Danny and Dr. Patricia Cole realized very early in the life of their son Duke Cole that he struggled relating to others. After years of watching Duke struggle to “fit in,” he was diagnosed with an autism disorder in his early teens. Now in his 30s, Dr. Duke Cole recently released the book “Easier than Fighting Rocky.” The book details Duke’s journey learning to understand the world of emotions and compassion from his stubborn, defiant and rebellious horse, Rocky.
“It was never my idea to write ‘Easier than Fighting Rocky,’” Cole said. “It was the vision of the owner of the stable where I had my horse. He kept telling my mom that I needed to write about my experiences. That they would help other people.”
Through the training of Rocky, Cole successfully learned how horses use body language and communicate emotions through them. The skills learned through training Rocky have enabled Duke to understand not only horses, but the nuances of communication of the people around him.
“I was smart from a young age. That was never a limitation. But having autism made it socially difficult. Working with Rocky helped me develop the skill to read body language and emotions. About the time I finished my undergraduate degree I realized just how far Rocky had taken me and recognized what the stable owner had seen.”
The self-discovery carried Cole through struggles, injuries, rejection, heartbreaks, disappointments and loneliness. With Rocky’s help, he was able to enter veterinary college and flourish in a world full of emotion and compassion.
Cole wrote “Easier than Fighting Rocky” with the intention of the book acting as a walk-through guide for parents with children diagnosed on the autism spectrum. The book illustrates how Cole learned to navigate relationships by using Rocky’s training and the many adventures the two shared as a backdrop.
“My first childhood dream was to be a pilot,” Cole said. “For several reasons, I could not pursue that dream. After the housing market crash of 2008, it was recognized that animal hospitals were resilient. I too, made the same observation and ultimately chose to pursue veterinary school as a step on the ongoing path to being a business owner of multiple animal hospitals. By the time of this decision, I had horses in my life, and was set on the path of developing the social skills needed to accomplish such.”
Cole’s multiyear journey has taken him through veterinary school, the training of a second horse, No Name, and he now operates a highly successful corporate-owned hospital in the greater Phoenix area of Arizona.
Beginning his education humbly, Cole first took classes at his local community college after high school. This was followed by earning his undergraduate degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He graduated veterinary school at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona.
Duke credits his mother, Patricia, with providing him with the opportunity to understand those around him. She had read that many with autism have learned interpersonal skills through their care and support of animals.
“I thought she was out of her mind for getting me a horse,” Cole said. “But, having grown up with horses herself, she knew what she was doing, I thought. She picked Rocky for me; he was a nightmare.
“Rocky was about 10 when I got him. The previous owners weren’t much on training. He was kept as a stallion for many years, so he was very dominant. As I rode him, he kept trying to scare me into letting him be leader. But I wanted to go on adventures with my horse. I wanted to explore.”
The relationship between Duke and Rocky changed after about a month of continual training. While fighting for control of each other on a trail during a ride, Rocky just stopped fighting. He began doing what Duke asked of him.
“I accepted that I was too tired to keep fighting that day. My whole body had relaxed from exhaustion. Rocky saw that and mistook my calm acceptance of exhaustion as stoic bravery and resilience to his obstinance. In that moment, Rocky recognized me as his leader as I too recognized something that would open my mind to a new world of possibilities. The remainder of my life was changed with that realization. I could now see the unspoken words and emotions of others.”
While difficult, Duke enjoyed building his rapport with Rocky and estimates he rode him nearly 3,000 miles on their many adventures. Duke liked that their relationship was not based on judgments. Rocky did not cause social stress for Duke as he was being trained. Rocky had an honest steadiness in their interactions from which Duke built their unspoken line of communication.
Using what he learned from the experiences with Rocky, Duke trained a new, younger horse named No Name, who is also his current horse. As an undergrad, Duke rode No Name saddleless for miles on end, in large crowds, around unleashed dogs and among children that all share public trails together. Duke attributes this feat of communication and trust to working with Rocky, as he learned the skill of reading the horse’s body language and extended that understanding to other people around him.
“Easier than Fighting Rocky” was a two-year process to write. The first year included writing the initial manuscript. This was followed with an additional year in the editing process. While completed many years ago in the time between Cole’s finishing his undergraduate degree and starting veterinary school, “Easier than Fighting Rocky” was first published by AuthorHouse in 2022.
The book can be bought on Amazon in hardcover, paperback or Kindle formats.
Duke said he received his Chickasaw heritage from his father. Having grown up in Palm Springs, California, Duke relates to his Chickasaw heritage through his family and received educational benefits from the tribe.
“What I liked most was an incentive program they have. The better I did, the more support I received. I received my first laptop from the tribe. It was great that the Chickasaw Nation recognized my hard work. They have been a social connection that I would not otherwise have.”
Cole believes the tribe has helped connect to him as a citizen at large through citizen council meetings in Arizona, social media posts and through traditional mail. His parents also keep Cole informed, and they make annual trips to Oklahoma and the Chickasaw Nation.