A local horseback riding center is offering free therapy sessions for women, military veterans and service members dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Manna’s Hana Riding Center Executive Director Bobbie Abell said the service is grant-funded, which covers the full cost of veteran scholarships to ensure participants can access the program at no charge. Abell said the grant also pays for the use of the facility, horse care and meals provided to the veterans during their sessions.
“You can’t hide your feelings from horses, they know exactly what’s going on inside of you,” Abell said. “So we, physically, see how the horses are reacting with the veterans to know how to help them adjust to slowing down and living in the moment.”
Abell said the therapy allows the veterans to experience instantaneous feedback from the horses as they respond to their emotional state. If a person is angry, Abell said the horse will try to avoid them, while if they exhibit anxious tendencies, the horse will try their best to be comforting. Along with the physical stimulus from horseback riding, Abell said the therapy program produces tangible results for those dealing with trauma from law enforcement or active military duties.
“When people come out, from when they were anxious or battling nightmares, that they’re able to sleep through the night… they’re able to communicate better with their spouse… the whole demeanor changes,” Abell said. “That they come out with more confidence and self-assurance, that they’re building relationships with other veterans that is going to help them if they’re having a down day, that they can call them and say, ‘Hey, I need your support,’ and they’ll be there for them. To us, that’s success.”
Normally an equestrian center focused on supporting those with special needs, Abell said they felt inspired to offer this event for female service members after coming in contact with a local veteran.
“We had a woman come out with one of our open houses and she had extreme PTSD that the crowd was too much for her,” Abell said. “We asked several of our women veterans that come with their husbands on the farm if they would be interested in doing that, and one of them said, ‘Absolutely, it would help her working with another female veteran and a horse to calm her anxiety down.'”
Abell said the center originally began by serving children with special needs after she witnessed a young boy take his first steps following a pony ride. Abell said the veteran programming was inspired by a request from another former service member who believed the horses could offer unique benefits to others.
“My husband is a veteran and we had a veteran that actually came out to our riding center and it was on his heart to offer this service to other veterans that could benefit from what the horses give to them,” Abell said. “It’s instant feedback.”
Having received her degree in special education, Abell said she has found her calling in what she does. Abell said she notices parallels between how therapy through horses can help rehabilitate people physically and mentally.
“I have a love for horses, and so it was a perfect win-win for me to watch these children that couldn’t walk, start walking, that couldn’t talk, start talking,” Abell said. “That had poor core strength, they couldn’t walk very well or sit up very well, just take on a new life where they just bloomed.”
Starting in September, Camp Hana will offer a couples program for military veterans and their spouses.
“All of our programs are structured,” Abell said. “So it’s just not come and be with a horse. They’re actually working with a horse. And so we want to invite spouses to come in the, in the fall with your spouse, or if you’re not married but you have a partner, come and join us to help make a difference in your life.”
