Explained: What is horse therapy that helps US veterans struggling with mental health?

Every 30 May is observed as Memorial Day in the United States, commemorating those who died while serving in the US Armed Forces. While those who survived have remained among the worst victims of mental health issues. According to the Fox News, more veterans have died by suicide since the 9/11 attacks than in combat. The report cites research from Brown University and Boston University. It found that more than 30,000 American active military personnel and veterans involved in post-9/11 wars are estimated to have died by suicide – a figure at least four times greater than the 7,000 service members who were killed in combat during that time. From 2006 to 2021, the US Department of Veterans Affairs found that mental health needs increased by about 98 per cent. To address the mental health issues faced by active military personnel and veterans, some organisations have started offering horse therapy or equine-assisted therapy. What is horse therapy and how it helps with mental health According to Fox News, in the small town of Jay Em, Wyoming, there’s a program called Project Remount Corporation that pairs veterans or first responders with wild mustangs, a variety of horses. Horse therapy involves a range of activities with horses to promote human physical and mental health. To use horses in the therapeutic process, people are encouraged to engage in activities such as grooming, feeding, and leading a horse while being supervised by a mental health professional. Operation Remount was started by Kelly Alexander and his wife, Karen. Alexander is a veteran who served over 20 years in the Army and Army National Guard. The program stemmed from his own experience with post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as multiple traumatic brain injuries. According to the Wyoming Military Department’s website, Alexander came across a program in Texas called Veterans and Mustangs through the Mustang Heritage Foundation. It was there that he found the tools needed to find the way back to his normal self. He started Operation Remount with an aim to duplicate his experience and allow veterans who suffer from traumatic issues like PTSD to find their way back as he did. The six-week program pairs the participant with a wild mustang. The horses also have experienced trauma when they are pulled away from their herds and placed in overcrowded pens and immunized. The shared experience between a participant and a horse helps in the healing process. They work to build a trusting and bonding relationship through one on one training. According to Fox News, Operation Remount allows the veterans to keep the wild horse for themselves after they complete the six-week course. The Alexanders hope to have eight vets and first responders on the ranch next year, and to continue to grow. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.