Warrior Ranch Foundation rescues and trains horses — then matches them with veterans and first responders who can benefit from healing therapy.
Eileen Shanahan is the founder and president of the Warrior Ranch Foundation, headquartered in Calverton, N.Y.
She was joined by U.S. Army Ranger veteran Paul Martinez, U.S. Coast Guard veteran Maddie Feaster and Warrior Ranch trainer Gina Lamb — and together they explained how this equine therapy organization helps veterans and first responders heal from PTSD.
“We do horse interaction therapy,” explained Shanahan, who is also an editor with Fox News.
“What we do is we teach our participants about the nature of horses and the way horses communicate with each other — and that’s through body language.”
Warrior Ranch Foundation rescues and trains horses, then pairs them up with veterans and first responders who need their healing energy.
Shanahan explained that they teach simple exercises to learn to communicate with the horses, with a focus on safety.
“Now, think about it: We’re stepping into their herd — so it’s about respect and trust,” she said.
“You have to get the trust of that horse,” Shanahan continued. “When horses are out in the field seeing who the leader is, they’re poking each other, biting each other, kicking each other.”
She explained that they’re not hurting each other, noting that they each weigh about 1,000 pounds, “but when we enter their herd, that’s the only way they know how to communicate” — hence the foundation’s focus on safety.
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By Deidre Reilly, Fox News
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