Support the Horses of War Horse Creek.
After a successful first phase of funding, innovative veteran transition program War Horse Creek at Living Free is now raising funds to improve horse facilities on the grounds.
Located in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California, War Horse Creek is a veteran-led program which rescues wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and brings them together with military veterans in an innovative approach called Collaborative Horsemanship. This approach gives veterans the opportunity to master skills that go dormant during their military tenure – empathy, patience, understanding, kindness and compassion. Once these skills are mastered with the mustangs, they can be ingrained as adaptive habits and transferred to family, friends and society. The program combines Collaborative Horsemanship with life skills training, recreational activities, downtime and connection opportunities.
Why mustangs? At present, 41,000 mustangs have been rounded up from public lands by the BLM and are now confined in overcrowded pens. Mustangs are generally more independent, reactive and mistrustful than domestic horses, making them difficult to train and ride. However, the very characteristics that make them hard to adopt, make them ideal for equine-related programs.
According to Ray Barmore, Executive Director of Living Free / War Horse Creek, “Mustangs are, in effect, highly sensitive 1200-lb biofeedback mechanisms that sense and respond to a veteran’s intentions, physicality and emotions, mirroring back subconscious issues so that they may be identified and addressed.”
A key objective of War Horse Creek’s program is to change the public perception of mustangs from tragic burdens to highly valuable resources. Veterans must work to earn the trust and collaboration of the mustang, rather than use force or intimidation. These skills can be translated into every relationship they have, improving decision-making and long-term outcomes.
The power of equine-related programs similar to War Horse Creek has never been more clear. New research on the equine therapy modality from Columbia University has proven that equine therapy results in brain-based changes that can increase an individual’s capacity to enjoy life, despite facing traumas and war adversities.
This round of funding, with a goal set at $150,000, will be used for:
Three new horse shelters
Fencing and gates for stable yards and corrals
A multi-use barn
Waterline and utility improvements
Grading and site work
Donors have the option of a one-time donation to support facility build-out, or can sponsor a horse's care with a monthly donation.
$50 Monthly - Covers foot care for one horse
$100 Monthly - Covers veterinarian care for one horse
$300 Monthly - Covers the cost of food for one horse