Veterans & First responders Program

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KSR connects Veterans and First Responders and their loved ones with the healing companionship

of animals in the beauty of the White Mountains.

Military Veterans and First Responders (law enforcement, firefighters, or EMS workers) share

more than the fact that they all wear uniforms: they are protectors of society. Their training

and experience give them skills which result in safety for our citizens, but often can cause them

to be misunderstood by those they protect. As strong as they are, their endurance in difficult

environments and exposure to threats and trauma can cause hardships for them and their

loved ones in their personal lives.

A portion of their many strengths is their ability to function as a team. Sometimes, when they

are not wearing the uniform and are engaging with the civilian world, the loss of that team can

lead to isolation and a perceived lack of purpose. Gathering Veterans and First Responders into

peer groups (Veterans with Veterans, and First Responders with First Responders) and

providing activities in nature is beneficial. For many, connection with horses is as well.

Horses don’t worry so much about the words that come out of a person’s mouth as the

emotions that reside in the heart. You may be able to tell lies to a person, but you can’t get

away with lying to a horse about what’s going on inside. Horses communicate deeply without a

single word being spoken. And Veterans and First Responders tend to be more doers than talkers,

so horses really do speak their language.

Our horses are looking for Veterans & First Responders to spend time together. Through three-

day retreats and one-day programs in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire, we

allow space for these protectors and their loved ones to interact with each other and our

rescue horses. The rescue works both ways.