Embracing the healing power of horse therapy

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - For some people, horses are for sport, for others recreation. Horses are used for police work, as beasts of burden or any of a number of other uses. But at one farm in Bedford, New York, the horses are also there to help bring tranquility to the Americans who can need it the most: veterans.

Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship was founded in 2014 by Emily Bushmell. Her grandfather was a veteran, but never talked about his experience.

“When he could come to the barn and spend time with the horses, he started talking,” Bushmell said.

Endeavor offers equine therapy to veterans with different programs like ground horsemanship, therapeutic riding, equine assisted growth and learning association, known together as the Eagala model. 

FOX 5 NY’s Jessica Formoso visited Endeavor to see and hear how the therapy is helping veterans, while Ernie Anastos sat down with Meggan Hill-McQueeney, President & COO of BraveHearts, a horse therapy nonprofit and Mitchell Reno, about the treatment.