Courtesy Saratoga Warhorse
Saratoga WarHorse, a nonprofit organization that uses retired thoroughbred racehorses to work with service members and veterans with post-traumatic stress, plans to use the program to aid individuals mobilized during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Military Armed Forces program is designed to assist service members and veterans during the immediate aftermath of trauma and prevent the negative consequences of PST. It formally launches in December and is currently accepting participants.
Officials said that since April, more than 50,000 troops across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have been activated domestically to assist in their state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, approximately 25,000 retired and former U.S. Army medical personnel have volunteered their service.
Their frontline support includes mortuary affairs, serving at community-based testing sites and creating enhanced medical capacity for hospitals and healthcare professionals.
“Tens of thousands of military troops were called upon to fight this invisible enemy,” said U.S. Army veteran and Saratoga WarHorse Foundation CEO Allison Cherkosly. “Serving in an uncertain environment—unsure whether or not the person you’re trying to help will infect you—is stressful and traumatic. Our Military FAR program will help spare a lot of service members and their families from the suffering caused by post-traumatic stress by providing early intervention shortly after enduring trauma. With this program, we have the opportunity to make a major contribution to the field of veteran care. Instead of trying to reverse the devastating consequences, we could actually prevent it.”
Saratoga WarHorse is accustomed to working with service members and veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress. Since its inception in 2013, the non-profit organization has helped nearly 1,300 veterans move past their trauma by partnering them with retired thoroughbred racehorses and providing a new experience vastly different than equine therapy or any existing treatments.
Saratoga WarHorse offers a one-time, three-day experience which culminates with each veteran participating in a procedure called the “connection process.” This process can last anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes, and has been empirically proven to improve quality of life and reduce symptoms of PTS and their negative impact, officials said.
The program is currently accepting applications from eligible active duty, reserve, and National Guard troops. To inquire or refer a veteran or service member, or for more information about the program, visit SaratogaWarHorse.org.
Donations to Saratoga WarHorse can be made online at SaratogaWarHorse.org/donate.