A Helping Hoof (“HH”) is an innovative variation of a Equine Assisted Therapy (EAP) program which provides activities in a positive environment to ease the emotion toll of our heroes. Trainers across the U.S. will donate their time to dedicate to a horse and rider to ensure they become a successful team. Trainers across the U.S. will work with both the horse and the rider to ensure they become a successful team.
In some cases, if the trainer has determined that the horse and rider are ready to ride unsupervised, the horse will be transported to a boarding stable in proximity to the veteran’s residence. The boarding stable will assume full responsibility for the care and housing of that horse, to eliminate any physical or financial burden the Veteran or First Responder. The trainer will make themselves available to resolve any issues that may arise and or to provide any further training the rider or horse require.
In addition to enhancing the quality of our hero’s life, Helping Hoof will address another pervasive problem. Whenever possible HH will use rehabilitated rescue horses; horses are a luxury - whenever horse owners have a financial setback, the horses will be the most affected. Currently there are thousands of horses whose owners can no longer afford to feed and care for them. Thus, these horses are either given to rescue organizations or, just left out in a pasture to fend for themselves.
The Founder of this organization suffered a spinal injury in a motor vehicle accident, which resulted in five major spinal surgeries and permanent limitations. In a way, she would have been the undernourished and neglected horse you pass in the back of a large field. The doctor’s prognosis was bleak. She stopped him mid sentence and said, “No, you don’t understand. I would rather you take my oxygen away than to give up riding horses.” It took many years, and some serious help from God, but she rides now several times a month. Regaining that one facet of her life, a few hours at a time, such a precious gift. When she is in the saddle she felt ‘whole’ again, the physical limitations and chronic pain melt away. God’s creature lends her his physical abilities, and she is as strong and capable as she ever was.
The hope is that this program will have a similar effect on our heroes. Helping Hoof’s efforts may result in a husband or wife getting back the person they fell in love with, or a child getting back a parent that is less disheartened, frustrated, or angry.
In essence, they will save each other.