It is always interesting to see the creative and powerful ways that people find to combine their passion with helping others. War Horses for Veterans, our March USA Cares recipient, does that by bringing horses and combat veterans together.
War Horses for Veterans is a nonprofit based in the Kansas City area that is helping combat veterans across the country. They bring veterans together in a 3-4 day program to teach the basics of horsemanship. But their program goes beyond horsemanship. They use this multi-day program to help veterans start building networks of others that understand their experiences, while also providing equine assisted life coaching for each individual's personal growth.
After this initial program, veterans leave with new skills, but more importantly, with a new network of support. These new relationships with other combat veterans are invaluable to many. Any individual who has been through the program can return as often as they like. The only requirement is that they have to bring another combat veteran with them.
"Horses reflect our emotions, while at the same time they seem to know how to give us exactly what we need to soothe our pain" - Barbra Schulte
There is no cost to the veterans to participate. War Horses for Veterans is entirely funded on donations. If you would like to support them financially, click here. If you would like more information about War Horses for Veterans, click here.