When you think of veterans, it is rare that horses come to mind, unless it involves a Civil War reenactment. A typical soldier and horse statue honoring our veterans does more than symbolize bravery. These stone tributes describe the post-war relationship between a soldier and horse. Ironically, the horse also serves as a curing tool for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is the idea behind the latest direction taken by The Red Barn. The trauma experienced by veterans returning from war is no secret to the American public. But, effective methods to aid them in emotional recovery, for the most part, are not widely known. The Red Barn is helping heroes who have come off of the battlefield with equine therapy. Equine therapy is a specialized form of building a connection …show more content…
The foundation is using its expertise from the children-related equestrian programs to make the veteran programs more successful. Veteran and horse therapy are another incredible program, thanks to the effort of Joyce O’Neil, who operates the foundation with the tagline “Serving our nation’s veterans.” “Horses are adept at picking up on our emotions,” said O’Neil. “That’s the environment we need to bring up the emotions. In traditional therapy, (the veterans) feel boxed in. That hasn’t been too successful.” The Red Barn is an all-volunteer, non-profit facility using equine-assisted mental health treatment for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Located in Leeds, Alabama The Red Barn “promotes and supports equine assisted activities to individuals of all abilities and circumstances.” “There are three members of the team,” said O’Neil, “the horse, the equine specialist, and the mental health specialist, all treating the veteran. They work with the veteran one-on-one on the ground, not on the horses. The horse helps with the stress, so the veteran can understand his or her feelings and let go of things that are affecting them right