{"id":65936,"date":"2018-03-07T19:53:53","date_gmt":"2018-03-07T19:53:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/07\/veterans-with-ptsd-are-turning-to-horses-for-healing\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:09:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:09:11","slug":"veterans-with-ptsd-are-turning-to-horses-for-healing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/veterans\/2018\/03\/07\/veterans-with-ptsd-are-turning-to-horses-for-healing\/","title":{"rendered":"Veterans with PTSD are turning to horses for healing"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-smg-jwplayer-video\"><atype-video-jwplayer nostick=\"true\" playlisturl=\"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/v2\/playlists\/fCzRqMW8?tags=3c153357-0e75-4e58-ab91-e7e74b8323b3\" poster=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/video-poster-3c153357-0e75-4e58-ab91-e7e74b8323b3.jpg\" aspectratio=\"16 \/ 9\" mute autostart=\"false\"><\/atype-video-jwplayer><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Horses can sometimes be a powerful therapy tool. Find out how they are helping veterans. (Andrea Scott and Daniel Woolfolk\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It took decades for Jeannine McDonald to finally admit she was struggling with depression and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2017\/07\/25\/ptsd-disability-claims-by-vets-tripled-in-the-last-decade\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">post-traumatic stress disorder<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When she did, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/opinion\/2017\/04\/29\/opinion-why-ptsd-is-no-joking-matter\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" data-original-title=\"\">that itself was devastating<\/a>. The Air Force veteran said she tried everything \u2014 counseling, medication, acupuncture. But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/education-transition\/2017\/06\/17\/nebraska-veterans-turn-to-horse-assisted-therapy\/\" title=\"\" class=\"selected-link\" target=\"_blank\" data-original-title=\"\" aria-describedby=\"popover863816\">nothing seemed to help<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was at that point where I was numb to everything; I didn\u2019t enjoy anything,\u201d McDonald said. She had only ridden horses a few times as a child, but the magic of it had stuck with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a friend asked her what she would choose if she could do anything, McDonald knew. \u201cThe only thing I could think of was to ride.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As clinicians seek innovative ways to heal veterans struggling with PTSD, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2012\/11\/30\/sport\/equine-horse-therapy-mental-health\/index.html\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">equine therapy has been growing<\/a> in popularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is still medically controversial \u2014 part of that reason being that there hasn\u2019t been much data or research on it, especially with veterans. But a team at Columbia University in New York City has set out to change that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team is finishing up a yearlong study of veterans struggling with PTSD and the effects of horse therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Virginia facility where McDonald rides serves children with disabilities, such as autism or Down Syndrome, and has a separate focus on active-duty military and veterans. A partnership with a local military installation brings out active-duty riders twice a week. Many of them are struggling with substance abuse, depression or PTSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5260\" data-id=\"5260\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">As one of the most gentle and sweet horses on the farm, Lizzy is a star at the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program in Clifton, Virginia, even though she just moved here in 2017. Her larger Haflinger\/draft frame makes her an ideal horse for military riders. (Andrea Scott\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5267\" data-id=\"5267\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-8.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-8.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-8.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-8.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-8.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Jimmy Fierro is a helicopter crew chief in the U.S. Army. He spends his week maintaining and flying on Black Hawk helicopters out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, but he spends his Sundays volunteering at the riding program. One of his favorite horses is Teddy, the mini horse. \u201cHe\u2019s like a cat,\u201d Fierro says. \u201cYou just got to get him to come to you.\u201d  (Andrea Scott\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5277\" data-id=\"5277\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-3.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-3.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-3.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-3.jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-3.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Prince cheeses for the camera one late December 2017 afternoon. He is 22 years old and normally works with children with disabilities, which is a focus of the facility. But he\u2019s also great with veteran riders. Every therapist picks a horse for each client based on the personality and needs of the rider. (Andrea Scott\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5288\" data-id=\"5288\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-2.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-2.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-2.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-2.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-2.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tessa Hassett has been an instructor at NVTRP for three years. She first became involved when her younger sister came to the program for therapeutic riding in 2002. (Andrea Scott\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5295\" data-id=\"5295\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-4.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-4.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-4.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-4.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-4.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Loki is the most comfortable in front of the camera, his handlers say. He was out grazing in the back pasture when Fierro came to say goodbye for the evening.  (Andrea Scott\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5305\" data-id=\"5305\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-6.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-6.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-6.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-6.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_Final-6.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">The Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program has more than 200 volunteers on its roster. Volunteers perform duties like combing horses and cleaning hooves, as Fierro does here. Volunteers make the program work, employees say. (Andrea Scott\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5316\" data-id=\"5316\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-5.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-5.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-5.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-5.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Scott_final-5.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Lizzy stands watch over the pastures as the end of a long weekend. Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest days at the stable, jam-packed full of riders all day. Winter may be here, but the horses at NVTRP ride outdoors year-round. (Andrea Scott\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tessa Hassett has a background in clinical psychology, and has been a riding instructor at the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program in Clifton, Virginia, for three years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA lot of them have said that whatever they\u2019ve been through with their PTSD and depression that they never thought they\u2019d be able to bond with someone again and feel that personal connection,\u201d Hassett said. \u201cBut with their horse, they\u2019re feeling that connection. They\u2019re able to take that into the rest of their lives and into their other relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McDonald said that after learning to control a huge horse \u2014 she usually rides Booker, a Clydesdale\/Hackney cross <span class=\"js-paste-start-FRIJORHEERAHNK4GFKMIBGDM6U\">\u2014<span class=\"js-paste-end-FRIJORHEERAHNK4GFKMIBGDM6U\"> she has learned to be gentler with her four children and her husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hardest part about equine therapy? For McDonald at least, it\u2019s getting there. But she\u2019s happy once she arrives, she said. Riding gets her outside, and helps her build core strength that she lost after an accident and spinal surgery in the Air Force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s different when it\u2019s not a human being,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can\u2019t replace that, but there\u2019s something also about animals, like therapy dogs. How many people have just been transformed or changed or just come out of the pain because they have something that loves them back and doesn\u2019t ask questions?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Washington Post reported in June that veterans participating in Columbia University\u2019s study are spending 90 minutes once a week for eight weeks interacting with the horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prudence Fisher, Columbia University professor of clinical psychiatric social work, told the Post, \u201cOne of the things we\u2019re optimistic about is how much the veterans like the treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Such trials usually have a 30 percent dropout rate, Fisher told the Post, but that\u2019s not happening with this trial, which ends in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The veterans enjoy being there, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And McDonald knows why, and recommends equine therapy to all struggling veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s something about the outside of a horse that\u2019s good for the inside of a man,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have not seen or known of anyone who hasn\u2019t been saved in a certain way by being around these horses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Andrea Scott is managing editor of Marine Corps Times. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_andreascott\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">On Twitter: _andreascott.<\/a> <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As health care professionals seek innovative ways to heal veterans struggling with PTSD, equine therapy has been growing in popularity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":99167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[100,12,25,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3327],"class_list":["post-65936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-news","category-newsletters","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"RVMMELXLQ5AXHJJ6YBHILYVWZU","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/2018\/03\/07\/veterans-with-ptsd-are-turning-to-horses-for-healing\/","remove_feature_photo":true,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"remove-feature-image","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Veterans with PTSD are turning to horses for healing - Army Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As health care professionals seek innovative ways to heal veterans struggling with PTSD, equine therapy has been growing in popularity.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Veterans with PTSD are turning to horses for healing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As health care professionals seek innovative ways to heal veterans struggling with PTSD, equine therapy has been growing in popularity.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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