meeting a need - statistics

Veterans 

• More than 1 in 5 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from PTSD or major depression. 
• Nearly 13 percent of all veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD, compared to 6.8% of the general population. 
• An estimated 17 veterans die by suicide each day (some studies say as many as 22 per day), and suicide risk is higher in those with PTSD.  

Military Families

• 92% of spouses of reservists feel increased stress during their spouse's deployment, 85% feel anxious or depressed, and 88% experience feelings of isolation and loneliness. 
• 39% of military families say they have no one who they feel they can talk to, and 35% say they have no one they can ask for a favor. 
• Up to 50% of spouses of veterans with PTSD feel "on the verge of a nervous breakdown." 

Military Children 

• Children with a military family member experience poorer well-being overall and higher rates of depression. 
• 35% report feeling sad or hopeless. 
• 1 in 4 have seriously considered suicide. (Percentages are higher for children with a sibling in the military compared to a parent.)

 First Responders & Other Emergency Workers

• Firefighters and law enforcement officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty (nearly 3 times as likely for law enforcement).  
• 1 in 4 police officers consider suicide and 17 out of every 100,000 officers take their life each year.  
• California is among the top 4 states for highest rates of suicide in police officers. 
• The rate of PTSD among officers increased by 30% between 2020 and 2021. 
• 26% of officers have symptoms of burnout, anxiety, depression, or PTSD. 
• The average career span of an EMT or paramedic is only five years due to burnout and stress related to the job. 
• Up to 24% of emergency dispatchers have PTSD and roughly 40% exhibit high levels of burnout. 
• Nearly half of all firefighters will experience burnout and 1 in 5 experience PTSD. 

Horse Rescue, Killpens, and The Slaughter Pipeline

• The term "rescue" typically refers to a horse that was suffering due to abuse or neglect and is now being safely provided for its needs of food, water, shelter, and connection. Any horse we adopt typically falls under this category.
• Many "unwanted" horses (abused or not) end up at auctions or are listed online as free. These horses are often acquired by "kill buyers" who buy in order to sell to a slaughterhouse for a profit. Before shipping to slaughter, these horses are kept at at killpen, a holding facility that ships directly to a slaughterhouse. 
• Killpens are usually a source of suffering for the horse as they often are not provided adequate food, water, shelter, or vet/hoof care and must wait weeks and even months in these facilities. Some even die at these facilities due to the poor conditions.
• The "slaughter pipeline" starts when a horse is picked up by a kill buyer or dealer. At that point, the horse is usually shipped for long periods of time with no food or water, left in holding pens with no food, water, or shelter, and never given hoof or vet care again.  Any "unwanted" horse could end up in the slaughter pipeline, so we celebrate all people who give "unwanted" horses a safe home. 
• Most horses shipping to slaughter are healthy, well trained horses; 92 percent of them are deemed in “good” condition according to the US Department of Agriculture. These horses include formerly wild mustangs, retired race horses, kids' ponies, ranch horses, senior horses, pregnant horses, foals, yearlings, workhorses, and everything in between. 
• Slaughter is not humane euthanasia but instead is a brutal process where the horse suffers tremendously during transport and throughout the process of slaughter. 
• Until recent years, more than 100,000 horses per year were shipped for slaughter from the U.S. to Mexico and Canada. Tens of thousands are still shipping to slaughter every year.
• For more information about rescuing a horse, CLICK HERE.

We have been asked why we use the horses that we use. Why do we only take rescues (many who are not rideable) when there are people giving away healthy, rideable, never abused or neglected horses. One of our volunteers summed it up simply: "Because these guys have stories." 

An anxious veteran struggling tremendously with PTSD can experience an instant, unspoken connection with a horse who has gone through similar experiences - and that connection results in a powerful sense of calm. And that connection happens face to face. 

For those who have experienced a disability due to their service, they can relate to a horse that is "un-rideable." We see these connections happen on a regular basis.

But also, we take these horses because no one else can, or no one else will. They require a little more care, a little more feed, and a little more time, and not everyone is able to provide that. So we gladly give them a home with us. And when they can't give you the things that other horses can (like riding), they tend to give you even more. If you get the chance to meet them for yourself you will find out what we mean.

Horses and Humans

Research suggests that working with horses can provide benefits to veterans and others with PTSD or related conditions. These benefits include increased positive emotion, decreased PTSD symptoms, improved relationships, increased confidence, improved self-control, stronger leadership skills, and a greater ability to open up about their past trauma. The human-horse bond is especially important in improving quality of life, reducing stress, and helping the individual build and maintain healthy relationships in the rest of life.