How equine-assisted therapy can help those in need
Horses are calm, intuitive and can create strong bonds with humans. At Jester Park Equestrian Center in Polk County, IA, people are taking advantage of horses’ quick-witted nature to help veterans.
Horses Helping Heroes, or H3 is a four week equine-assisted therapy program that, according to the website, strives “to support our Nation’s Heroes (both men and women) who may be homeless, struggling with substance abuse, PTSD, or have experienced combat related trauma during their time serving and defending our country.”
H3 works in conjunction with the Domiciliary through the VA Central Iowa Health Care System. The Domiciliary is a 56-day clinical rehab treatment program for veterans. During this time, the veterans live at The Domiciliary and work to overcome various challenges.
H3 helps veterans escape from their daily lives for two hours every week. They get to interact with the horses, build relationships and most importantly open up to others around them.
In this case, horses are really the heroes for these veterans. Learn more by watching the video below.
Photo by Sydney Kava. Video by Sydney Kava and Ellie Hilscher.
