Horses heal nation's heroes

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) -- Winston Churchill said, "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." That's the premise behind Laurie Willmott's new Spirit Therapies, an equestrian therapy program that is part of Horses Healing Heroes. This program serves veterans and active-duty military members who have been diagnosed with physical and/or mental challenges.

This project is very close to her heart. Her father, Harold Carpenter, was a staff sergeant in the Army Air Corps, served in World War II and passed away in 1999. Her brother Steven Carpenter, who served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, passed away in 2000. Both family members were part of her inspiration and motivation for the program.

"It's partly to give back to all who have served; to help those heal from wounds, both mental and physical, from the battlefield; and to honor the sacrifices that my father and brother made," Ms. Willmott said. "We are all like family here; the veterans can come and relax, enjoy stress-free time with the horses and share stories with friends about life and being overseas.

"This center has accomplished so much for vets suffering from injuries sustained overseas," Ms. Willmott said. "We have (numerous) veterans using our center who have had their symptoms significantly minimized after interacting with these amazing animals."

Tony Jones, a retired Air Force major and former navigator on an MC-130 Combat Talon gunship, enjoys relaxing at Spirit Therapies as part of the Horses Healing Heroes program.

Major Jones, who was injured in Iraq as a result of a rocket attack, has been participating in the program for seven months and has noticed dramatic improvement in his ability to deal with stress and severe migraines.

"The bond we share with the horses is very spiritual, very strong," he said. "They allow me to focus on more than just my health issues. Although my migraines have not stopped, I have improved a lot from being here, and my view of life has improved dramatically."

"Though the horses themselves provide the actual therapy, we have trained volunteer physical therapists on site to assist in the healing process," Ms. Willmott said.

Because of programs like this one, veterans are getting back in the saddle and moving forward with their lives one trot at a time.