Recovering Service Members and Veterans Program

Proudly providing equine-assisted services to recovering service members and Veterans.

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Cloverleaf Equine Center offers 12-week programs for recovering military personnel and Veterans. Our program combines therapeutic riding and equine-assisted learning, while focusing on relationship building between the participants and the horses. Horses are non-judgmental partners who thrive on positive teamwork and relationships – this low-pressure environment encourages individuals to develop the valuable the skills needed to create positive bonds with humans and horses.

With the help of our generous donors, Cloverleaf is able to provide this program free of charge to military participants.

Our Timeline

2014

Formal program for recovering service members and Veterans begins thanks to a referral from the USO to a major local military installation.

2019

Number of sessions offered begins growing steadily. 304 sessions for recovering service members and Veterans were completed.

2020

Surge in number of service members and Veterans self-referring since the onset of COVID. 236 sessions were provided despite a total shutdown for three months, and a phased return to service.

2021

Over 650 sessions are projected, a 115% increase from 2019.

2022

662 sessions provided to a total of 44 unique Veterans and service members.

2023

Cloverleaf pilots a newly reformatted military program.

Why equine-assisted services work for service members

A rapidly growing body of evidence supports the effectiveness of equine-assisted services helping military personnel and Veterans restore their confidence at their own pace.

Military Services-Equine assisted services for Service Members

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Hypervigilance

Horses are animals of prey. Much like recovering service members recovering from PTSD, they are hypervigilant. Trust must be earned.

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Intune with Emotions

Horses are extremely intuitive. Clients must come from a calm and controlled space in order to successfully work with a horse.

Honesty

Horses provide honest, non-judgmental feedback to every client. This dynamic of trust and honesty allows Veterans to let their guard down and be authentic.

Dionne, United States Navy Veteran

“…the sessions [at Cloverleaf] incorporate the issues I have with anxiety, depression and being around new people… it really shows me the vibe I am giving off. I think I’m saying, ‘Hi, it’s nice to meet you’ and then the horse doesn’t want to come next to me. I recognize that I really need to work on what’s inside”.

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