I work at Maryland Therapeutic Riding where we have had our Horses for Heros program going for just under 1 year, we work with the vets from Ft. Meade. It is probably one of the most rewarding programs you could ever be involved in. We were lucky enough to have also been featured on NBC Nightly News a couple months ago. The men and women who serve our country are such wonderful individuals, you’ll never regret getting into this type of program.
WOUNDED WARRIORS AND EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY
Great Job In Maryland!! i applaud your work! we are very excited…
Does anyone know of a good company, not store that might be willing to donate some helmets and boots for riding for our warriors? i am just googling but some are just online stores. I want to get to a company;)
Thank you!
Janice
Heartbeat Warrior
www.heartbeatforwarriors.org
It is very, very enouraging to see that there are successful programs up and running I can point to!
HW–how about Troxel & International? Both have websites with contact info. International did/does a very good deal with the instructor certification program CHA, so might be willing to help out. (boy, if they are–let them know there are more of us getting going!)
I need the winter to get the horses really bombproof for therapeutic use, and I don’t have an indoor, hence the hopeful-spring-startup. (plus Uncle Sam will help when he returns my tax money in March. 
)
I have had one person interested in donating a suitable bigger horse (mine aren’t so big) but the horse is in TN. If anyone thinks they could help, I don’t think I’ll have tax exempt stuff going until 2010, but I sure could use a ride from TN to anywhere in New England/NY/PA that’s within 5 or 6 hrs of Boston.
For me I lost my full time job in July, and it has become an unbelievable opportunity, at least that’s the dream and the prayer!
PS: name I’ve come up with is “Wings for Wounded Warriors” based on the quotes
“Horses lend us the wings we lack” and the Shakespeare quote
“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it;”
WOUNDED WARRIORS AND EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY
Pintopiaff
wow, that is very exciting and i LOVE the name!! there are different types of therapy as you may well be aware of. We are going to be doing hippotherapy and Equine Assisted pyschotherapy. There is a wonderful ranch that is donating their place for this with 5-6 horses for us to start up with.I have the medical people who are at the military hospital donating their time which is very awesome…I think there is a huge need all over and i am very excited about yours. We can encourage each other 
Re your 501c3 let me know if i can help. I know there are a couple of ways to expedite it…mine only took 8 weeks which is a miracle.
thanks for the word on helmets. I actually had gone to Troxel and they had a list of local distributors so i am hitting them up as well.Let me know when yours is up and going and i can list it on my website for warriors in your area.
Janice
Heartbeat Warrior
www.heartbeatforwarriors.org
[QUOTE=pintopiaffe;4429588]
“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it;”[/QUOTE]
What a beautiful quote.
I have paddock boots (size eight) and half chaps (for a slim calf) that I could donate. PM me with the info, including your name and the registration info for the non-profit.
My nephew is in officer training school for the army. He’s a wonderful boy. A man, but still a boy and I dread to think of what might happen to him. It’s so good to know people are out there serving those who serve our country.
WOUNDED WARRIORS AND EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY
Dizzywriter
Oh thank you sooo much!! :eek:that is awesome of you!! i sent you a PM…let me know what else you need. Thank you soo much! and a huge thankyou to your courageous nephew!
Heartbeat Warrior
www.heartbeatforwarriors.org
Janice:
For some reason, PM isn’t letting me reply to you. No need to send me the IRS form.
I’m packing up the stuff and will include the information you asked for. I’m assuming the cost of shipping is also deductible?
WOUNDED WARRIORS AND EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY
Dizzywriter
yes everything is deductible. Thank you very much!
Janice
Heartbeat Warrior
I have volunteered in Horses4Heroes and it is a powerful program. Good luck with yours.
what states is this offered
This is AMAZING! I not only come from barn that does therapeutic riding but I have a husband who is a Veteran.
I am going to look at getting a program started, I think it’s amazing!
I am trying to start a similar program where I teach TR. I attended a seminar on PTSD and therapeutic horseback riding, and I am determined to find a way to help our veterans. I had a frustrating lack of interest from the Veteran’s Outreach nearby, despite my calls and invitations for them to come and visit our farm to learn more. I have volunteered in this type of program so I have seen firsthand how beneficial it can be.
Best of luck with your program, and hopefully ours will be up and running soon, too.
YOu may for fuding et al want to contact the various veterans orgnizations in your area. The VFW, American leigon and the county veterans Service commission( that is what it is called here other states I dont have a clue.
I know that on the disrtict level here the incomming persident of the ladies auxiliary is intrested in havig this as her charity to help veterans this year. ( if not it most certinally will be when I get into that position in mm 3 yrs)
not knowing Washington state that well here is the Department ( state) of WA aux website information they should be able to direct you to the local and district posts in your area. And who knows maybe the Department can help as well.
DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON
Dept. Web Site: www.auxdeptwa.org
President: Nikki Benjamin
[SIZE=4][B]nikkibenjamin@comcast.net[/B][/SIZE]
Secretary-Treasurer: Toni Martin
[SIZE=4][B]tonimartin07@gmail.com[/B][/SIZE]
Youth Activities Chairman: Jennifer Viestenz
foolsjay@msn.com[SIZE=4][B]
Here is the VFW department contact for Washington State.
WASHINGTON (253) 922-2114
vfwstateofwa@aol.com
YOu may also want to contact the Military order of the Cootie. They are a branch/ off shoot of the VFW. They are basically there for hospital and the like stuff but this concerns vets et al who are wounded… I would email the supreme cootie and ask where there is a local cootie what ever it is called( I dont remember what they are called as I am not a member though ellegable…[/B][/SIZE]
http://www.lotcs.org/
Here is the state level to the American legion
http://www.walegion.org/
If you scroll down to a clicky thing on the left that says posts or something like that it wil bring up the posts maybe one in your area.
here is the veterans services in spokane county if this is not your county they can direct you in the correct direction to contact you local one.
https://www.spokanecounty.org/veteran/content.aspx?c=1833
That is all I can think of right now. But this should get you a good start.
