Horses Helping Heroes
Listening to your horse and what they are communicating reminds me to take a step back and do that in real-life relationships and communication.
About
Established in September of 2016, Horses Helping Heroes (H3) is an Equine-Assisted Activity Learning and Therapy (EAAL/T) program for military Veterans and Service Members at no charge.
Skills you may learn from equine-assisted therapy include emotional regulation, self-confidence, improved communication and relationship skills, mindfulness, and many others. This is not a riding program; we use ground-based horsemanship activities.
Group sessions are led by EAGALA and PATH International Credentialed Equine Specialist and VACIHCS support to ensure each participant receives the guidance to explore, process, and solve their specific challenges in a safe and supportive environment.
Program Information
Our Horses Helping Heroes program consists of two smaller programs for our Veterans and Service Members.
Our main program is our Co-Ed program that serves both men and women in the same on-the-ground session. Our unmounted sessions allow for greater connection and understanding between the horse and the participant. These sessions are every Wednesday for eight consecutive weeks.
We are also excited for the expansion of Horses Helping Heroes to now offer our Veterans Carriage Driving program. This one-on-one program teaches our participant all things draft horses, how to properly harness and even drive their draft horse partner on the ground and hitched to a carriage. By the end of this eight-week session, our Veteran or Service Member will successfully be a team with their horse.
2023 Co-ed Schedules
Sessions for all Veterans: Every week for eight weeks.
Session 19: Wednesdays 6:00pm-8:00pm. March 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29, April 5, 12 & 19.
Session 20 (VSM + Partner): Wednesdays 6:00pm-8:00pm. May 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31, June 7, 14 & 21.
Session 21: Wednesdays 6:00pm-8:00pm. July 5, 12, 19 & 26, August 2, 9, 16 & 23.
Session 22: Wednesdays 6:00pm-8:00pm. September 6, 13, 20 & 27, October 4, 11, 18 & 25
Session 23 (six week session): Wednesdays 6:00pm-8:00pm. November 8, 15 & 29, December 6, 13 & 20.
2023 Carriage Driving Schedules
Please call our office at (515) 999-2818 for registration information.
Session 2: Tuesday's 12:30pm-2:30pm. February 7, 14, 21 & 28, March 7, 21 & 28, April 4
Session 3: Tuesday's 12:30pm-2:30pm. July 11, 18 & 25, August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Session 4: Tuesday's 12:30pm-2:30pm. September 12, 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Registration
Register online by clicking here. Or contact us by email at JPEC_info@polkcountyiowa.gov or by phone at 515-999-2818.
Donate to support the Horses Helping Heroes Program
Working with horses in equine therapy was a positive experience for me. It felt good to have the ability to gain confidence & skill to convince another natural animal to trust me & follow my direction. Communication and body language is key.
Jester Park Equestrian Center strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to participate. If you anticipate needing a modification due to a disability or have questions about accessibility, please contact us at 515-999-2818 or jpec_info@polkcountyiowa.gov.