The Equus Effect's mission is to provide veterans and others in high stress situations with essential tools to meet life's challenges and build healthy relationships through purposeful engagement with horses. At the onset of the pandemic we included front line health workers.

We were deemed an essential business in early 2020 with the State of Connecticut. The funded grant from the Foundation for Community Health enabled us to keep our doors open and continue with our work — and to keep the program running.

Our first obligation is to serve those who have and are now serving us. We developed this curriculum for veterans and first responders who know what it is like to be prepared for situations that can change without warning. Our program is based on neuroscience and resolves the stress and exhaustion of repressed states by acknowledging and replacing them with tools for resilience in the presence of our horses. This frees up an incredible amount of clear and congruent energy, which the horses then reward with trust and willingness to cooperate and collaborate. We practice a body-based approach to help participants with issues that remain following various types of trauma and stress. And working with horses and learning how to manage one's emotions offers trauma survivors the opportunity to experience new ways of viewing themselves, their life situations and their ways of handling current situations.

Experiential learning with horses can help us all get grounded, get clear and get connected — to ourselves — and then to those with whom we live and work. Participants have told us that this approach has enabled them to move forward with grace and dignity as they return to their jobs and their calling. Our programs for these brave men and women are offered at no cost to them.
We believe that times like these call for deep and impactful support that builds the capacity of those on whom our lives depend. As employers and managers, it is crucial to invest in programs that support the wellbeing, good judgment and resilience of one's essential employees. Retention rates will be higher – and in turn – many more lives will be impacted.

Listen to Jane Strong, Executive Director of The Equus Effect, talk about their organization and the Foundation for Community Health with Marshall Miles on Robin Hood Radio… Learn more

For more information, please visit https://www.theequuseffect.org/ or call 860-364-5363.

To view The Equus Effect Program Profile (click)