Veterans Day Video: Veterans Healing With Horses
Second Chance Ranch offers a chance for veterans and military families to benefit from working with horses with their Horses for Heroes program.
On Veterans Day, we always like to take a moment to thank those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Of course, being the horse-loving and horse-focused community we are, we also want to take a look at what horses are able to do for some veterans.
Today’s video comes from KREM, a new station local to Spokane, Washington. They offered this piece on Second Chance Ranch, a 501(c)3 that provide a platform for mental health professionals to incorporate Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) into their existing treatment program. Part of their program focuses specifically on Veterans: Horses for Heroes.
Horses for Heroes offers art and fellowship for military and veterans’ families. The Second Chance Ranch website describes the program as “transformative art class and equine activities. Horses teach us about the power of second chances, the strength found in community, and the unspoken bond between humans and animals that can change lives in ways words cannot capture.”
As equestrians, we have long known the power of interacting with horses, but Second Chance Ranch lays it out as well, writing this:
The unique nature of the horse is what makes the therapy so successful. Horses reflect the behavior and emotional state of the people around them and provide us with immediate and effective feedback. The most important element of therapy is trust. There is an unspoken truth that horses don’t lie or deceive. Not because they are altruistic, but because they are incapable of deceit as an animal who cannot concoct an alternate tale of reality. As the horse builds trust, they connect deeper with the person. This quite often provides the client with a feeling of comfort and the opportunity to break down barriers and address the challenges they have been facing. Horses have a majestic and powerful presence. For people who lack confidence, being put in a position of leadership over a 1000lb animal and successfully managing that animal can build self-esteem and self-confidence. Or even those who have false overconfidence, the horse teaches humility through example as these powerful creatures live peacefully and cooperatively with us.
All of the benefits of working with and interacting with horses are offered to veterans who find this form of assistance beneficial.
Thank you for your service, Veterans.
