Cactus Rose Equine Foundation

Healing Heroes with Horses

What is the Healing Heroes Program?

Healing Heroes with Horses is a ground-based horsemanship program for Veterans, Law-Enforcement Officers, and First Responders struggling with Post Traumatic Stress. Through specialized group classes they learn to effectively communicate with the horse and effectively communicate with their teammates. They learn to trust and build relationships. PTSD often results in isolation and through our program individuals learn that there is a pathway to healing and it begins with relationship. Relationship with their horse and their teammates. Horses communicate primarily using body language. As we begin to understand the body language of the horse, we can mimic that body language to communicate effectively. The participants learn to release stress, anger, pain, and tension caused by Post Traumatic Stress. They learn that if they harbor those things and try to suppress them, the horse can still sense those things and will not be responsive to the individual. So how do we begin the healing process?

How does Healing Heroes with Horses Work?

If you're reading this far, you're our kind of people. If you're considering particitpation but are afraid that it's too serious, you've never been a horse person, it might be boring, etc. let us assure you, we don't make it all business... WE MAKE IT A LOT OF FUN! That being said, when an individual is injured by Post Traumatic Stress, commonly referred to as PTSD, they often begin to isolate themselves from others. Especially from people who do not have a similar background with similar experiences. Slowly, they begin to “turn off” or “shutdown” the part of the brain that deals with emotion and empathy. Along with this, depression begins to creep in. Often depression leads to self-medicating and the downward spiral begins. They no longer trust their own human need and desire for relationship. They turn it off. When a veteran, law-enforcement officer, or first responder comes to our program the first thing that we explain is this: They have been told that they have a disorder for far too long. A disorder is something that cannot be undone. They are told that the symptoms can be treated through counseling and medication, but they can’t be “fixed.” This is where hopelessness becomes prevalent, and hopelessness leads to suicidal thoughts. But Post Traumatic Stress is an injury, and injuries can heal. Our program helps them begin the healing process by reactivating that side of the brain that allows us to feel emotion, empathy… Through breathing exercises, peer guided discussions, and more, we prepare mentally and physically to interact with each other and with the horses. We prepare for relationship building. This is the beginning of the healing process!

Healing Heroes - Weekend Retreats

Each participant is assigned a teammate from their peer group. That team is assigned a horse that they will work with throughout the weekend. They learn the basics of ground-based horsemanship from the very beginning, while learning to communicate with the horse and their teammate. As the weekend progresses, they learn more complicated tasks. They are reactivating relationship building skills as well as reactivating leadership skills in every way. By the end of the weekend, they are able to successfully work as a team to lead their horse through an obstacle without touching the horse (no lead rope, no devices) and without speaking to each other. The team must use body language, eye contact, etc. to communicate effectively with the horse and with each other. Food and lodging are provided. This helps to build camaraderie and develop more effective focus on healing. If the participant were to go home each evening, back to “real life” so to speak, it interrupts the mental and emotional development prematurely. When the participants are released at the close of the retreat on Sunday evening, they leave with a peace and sense of hope that most have not experienced in a long time. They are confident that suicide is not an answer, that they can build meaningful relationships again, and confident that they can heal. We give them the tools to continue their healing journey with a new set of friends and a solid support network: Cactus Rose Equine Foundation. They can now take these tools and continue to make the decisions necessary to continue healing. If they are interested in discovering a deeper understanding and relationship with horses and healing, we invite them to attend our long-term, in depth, program.

Healing Heroes Long-Term Program

Once an individual has attended a weekend retreat and learned the beginning process of healing with horses, they are given the opportunity to attend our long-term program. We know that there are many different approaches to healing from Post Traumatic Stress. Everyone has different hobbies and interests, and there are programs that can be effective using other avenues. This side of the program is for those individuals who feel that horses are not only something they want to learn more about, but they believe that diving deeper into horsemanship will assist them in their growth and healing journey. They will work with four different horses during this four-month program. Each week they will have one to two individual one-on-one sessions with their assigned horse and a trainer. They will learn the personality of the horse, how that horse might communicate differently than the horse they worked with during the weekend retreat. By the end of the first month they will be able to take that horse through an obstacle course without touching them (no lead rope, no devices). Each month they will begin working with a new horse. They will learn that, just like people, horses have different personalities and communication styles. Some are more difficult than others, but when you learn how they think, communicate, what makes them “click,” everything comes together. As the individual learns to adapt to each personality, they learn how they can use those lessons and apply them to human interaction. Restoring relationship, restoring confidence, restoring empathy, restoring hope!

Our Team

We have a dedicated team of professional trainers, instructors, and experienced volunteers who are here to support every aspect of this vision. We are passionate about this program! From preparing the horses, and assisting the participants, to sharing their own journey of healing with horses. We are here to serve those who serve our communities!