Whether it’s carriage driving, competitive riding, or just a hobby, a life with horses is a social one. Though it’s not clear if horseback riding attracts talkative people or instead creates them, the result is the same, a group of people intent on carrying on a conversation until days pass and seasons change. Like twins separated at birth, we manage to find each other at crowded parties and expansive companies, and upon finding each other refuse to let go, madly quizzing each other on the price of hay, or the best winter blanket. Ever noticed how our Horse Handlers say each equine’s name before issuing instructions (“Sebastian, walk on”)? It’s to let the horse know the conversation is no longer aimed at the sidewalker, therapist, or patient, but at them.
For veterans returning from war, depression and anxiety can leave servicemen and women feeling isolated, starting a terrible cycle of social withdrawal. We often talk about the physical benefits of equine-facilitated therapy, and even the mental benefits, but the emotional ones are just as important. Our adaptive horsemanship program not only joins together veterans as peers, but brings into the conversation their significant others, children, and friends. It creates and nutures relationships that are essential to their recovery. Our arena is such a wonderful place to be, and within its walls are a group of people intent on helping each other become the best possible version of themselves. We hope you too can feel that sense of friendship as you watch this week’s video, and be sure to stick around until the very end for what must be one of the most inspiring shots of a young veteran and his growing family.
