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Veterans don’t have to have any horse experience — instructors will teach participants from the ground up, literally. For Veterans with prior horse experience, lessons provide an opportunity to enhance their skills and learning NVTRP’s wonderful herd of horses. By coming to weekly lessons, Veterans can progress through skills and work towards their personal riding and horsemanship goals. One of our Veteran riders who has been in our program for three years is now working towards his goal of becoming an instructor.
And riding isn’t just about time spent in the saddle. To truly become skilled horsemen and women, Veterans have to master skills such as emotional regulation, calm and clear communication, strength and balance, confident leadership, and an emotional openness to allow a bond to form with their horse. Riding can give Veterans a new hobby or even bring back nostalgic memories from being around animals as a child. It gets Veterans outdoors, physically active, and into a community of not only accepting, caring staff and volunteers, but also fellow Veterans.