The center, a partnership between the UCF College of Medicine, Osceola County and the McCormick Research Institute, provides and does scientific research on equestrian therapy not only for veterans but for autistic children, patients with Parkinson\u2019s disease and others.<\/p>\n
The effort is led by Dr. Manette Monroe, a lifelong horseman, College of Medicine faculty member and assistant dean of students. Dr. Monroe laughed as she spoke to attendees at the ribbon-cutting: \u201cI\u2019m in a barn in a suit. This must be a special occasion.\u201d She told the audience that her early research has shown that equestrian therapy yields dramatic improvement in veterans\u2019 depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. While equestrian therapy has been going on for decades, little scientific research has been done on the topic. With research \u201cto prove what we know,\u201d equestrian therapy can expand and receive funding to reach more veterans, said Mark Miller, who chairs the McCormick Institute. \u201cWe\u2019re talking about millions and millions of people in need,\u201d he said, noting that 22 American veterans commit suicide each day.<\/p>\n
The center is the only one in the country led with help from a medical school. \u201cWe are honored to be partners with you in improving the health of our community,\u201d Dr. Deborah German, vice president for medical affairs and dean told attendees. \u201cThanks to your efforts, we are able to provide better care to our nation\u2019s heroes. This equestrian center is a place of hope.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just ask Marine Corps veteran Francesca Langston and her therapy horse, Brooks. Langston drove trucks in combat and returned home hyper-vigilant about daily activities, especially driving. She doesn\u2019t like to talk about her experiences in war. But Brooks \u2013 half of the performing equestrian duo \u201cBrooks and Dunn\u201d that once performed at the Arabian Nights Dinner Theater \u2013 helps Langston cope.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a huge Belgian Appaloosa who loves peppermint candy, apples, nose rubs and attention. Stop petting him to talk to a human and he kicks his stall with a giant hoof. \u201cBrooks, I have more candy, but you have to be patient,\u201d Langston urges the gentle giant, then explains how the horse helps her: \u201cHe\u2019s amazing \u2014 so calm, so patient. His ears hear everything so he\u2019s hyper-vigilant just like I am. That\u2019s our bond. He\u2019s given me a new life. He makes my heart happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miller said that intuition is a horse\u2019s therapeutic gift. Most domesticated animals humans encounter are hunters \u2013 even dogs and cats. They\u2019re logical. But horses aren\u2019t hunters, he said, they\u2019re prey, so the connection is intuitive. \u201cThe relationship between a horse and a human is unique. They love people. Horses were bred to go to war with us, to give their lives for us. That\u2019s the difference. Their connection with us is completely from the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
The medical school and Heavenly Hoofs, an equestrian therapy program in Osceola, began the Horses and Heroes veterans\u2019 program several years ago. But the county-donated property that housed the program had no covered ring. So the program closed each summer because of heat and rain. After hearing from veterans about how equestrian therapy helped them, Osceola County Commissioners approved building a $1.75 million facility at Chisholm Park. Its covered ring, air conditioned meeting rooms and special grooming and tacking areas allow the center to provide therapy sessions year-round. County Commissioner Fred Hawkins Jr., whose district includes the center, said the therapeutic riding program has personal meaning to him. Hawkins competed in rodeo events as a child and said the relationship between horses and humans is a \u201creal lifeline to our veterans and others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mike Fradera, who spent four years in the Marines and six years in the Army, is currently enrolled in the program. He lost both legs in combat and said he was fighting with himself about coming to the center. He\u2019d never ridden before, had never even been around horses.<\/p>\n
He says Liberty, his horse, responds easily and intuitively to him. That has built trust, lessened fear and forged a strong bond between the two. \u201cThere\u2019s something about grooming a horse that\u2019s so calming and relaxing,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re taking care of a beautiful creature.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The center, a partnership between the UCF College of Medicine, Osceola County and the McCormick Research Institute, provides and does scientific research on equestrian therapy not only for veterans but for autistic children, patients with Parkinson\u2019s disease and others. The effort is led by Dr. Manette Monroe, a lifelong horseman, College of Medicine faculty member and assistant dean of students.…","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":74979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-twocol.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[6,12,17,23],"tags":[979,1238,15761,5055],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-74978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-health","category-medicine","category-research","tag-college-of-medicine","tag-deborah-german","tag-pegasus-briefs","tag-veterans"],"yoast_head":"\n