley Desert, only strengthened that conviction—an athletic, good-minded gelding who was a blast to compete on and proved just how much talent mustangs bring to the table.
A former TIP trainer, Teddy gentled a number of mustangs while running Mission Farrier School. Students learned to handle untouched horses as part of their farrier and horsemanship education, and several ended up adopting the very mustangs they helped start—experiences that became turning points in their training and confidence.
Professionally, Teddy is a lifelong horseman, farrier, and international horsemanship instructor, holding multiple certifications through the Certified Horsemanship Association and working with riders and educators across the U.S. and abroad. Years spent studying feral hooves—and the way movement and environment create strong, resilient feet—have shaped both his teaching and his approach to functional hoof care.
His newest mustang, The Amazing Quigley from the South Steens HMA, continues to challenge and teach him, keeping him grounded in the same principles he teaches his students.
But the deepest impact has come through Teddy’s family. His daughter has grown tremendously through her work with mustangs, and his son Malakai, a young horseman with special needs, gentled his own mustang—Hot Wheels—in a way that boosted his confidence and motor skills more than any therapy ever had. Those moments made mustangs part of the Franke family story, not just part of Teddy’s career.
All of these experiences led Teddy to help launch the International Mustang Horse Association (IMHA)—a place for mustangs to build identity and achievement beyond the first hundred days of gentling. IMHA exists to highlight what mustangs become over a lifetime, not just who they are at adoption.
Teddy is proud to help build an association that honors the heart, versatility, and future of America’s mustangs.
For more information on Teddy: https://www.liveequestrian.net/teddy?fbclid=IwY2xjawOS01FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFJREFQMlBUandYbmZ3bnhvc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqHvEnc1fsMiMElPpJToyUq1IWHgycWEJhI7SNih8QyyXhq8zeOpj35sRGDn_aem_5bs8N_HB8vvQGt0V2vstbQ
