Curry makes horse training look easy

Combining 17 prisoners with an equal number of wild horses off the range could pose a major challenge for anyone, but Hank Curry, horse trainer at the Warm Springs Correctional Center's training facility in Carson City, makes it look easy.

"I'm having fun every day and getting paid for it," he said. "But these horses are the genuine article. We teach the safety aspects to the prisoners, then go from there."

A few trained horses are kept around to give prisoners an idea of how it should be done, but most have never been on a horse before taking these training positions at Warm Springs.

Curry wears a plaid shirt, boots and a broad smile as he stands next to one of his favorite mounts, a horse the prisoners have named Chrome. The 3-year-old bay gelding was picked up from the Stillwater Range near Fallon and has been in the program for 90 to 100 days, Curry said.

"I'm riding him a little," Curry said. "But Will, the guy who has done the training, has done all the work."

Curry's background reads like a page out of the old west. His father was a horse trainer, specializing in roping and cutting horses. Curry lived in New Mexico and Texas, but grew up primarily in Thousand Oaks, Calif., back when the population of the town hovered around 3,000.

He earned a number of titles for his team roping, but wouldn't say much about it.

"I've had a lot of luck over years," he said. "I did it professionally, when I was young."

He was a carpet layer for 30 years, before turning his first love and hobby into a profession at Warm Springs.

Developed as a cooperative effort through the Department of Agriculture and the Nevada Prison System's Silver State Industries, the program is designed to help these previously wild horses find good homes.

Since Curry took charge, the demand for and cost of these animals has risen steadily. He wouldn't say much about that, either.

"I try to keep improving. The prices are inching up," he said with a smile. "The average price right now, is $850. Last auction, we sold one for $1,250."

The number of corrals and round pens have at least doubled and plans are being drawn for a foaling barn, to be used for the crush of orphaned foals in the spring.

He can't increase the numbers of horses being trained right now, because he doesn't have the manpower and doesn't want to sacrifice the quality of training, he said.

Curry, 54, makes his home in Gardnerville with his wife, Paula, and their 17-year-old son, Jack, daughter Abby, 26, and 5-year-old grandson Jack.

He spends his spare time in the roping arena.