The Warrior Ranch Foundation was established as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in 2016. It was established in the hearts and minds of its founders long before that. Their passion for horses, love of country, and appreciation of our nation’s veterans have combined to bring forth this unique organization designed to help veterans and rescue horses.
At the Warrior Ranch, veterans of the military as well as first-responders are invited to attend clinics and workshops where they learn from an expert how to work with horses in a number of capacities. Warrior Ranch accommodates all levels of participant. Beginners are as welcome as the experienced horse person. Much of the activity will include grooming, feeding, and ground exercises. As participants engage in these non-riding activities, they develop bonds, give guidance, demonstrate leadership, and help horses overcome certain fears. In doing so, participants receive the benefit of working with animals: companionship, lower stress levels, and a release of the “happy” hormone, oxytocin.
The horses at the Warrior Ranch include a few long term residents. But primarily, the ranch rehabilitates troubled horses, making them fit to return home or fit for adoption. Retired race horses, for example, have been trained their whole lives to “Go! Go! Go!” In retirement, they are expected to settle down, mellow out, and mingle with the herd. Through the retraining they receive at the Warrior Ranch, these horses are able to learn a new way of being in a world that is so different to them. Through the reeducation received at the Warrior Ranch, these horses adapt to their new world.
The time is right for an organization like the Warrior Ranch Foundation. According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, 22 veterans die by suicide every day. According to Tufts University, equine assisted therapy has been proven to reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. With your help, we can help more veterans and rescue more horses. Your support facilitates our mission: America's Heroes Rescuing America's Icon.