"Horses For Heroes" Program Helps Wounded Veterans

Horses For Heroes Program Helps Wounded Veterans LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules We work primarily with amputees - particularly of the lower legs says Larry Pence co-founder of a rehabilitation program for wounded soldiers that uses horses as therapy It helps soldiers work through the trauma they have sustained     Riding horse builds upper body strength hand-eye coordination balance and mobility Equine therapy is also valuable to people with other disabilities including brain trauma     A recent addition to the program for more severely wounded vets is a $20 000 custom-built carriage The carriage has a foldable ramp for wheelchairs and rings/ratchets to hold them in place      It has many of the same benefits as riding They are just riding on a flat surface as opposed to a horse Pence says whose Washington D C -based group is called Caisson Platoon Equine-Assisted Program or CPEAP www operationsilverspurs org/CPEAP html Members of the famed Old Guard Caisson platoon who drive flag-draped caissons to Arlington Cemetery are assigned to work with wounded soldiers The program has become an approved therapy option by the Veteran s Administration and wounded vets come mainly from Walter Reed Medical Center     Since CPEAP started in 2006 horse therapy programs for veterans have expanded to more than 50 sites across the U S working within the guidelines of the Horses for Heroes program run by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association NARHA NARHA is certified by the VA to provide therapy to wounded veterans National Guardsmen or Reservists often volunteer as sidewalkers and assistants     Most of the therapeutic equine centers depend on volunteers and financial donations to cover expenses     Marge Gunnar is the founder of BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center in Illinois www braveheartsriding org We work with four VA hospitals that bring veterans to us Veterans don t pay says Gunnar BraveHearts has worked with several hundred veterans since 2007 The director of the center is a Vietnam veteran and many of the committed volunteers are veterans Gunnar notes     BraveHearts instructors are NARHA certified They offer both riding and carriage-driving sessions      We have a veteran who has been with us for quite some time When he first came to us he hadn t been out of his house for eight years He was a Vietnam vet with PTSD He now rides in our drill team and participates on our calf-penning team Gunnar says He is a vocal spokesman for equine therapy and has become a major recruiter for our program     Another veteran has traumatic brain injury and before therapy wouldn t get out of a wheelchair Now he walks without a cane     Centers such as BraveHearts are always looking for willing volunteers as well as donations To find centers in your area contact NARHA     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup NARHA P O Box 33150 Denver Colo 80233 ph 800 369-7433; www narha org/resources-education/resources/narha-horses-for-heroes

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