This Coastal Connection is sponsored by Baths by Spicer Bros.
HARBESON, Del. — On a quiet property off Harbeson Road, veterans are finding solace in an unlikely place: the steady companionship of horses.
Every Friday, John Dill spends time with Patches the horse at Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding. For Dill, who served 42 years in the National Guard and completed a tour in Baghdad, the weekly training sessions have become an essential part of managing post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I suffer with PTSD and sometimes my PTSD acts up depending if I get stressed out,” Dill said. “And this experience has helped me control that and allows me to calm myself and understand what I have to do to control my irritations and stuff that I have.”
"This program has really helped me to know myself and what I can do," veteran John Dill says of the eight-week equine program.
The eight-week program offers veterans the chance to groom, walk and build relationships with horses. Kelly Boyer, the Program Director, said the connection between the horses and participants goes far beyond learning skills.
“It develops a bond and a friendship between the veteran and the horse that builds confidence, self-esteem,” Boyer said. “We’ve seen amazing connectiosn happen from the start of the session. We’ve had veterans reach out when they’ve had a bad day to come see their horse.”
Angela La Rosa, an Army veteran who has connected with a horse named Brumbly, said the program has helped her manage anxiety and feel more empowered in daily life.
The eight week program offers veterans a chance to learn horsemanship in a supportive setting.
"[I have learned how to] assert my boundaries. Letting people know what I’m not going to accept. Be more a little bit outspoken and supportive," she told CoastTV. "[I was] always feeling like I could rock the boat. But if I can handle the horses, I can handle people.”
Founded in 1988, the nonprofit Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding Center aims to improve the physical and emotional wellbeing of children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted services. The veterans program is just one of several offered on the property, and another session is scheduled for this fall.
Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding says the free program provides participants with strategies to promote health and well-being while connecting with other veterans.
For Dill, caring for Patches has become a form of self-care.
“They’re a special breed of an animal,” Dill said. “And they need attention, just like we do. They have feelings and we have feelings. And I think that you can share those feelings with them. They understand you."
To learn more about Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding, click here.