Horses helping Veterans with PTSD
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I HAVE A DREAM FOR OUR RETURNING HEROS
I have a Dream and a Heart to use horses to help fellow American Veterans and their families, especially those HEROS who are returning from combat battling PTSD. My desire is for these special heros to get to love and develop a relationship with a Horse. I am calling it “THE HERD”.
The HERD’s Goals:
1. Create a great Home for Horses & give older horses and rescue horses and new job in life and a mission helping us humans.
2. Create an environment where Veterans with PTSD and their families can come, let down their guard and not worry about all the problems in their life for a minute.
3. Teach Natural Horsemanship principles in Horse Training basics with the intentions of developing individuals skills in handling and controlling equine.
4. Develop riding trails and Chill stations throughout our un-cut Tennessee Timber forest with Natural obstacle stations built into the trail to provide a unique riding experience.
5. Continue to add to our obstacle course to help build self-respect in one’s own abilities and to promote health and wellbeing for our Veterans in a fun way.
6. Other activities: Wagon rides! Camping, Halloween parties for the Veterans. There is so many things we can do to help our returning heroes enjoy life just a little bit better! Introducing them to a horse, is the least we can do.
By using just what we have built thus far, we are helping folks.
An Example of A Horse Miracle:
I have a Marine buddy with PTSD and that has caused all types of other issues in his married life. Simply adjusting to life as a civilian has been difficult for him. Unfortunately, this couple was headed for divorce!
In my humble opinion. They just simple had nothing in common anymore and their conversations had grown to the same fights, same topics and arguments or in short, the same old crap. I introduced them to the HERD.
The results have been amazing! They have an entire new conversation to talk about. Now they have the horses in common. Something neutral that they can talk and communicate about that is not a HOT BUTTON topic. They are now smiling and laughing together and seem to have a whole new purpose in life.
I believe a horse provides healing to broken minds, spirits and hearts. It has mine! I intend to share that joy with others.
My dream? We are going to use our property and horses and whatever else we have at our disposal to help folks. Veterans is where my heart is at and teaching them about horses is my passion.
As for the Veterans:
I originally considered some of the equine programs that is currently out there, but after much research, Thought, prayer and advice, I decided to contact the local Veterans Hospital here in Memphis and see if they could use our horses in some way to help the Men and Woman that they are working with.
Turns out, the VA is highly interested in working with us. We discovered that they have just got into the program of equine assisted therapy with the veterans themselves. We also discovered that there are NO facilities in TN or at least in this part of Tennessee that the VA can work with. They currently are having to take the veterans across State lines to a facility located in Mississippi, which actual causes issues for transportation, cost and many other issues. Plus, the trainer there is only certified for Grooming activities. So, the veterans get taken right up to the point they can ride the horses, but there is currently no program in our area where they actually get to ride. I intend to do something about that. Can’t ride? What?
Last week the VA representatives came out to see our facility to and make sure, what we have will work for their needs. We passed!
YES, they can Work with the Veterans out here and would LOVE too.
To meet the VA Rules to do business and work with the Veterans There are some things that I will have to have before they can start coming here
1. Business License
2. Non-profit License
3. Insurance
4. Path Membership
5. 1st PATH Class
Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
6. 2nd PATH Class
Therapeutic Riding Instructor
a. Standards course
b. Instructor Self Study course
c. Pre-Certification course
7. 3rd Class
CPR & First Aide
8. Management Check
Required visit from a mentor
9. Proper saddles
10. Proper Bridles
What about ME?
I took an Oath when I was 19 to defend the constitution and all Americans therein. That same oath was to support my comrades in the battle to defend our great homeland even to death if needed. I am still under that oath. NO one every released me from that duty. So, to me I am still on guard to protect both our homeland and my brothers and Sisters who have taken that same oath to fight and die if necessary to do the same. To me it’s my duty to help my fellow Warriors all I can
To do this?
I will need your help to HELP our brave young men and woman whom have sacrificed so much to protect You. I and all our life’s! Your help would be appreciated by all the Veterans who have sacrificed so very much for us.
Please feel free to ask ANY questions and I will do my best to answer them.
GOD bless and keep you and your family and GOD BLESS AMERICA!
I have a Dream and a Heart to use horses to help fellow American Veterans and their families, especially those HEROS who are returning from combat battling PTSD. My desire is for these special heros to get to love and develop a relationship with a Horse. I am calling it “THE HERD”.
The HERD’s Goals:
1. Create a great Home for Horses & give older horses and rescue horses and new job in life and a mission helping us humans.
2. Create an environment where Veterans with PTSD and their families can come, let down their guard and not worry about all the problems in their life for a minute.
3. Teach Natural Horsemanship principles in Horse Training basics with the intentions of developing individuals skills in handling and controlling equine.
4. Develop riding trails and Chill stations throughout our un-cut Tennessee Timber forest with Natural obstacle stations built into the trail to provide a unique riding experience.
5. Continue to add to our obstacle course to help build self-respect in one’s own abilities and to promote health and wellbeing for our Veterans in a fun way.
6. Other activities: Wagon rides! Camping, Halloween parties for the Veterans. There is so many things we can do to help our returning heroes enjoy life just a little bit better! Introducing them to a horse, is the least we can do.
By using just what we have built thus far, we are helping folks.
An Example of A Horse Miracle:
I have a Marine buddy with PTSD and that has caused all types of other issues in his married life. Simply adjusting to life as a civilian has been difficult for him. Unfortunately, this couple was headed for divorce!
In my humble opinion. They just simple had nothing in common anymore and their conversations had grown to the same fights, same topics and arguments or in short, the same old crap. I introduced them to the HERD.
The results have been amazing! They have an entire new conversation to talk about. Now they have the horses in common. Something neutral that they can talk and communicate about that is not a HOT BUTTON topic. They are now smiling and laughing together and seem to have a whole new purpose in life.
I believe a horse provides healing to broken minds, spirits and hearts. It has mine! I intend to share that joy with others.
My dream? We are going to use our property and horses and whatever else we have at our disposal to help folks. Veterans is where my heart is at and teaching them about horses is my passion.
As for the Veterans:
I originally considered some of the equine programs that is currently out there, but after much research, Thought, prayer and advice, I decided to contact the local Veterans Hospital here in Memphis and see if they could use our horses in some way to help the Men and Woman that they are working with.
Turns out, the VA is highly interested in working with us. We discovered that they have just got into the program of equine assisted therapy with the veterans themselves. We also discovered that there are NO facilities in TN or at least in this part of Tennessee that the VA can work with. They currently are having to take the veterans across State lines to a facility located in Mississippi, which actual causes issues for transportation, cost and many other issues. Plus, the trainer there is only certified for Grooming activities. So, the veterans get taken right up to the point they can ride the horses, but there is currently no program in our area where they actually get to ride. I intend to do something about that. Can’t ride? What?
Last week the VA representatives came out to see our facility to and make sure, what we have will work for their needs. We passed!
YES, they can Work with the Veterans out here and would LOVE too.
To meet the VA Rules to do business and work with the Veterans There are some things that I will have to have before they can start coming here
1. Business License
2. Non-profit License
3. Insurance
4. Path Membership
5. 1st PATH Class
Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
6. 2nd PATH Class
Therapeutic Riding Instructor
a. Standards course
b. Instructor Self Study course
c. Pre-Certification course
7. 3rd Class
CPR & First Aide
8. Management Check
Required visit from a mentor
9. Proper saddles
10. Proper Bridles
What about ME?
I took an Oath when I was 19 to defend the constitution and all Americans therein. That same oath was to support my comrades in the battle to defend our great homeland even to death if needed. I am still under that oath. NO one every released me from that duty. So, to me I am still on guard to protect both our homeland and my brothers and Sisters who have taken that same oath to fight and die if necessary to do the same. To me it’s my duty to help my fellow Warriors all I can
To do this?
I will need your help to HELP our brave young men and woman whom have sacrificed so much to protect You. I and all our life’s! Your help would be appreciated by all the Veterans who have sacrificed so very much for us.
Please feel free to ask ANY questions and I will do my best to answer them.
GOD bless and keep you and your family and GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Organizer
Steve Yant
Organizer
Rossville, TN
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