Moustached man rides 60 miles on horseback for Movember charity

By Joan Janzen

A Saskatchewan resident participated in the Movember charity by not only growing a moustache but also pledging to ride his three fillies sixty miles from November 5th to November 22nd. Kurtis Sehn said the charity, which funds men's health projects, is "near to his heart."

Kurtis was born and raised in Fox Valley, where he worked and farmed with his parents until moving in 2016. He and his wife now reside on an acreage approximately 75 kilometres northeast of Regina.

Former Fox Valley resident, Kurtis Sehn grew a moustache for the Movember charity and pledged to ride 60 miles on his three fillies from November 5th to 22nd. He said it was a bit of a chore getting his horses to cooperate for a selfie photo, before he froze his fingers.

Kurtis Sehn shows off his moustache while his horses, Missy and Jill, stand behind him. However, Annie, on the far left, didn't agree to look at the camera. SUBMITTED

"This is the third year I've participated," he said. If any guy is looking for a good reason to grow a moustache, the Movember charity fills the bill, and Kurtis plans to keep his intact until Christmas. "But this is the first time I've done the riding pledge," he added.

Kurtis suffered a livestock injury in the summer, which resulted in a broken arm, a plate and ten screws. "I've been off work since it was a bad break, but I started feeling quite a bit better in October," he explained. Since he had three young horses that had only been ridden about ten to fifteen miles each, Kurtis decided to make a riding pledge to raise funds for men's health while giving his fillies some additional riding experience.

"The fillies are better for the experience. I learned a little, and together, we raised some money for cancer research and men's mental health. It was a win-win for everyone," he said. "Some days, I would ride two miles or up to 12 to 13 miles. I made a point of doing this before it got really cold."

Because the horses are young, Kurtis said it's better to ride longer distances and tire them out. "You want to have them sweat a little bit and come back with a wet blanket," he said. "I'm pretty happy with the way they're coming along. They can side pass enough to open and close gates without getting off, and nobody blew a gasket and had the urge to throw a fit. And I can drop a rope, coil it up and swing it off of all three of these horses," he said.

Thanks to the help of his donors, Kurtis raised $330. More importantly, he hopes it helped raise awareness for cancer and men's mental health. His riding pledge was also a practical example of how going out and doing something for a cause while healing from an injury can improve one's personal mental health.

And his fillies, Annie, Jill and Missy, appreciated getting out of the corral.