By CHRISTINE HAINES
It has been said that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man, but as evidenced by the Armed Forces Equestrian Center in Elizabeth, horses are much more than a thing of beauty good for the soul.
The AFEC, a nonprofit organization formed a year and a half ago, provides a therapeutic riding program for veterans and their families. It’s based at Fallen Timbers Stable in Elizabeth.
“We are self-funded. We don’t charge for lessons. We do take donations,” said Kayla Lopez, co-founder of the program. “We have about 13 clients. I do it on the weekends and when I’m off work and in the evenings.”
There are eight horses in the program, including three Shetland ponies, one of which is large enough to be ridden. The smaller ponies, known as minis, are also used for equine therapy, but in a different way, Lopez said.
“We take them with us to parades, to the Veterans Administration and to Duquesne University to teach the students,” Lopez said.
Minis can be trained as companion therapy animals to detect conditions including diabetes and blood pressure issues, Lopez said. Lopez said Guardian Angels, an organization that trains service dogs for veterans, has used the same techniques to train minis. Lopez said the ponies have a sense of smell 10 times greater than dogs.
“They use their senses to survive in the wild and we can tap into that,” Lopez said.
The types of problems addressed and therapies used are as varied as the clients who have come into the program. The riding may be a form of physical therapy for those with injuries or disabilities, or it may help with psychological issues.
Lopez said acclimation therapy helps veterans overcome challenges as they transition from military to civilian life.
“The animals help them cue into an emotional layer another human may not be able to do,” Lopez said. “If you have fear, the animal will sense that and show fear. It’s a way to have positive therapy without dealing with the issue itself.”