Mountain Center, Calif., April 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After a successful pilot phase, an innovative veteran transition program called War Horse Creek is raising funds to build out facilities and expand to larger veteran groups.
Located in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California, War Horse Creek is a veteran-led program which rescues wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and brings them together with military veterans in an innovative approach called Collaborative Horsemanship. This approach gives veterans the opportunity to master skills that go dormant during their military tenure – empathy, patience, understanding, kindness and compassion. Once these skills are mastered with the mustangs, they can be ingrained as adaptive habits and transferred to family, friends and society. The program combines Collaborative Horsemanship with life skills training, recreational activities, downtime and connection opportunities.
Why mustangs? At present, 41,000 mustangs have been rounded up from public lands by the BLM and are now confined in overcrowded pens. Mustangs are generally more independent, reactive and mistrustful than domestic horses, making them difficult to train and ride. However, the very characteristics that make them hard to adopt, make them ideal for equine-related programs.
According to Ray Barmore, Executive Director of War Horse Creek, “Mustangs are, in effect, highly sensitive 1200-lb biofeedback mechanisms that sense and respond to a veteran’s intentions, physicality and emotions, mirroring back subconscious issues so that they may be identified and addressed.”
A key objective of War Horse Creek’s program is to change the public perception of mustangs from tragic burdens to highly valuable resources. Veterans must work to earn the trust and collaboration of the mustang, rather than use force or intimidation. These skills can be translated into every relationship they have, improving decision-making and long-term outcomes.
“War Horse Creek is effective for veterans at any stage of their transition, from newly released to veterans who have been out for decades, the results have been astounding,” says Barmore. “Our goal is to raise enough funding to build out facilities and infrastructure, in addition to offering scholarships for veterans to participate at no cost to them.”
The initial round of funding, with a goal set at $150,000, will be used to build Camp Harris, the facilities where veterans will stay during the program. Camp Harris will be officially dedicated to the late Randall Harris, military veteran and former President of War Horse Creek.
Often compared to the popular equine therapy approach, Collaborative Horsemanship removes the “talk therapy” feel from the equation, allowing the veteran to connect with nature, with the mustangs and with other veterans like themselves. Air Force veteran Itzel Barakat shared about her experience at War Horse Creek, ”I didn’t have to say a word to anybody. I felt my heart healing, and that’s what I needed. War Horse Creek provided a sense of relief and peace that I haven’t been able to find.”
The power of equine-related programs similar to War Horse Creek has never been more clear. New research on the equine therapy modality from Columbia University has proven that equine therapy results in brain-based changes that can increase an individual’s capacity to enjoy life, despite facing traumas and war adversities.
"I have been teaching veteran transition courses for 10 years, and have continually brought students up to War Horse Creek. For those already moving forward with their lives, the time spent there deepened their commitment and fully cemented the connections they were creating with other veterans. For those suffering the most, the time spent with the mustangs often resulted in a real breakthrough,” said Harold "Doc" Martin, 20-year military veteran and Professor at Pasadena City College. “I cannot imagine a better place to help veterans transform their military experience and readjust to civilian life."
Those willing to support the mission of War Horse Creek can do so through a donation here.
Located on 155 acres in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California, War Horse Creek rescues wild mustangs and brings them together with veterans in an innovative approach called Collaborative Horsemanship. The results of the War Horse Creek pilot program have been life-changing, and the team is now seeking funding to build out facilities and expand to larger veteran groups. War Horse Creek is an initiative of Living Free Animal Sanctuary, which has been saving animals for 40 years. To find out more and donate, click here: https://living-free.org/war-horse-creek/
If you would like more information about War Horse Creek, please call Ray Barmore at 951-659-4687 ext. 0 or email warhorsecreek@living-free.org.
Contact: Ray Barmore, War Horse Creek
Phone: 951-659-4687 ext. 0
Email: warhorsecreek@living-free.org
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd28bad2-38ed-453b-94e4-55a46d0671b8