Equine Therapy for Veterans

 Always listening. Triggered by every sound. Every movement. Fight or flight?  Check.  Double check.  Adrenaline explosion.  A flash in the distance. Friend or foe?  Message or warning? Heart pounding.  Always scanning.  Always on high alert.  Screaming silence.  Moments of sleep shattered by night terrors.  Nervous system overload becomes the norm; emotional and physical exhaustion becomes a way of life.

 

Veterans, who have experienced physical and emotional trauma, call this just another day that ends in “Y”.   No matter how it is labeled, the trauma they experienced affects every aspect of their life until the core issue has been addressed and healed.   Medication masks symptoms; however, they are highly addictive and never resolve the real source of the pain.  Talk therapy has mixed results. Civilians simply don’t understand the military mindset.  Peer-support, while more effective, is more difficult to find.   

 

While in service, personnel are told to suck it up and just get over it.  It’s part of the culture.  To show weakness, especially during combat, makes the person a liability to the sisterhood and brotherhood.  While in service, the shared experience gives courage and comfort to the whole unit.  Yet, after separation, that mindset becomes a liability as the camaraderie vanishes and is replaced by isolation.

 

Yet, there are ways for veterans to rebuild their lives and reclaim that support system that doesn’t involve addictive drugs with horrible side effects. Equine therapy is an effective healing methodology that has been around for decades.    As with all therapy animals, horses are chosen for their temperament and intelligence.  Working with horses provides comfort and support as they help the handler actively restructure their emotional responses and strengthen their bodies.

 

Horses' innate ability to sense the handler’s emotions provides real-time biofeedback.  They can hear and match a person’s heartbeat from nearly four feet away. The horses reflect back the handler’s emotional state. If the handler is relaxed and calm, the horse will be as well.  However, if the handler is emotional—angry, frustrated, or afraid, the horse will become anxious.  However, instead of becoming aggressive, they will shy away, run, or refuse to cooperate.  This real-time feedback helps the handler understand and work through their triggers.  The mission is to remain calm and focused in the moment so that the horse will trust the person enough to interact with them. In this way, working with horses helps the handler stay focused on the present moment. 

 

For many people, equine therapy evokes images of riding horses. However, this is not always the case.  There are two primary equine therapy methodologies: EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) and PATH International. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International).  Both are national and international organizations that set standards that each associated equine center must meet to be certified by the organization.   Horses are never ridden at Eagla therapy centers. The focus remains on the boots-on-the-ground interaction between the veterans and horses.  However, the PATH-certified programs offer both riding and non-riding programs.    Both programs heal emotional and physical challenges.  Riding a horse uses the same muscles a person uses to walk, which strengthens the body, while motivating the mind into forward thinking.    As part of the certification process, the program must be associated with a state-certified counselor with a master's in mental health and have a hands-on equine certification.

 

Equine centers can be found in most states, mostly in rural or semi-rural areas.  As non-profit organizations, they offer the therapy free to veterans.  However, they are limited as to how many veterans they are able to help by their fundraising capabilities.  In these financially challenging times, the centers have been doubly hit by the increasing costs to care for their horses and the reduction of funding, especially from the VA.  Donating to local centers helps veterans while providing yourself with good karma points and a tax deduction.

 

To find the closest center, visit Horses and Heroes’ website.  It has direct links to both the EAGALA and PATH websites.  Please click on the link below.

 

https://www.kaleidoscopefilmandtelevision.com/horsesandheroes

 

The unscripted documentary TV series, Horses and Heroes, combines the highly effective Peer Support Therapy with Equine Therapy. Unlike most in the unscripted genre, it will focus on healing and positive growth rather than endorsing bad behavior. Each season will bring together veterans from World War II to the current conflicts. They will share their challenges and support each other as they find new solutions to their physical and emotional challenges. They know the talk because they have walked the walk. They see the dodges and will be able to call each other on them. Sparks may fly. Tempers may flare, especially when they force each other to face their ghosts. But there will also be laughter and fun as they rebuild the camaraderie, which kept them safe and strong during their time of service. The snarkiness and practical jokes between the branches don't simply end. There is always room for just one more prank. This interaction will help them rebuild that sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, which will help them reclaim their civilian lives. When it airs, it will reach the veterans, who need to hear that they are not alone and give them information as well as the permission they need to also heal. They will help each other find their way back to the World. Veterans can’t go back and make a brand new start, but they can start from now and make a brand new end. 

#veterans #EAGALA #PATH #HorsesandHeroes #TheresaChaze #KaliedoscopeFilmandTelevision, #equinetherapy #PeerSupportTherapy #hiringveterans #PTSD #support