Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Wilcox.
Hi Liz , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When Moe Taylor and his brother Joe saddled up Moes longhorn, Ben, riding with his brothers dog Dammit and Joe on a horse they began riding through Central Texas communities in the wake of COVID-19, They weren’t chasing fame or building a brand. They were doing what cowboys have always done — showing up for the people around them. They simply wanted to make people smile during one of the hardest chapters most of us have ever lived through.
The image was impossible to ignore: a weathered cowboy astride a massive Texas longhorn, with blue heeler, Dammit, perched proudly on Ben’s back like he owned the whole operation. They tailgated UT football games and loved going to womans softball games and hanging with the fans. Mr. Moe worked at UT for 17+ years and his wife, Michelle, and him are forever longhorn fans. People stopped their cars. Kids pressed their faces against windows. Strangers laughed out loud for the first time in months. Someone pulled out a phone. Then another. Then another.
Without a single dollar spent on advertising, that image spread across Instagram and TikTok like wildfire. Over 22 million organic views later, Ben had become something of a Texas legend — and Moe had unknowingly lit the fuse on something much bigger than a trail ride.
That’s where Liz Wilcox comes in.
Liz saw what the numbers represented: not just virality, but genuine human longing. People weren’t just watching a longhorn walk down a street — they were reconnecting with something authentic, joyful, and unapologetically Texan. She developed a full business model around that spark, sat down with Moe and his wife Michelle, and made her case. They said yes.
And just like that, Hooves & Horns TX was born.
Based in Bastrop County, Hooves & Horns TX is a mobile livestock entertainment company that brings the heart of Texas ranch life directly to the people — festivals, corporate events, school visits, community gatherings, weddings, and beyond. The roster has grown well beyond Ben, now featuring longhorns, horses with film credits to their names, a mule named Frida, a mini pony named Peaches, and of course, the legendary blue heelers. The team has appeared at COTA, Garrison Brothers Distillery, Kalahari Resort, the Bullock Museum, the Omni Hotel, and high-end events across the state.
When you ask what we are most proud of…its not the client list– its the smiles and the community…
Community was always the whole point, “Moe didn’t ride Ben through those towns because he wanted to go viral. He did it because people needed something real. That’s still what we’re doing — just on a bigger stage.”
Liz Handles the business side: marketing, bookings, client relationships, and the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that keeps everything running. Michelle Taylor manages operations alongside her. And Moe — with over 30 years of animal handling experience — is the one who makes it all look effortless, guiding 1,500 pounds of longhorn through a corporate cocktail hour like it’s just another Tuesday.
The company operates statewide across Texas, with travel available beyond state lines for the right event. And while their footprint keeps growing, the mission hasn’t changed one bit since Moe first rode Ben down a Central Texas road with nothing but good intentions and a very confident dog.
Some things don’t need a marketing budget. They just need to be real.
Hooves & Horns TX is available for events statewide. Learn more at www.hoovesandhornstx.com
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a smooth “trail ride” for sure. We all met at the cowboy church and we are not just business partners, we are like family. It makes it really easy when everyone’s heart and goals align. We are truly blessed it all worked out the way it has. All businesses have some rocks or curveballs, but that’s life. I can safely say we are all happy with were things are and we are going.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Mr. Moe worked at UT as an electrician. Michelle was a elementary teacher for 29 years and I was the director for an oil and gas drilling company for 6 years and did several business startups for clients under my other LLC.
Now Mr. Moe is the magician behind these awesome animals. Michelle and I run the business and I love to ride whenever I can. I always rather be riding the longhorn or horse instead of being behind the computer!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I love Tony Robbins and read several books. mainly we just learn from experience. Time with the animals– thats better than any book or app or podcast can teach, in this industry. Mr. Moe likes Ray Hunt, Buck Branhamman and some of Clinton Anderson. You just listen and try differnt techniques, you keep the ones that work for you and ditch the rest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hoovesandhornstx.com
- Instagram: @hoovesandhornstx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1E6bJVsmKe/
- Twitter: @HoovesandhornsT
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/0Rij4yFZ7_
