Military Appreciation Month Spotlight: Heroes & Horses – The Local Equine Therapy Program That Provides Support For Veterans
By Emily Wright
MACKEYVILLE – May is Military Appreciation Month, and the founder of Heroes & Horses, a therapeutic equine-assisted program created for Veterans, wants to welcome those who have served our country to join in and ride. The Heroes & Horses (H&H) program is headquartered in Mackeyville, and it helps Veterans to heal and “lay it all down while the horses pick them up” through equine therapy.
Founded nine years ago by Clinton County local Vickie Hancock, H&H uses horses’ therapeutic benefits to help individuals suffering from mental and physical health issues after serving in the military. “We have developed this program to assist veterans and show just what horses have to offer in terms of healing the mind, body, and soul,” she says on the H&H website.
Hancock comes from a long family history of military veterans, and one of her sons continued that legacy by serving in the Marine Corps. When asked what inspired her to establish H&H, she replied, “My sons, my military family history, and my love of horses.” Hancock added that she had witnessed firsthand how therapeutic horses can be for a Veteran, and although Veteran’s Horse Therapy was still a relatively new concept, she took a leap of faith and founded H&H in 2015.
Hancock recounted her oldest son’s experience leading up to his return from the Marine Corps, which would eventually play a key role in her drive to create H&H. The idea of coming home after his deployment made Hancock’s son feel apprehensive because he wasn’t sure how to go about reintegrating into civilian life.
Consequently, he decided to stay and continue serving our country. Another source of inspiration for Hancock came from her uncle’s military experience when he was deployed to Vietnam, which profoundly impacted her.
With her inspiration to offer something valuable to Veterans and her love for horses, Hancock sought to find a way to combine the two passions. Because of a chance conversation with Laurie Flanagan, founder of Horses of Hope Inc. (HoH), the establishment of H&H under the larger umbrella of HoH came to be.
While both H&H and HoH focus on slightly different community needs, they share the same nurturing philosophy and belief in the therapeutic benefits that horses can provide. Founded 16 years ago, HoH is a 501(c)3 charitable organization aimed at assisting community members with special needs through equine-assisted activities. H&H was established nine years ago to address the needs and challenges that local Veterans face when they return home. Together, the two organizations created a sanctuary for veterans who need camaraderie, healing, and support.
Equine therapy is a type of therapy that involves spending time with horses, and it has proven to have both physical and mental health benefits. While most people consider dogs and cats to be therapeutic animals, horses offer a much wider range of therapeutic benefits. Equine-assisted therapy involves working with specially trained horses, learning how to care for them, and participating in activities that focus on improving self-esteem, self-awareness, and empathy. Equine therapy can be beneficial for treating a multitude of mental struggles, such as anxiety and depression, behavioral problems, grief, and the symptoms of PTSD, to name a few.
Therapeutic riding programs like H&H use specially trained horses to help improve strength, balance, spatial awareness, and dexterity. Spending time with horses in any capacity is likely to reduce stress and lift an individual’s mood.
H&H provides its Equine Assisted Programs 100% free of charge to active-duty military members and honored Veterans. Participants in the program meet at the farm biweekly on Saturdays, where they receive complimentary breakfast and lunch and get the chance to connect with horses.
H&H offers a safe and peaceful environment where Veterans can bond with and learn about horses. In doing so, they gain valuable skills that help them overcome any obstacles they’re facing, both physical and emotional. Through various exercises and activities, participants can process and work through their emotions while also gaining a sense of camaraderie among the other participants.
The mission of H&H is to help improve the lives of as many veterans as possible. They do this by giving them opportunities to connect with horses, whether by riding (which is optional) or simply hanging out and grooming them. According to Hancock and H&H trainers and instructors, Veterans can regain a sense of belonging once they’re out of the military by spending time with horses and also by becoming part of the supportive H&H community. Through the H&H program, participants have reported improvements in their self-confidence. Many began to establish a routine, which creates a sense of normalcy, and overall, they found reintegrating into the civilian world less daunting because of the coping skills they learned through their interactions with the horses. In addition to all of this, the horses provide an effective method of therapy that doesn’t require medication.
According to Hancock, the impact of H&H on its participants has been profound. The program’s instructors and volunteers have witnessed transformational benefits among Veterans who have faced physical and emotional challenges. Participants report that through the program, they’ve developed patience, experienced less anxiety, gained emotional control, and learned self-discipline because of the repetitive actions involved in caring for a horse. In addition to these benefits, riding a horse presents a unique opportunity for physical rehabilitation beyond what traditional physical therapy can offer.
H&H is entirely funded through donations and is run by a team of dedicated volunteers, instructors, and trainers, making it a genuine community effort. The program is open to Veterans from all military branches, and all services are provided to them for free.
H&H holds year-round fundraisers to keep the program going, and it relies on donations to continue providing equine-assisted activities. On Sunday, August 25, 2024, H&H will hold the annual “Steel Horses for Real Horses” fundraiser. This event, organized by the Jersey Shore American Legion Riders Post 36, will celebrate its 8th year of fundraising for H&H. The benefit features a 100-mile motorcycle ride, an auction, and a communal meal, with all proceeds going towards the initiative. This year, attendees can expect to see one of the H&H horses at the event, as one of H&H’s Veterans will saddle up and ceremoniously lead the motorcade of over 100 motorcycles out of town to begin the journey. Hancock noted that the event welcomes participants to join the ride in any vehicle, “Any motorized vehicle can participate in the ride; it’s not just for motorcycles. Cars, trucks, trikes… if it’s got a motor and can handle 100 miles, bring it on,” she said.
“We are always looking for items to put in the auction we hold during the Steel Horses for Real Horses fundraiser, and we can also accept monetary donations to buy items for the auction,” Hancock said when we asked how community members could contribute to the fundraiser. “Or just come, participate, have a great time, and meet some amazing people!” Contact information for H&H will be included below for anyone interested in contributing to the event.
Because of the ongoing support that H&H has received, Hancock says she wanted to give back to the community that helps to keep H&H going through their donations and volunteer work, so she created three programs within H&H to do just that.
The first program, “Heroes & Horses OutReach,” involves visits to veterans in rehab facilities, nursing homes, and those who are homebound. The team brings snacks, hand-cut stars from American flags, and thank-you notes to remind veterans that they are not forgotten. “We just want to go, give some hugs, LISTEN, and say ‘you have not been forgotten,’” Hancock said.
In addition, Heroes & Horses also started a Flag Recovery program. H&H offers a free replacement flag and properly retires the old one whenever they come across a tattered or torn flag. Hancock says that before they retire the flag, she and her volunteers cut the stars out and then hand them out to Veterans along with a thank you note during a visit through the Heroes & Horses OutReach program.
Last, H&H has joined forces with Wreaths Across America, creating the “Heroes & Horses Wreaths Across America” program. This initiative aims to raise funds for wreaths to lay on the graves of over 800 Veterans at the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Mill Hall. Since Hancock noticed that none of the Veteran’s graves receive wreaths at Christmas time, she hopes to change that this year through H&H by respectfully adorning each one with a wreath on December 14, 2024. The venture will require H&H to raise $11,000.00 in funding to accomplish the mission, and they invite the community to join them in this noble cause. Launching this initiative was a big undertaking that required some extra assistance, which Hancock emphasized could not have been done without Ella Yothers, Fundraising Coordinator for Heroes & Horses. “She is a huge part of our team,” she emphasized.
In closing, Hancock emphasized her passion for the organization, which has proven to be an effective form of therapy for Veterans. “H&H is a piece of my heart and soul,” she emphasized. “H&H and our staff of horses are responsible for saving nine lives in nine years. We have so many more to go, but with the Good Lord’s help, we will continue forward.”
If you or someone you know could benefit from participating in Heroes & Horses, please get in touch with Vickie Hancock by phone or email or visit the organization’s website to learn more.
