Horses Help Heal Trauma for Veterans and First Responders - Episode 24 - Hooves and Heroes Artwork

Veteran Voices: SITREP

We are Tom and Chris Faust; father and son. We are veterans. We are Veteran Voices. This is SITREP, where we provide information about resources for veterans and interviews with veterans about their situation, experiences, and what they may be doing to help other veterans. Our mission is to provide information that helps veterans transition from military to civilian life in order to prevent veteran homelessness.

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Veteran Voices: SITREP

Horses Help Heal Trauma for Veterans and First Responders - Episode 24 - Hooves and Heroes

August 19, 2024 • Veteran Voices • Season 1 • Episode 24

In this episode Tom and Chris speak with Sonia Jorgensen, the founder of Hooves and Heroes. Its mission is to assist veterans and first responders through equine-based experiences aimed at promoting healing, awareness, and advocacy for their needs. Sonja Jorgensen shares her background as a registered nurse and Navy corpsman, and how her experiences in the military and working with the VA inspired her to create an environment where veterans, first responders, and horses could come together.

The dialogue shed light on the therapeutic role of horses in providing support to individuals with emotional turmoil. Sonja explained how horses can sense and respond to human emotional states by recognizing heart rate variability and electromagnetic fields. The electromagnetic field of the human heart was discussed, extending about four to five feet from the body, while horses have been measured to have an electromagnetic field that extends up to 25 feet due to their larger heart mass and higher electrical generation.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of including first responders in the programs provided by Hooves and Heroes, as they often face similar struggles with resources and there is significant overlap between the veteran and first responder communities. Sonja emphasized the need for such programs, sharing that she had initially envisioned establishing Hooves and Heroes as a retirement endeavor but realized the urgency of starting these programs sooner.

Additionally, the dialogue touched on Sonja's training with Natural Lifemanship, a trauma-focused organization, and her certification with the HeartMath Institute, which provided insights into heart rate variability and the electromagnetic fields generated by the heart. The guests also shared personal experiences with horses, expressing how working with these animals can be calming and therapeutic.

Overall, the conversation provided valuable insights into the healing potential of equine-based experiences, the unique sensitivity of horses to human emotions, and the importance of addressing the needs of veterans and first responders through such programs.

Links:

https://hoovesandheroes.org

https://heartmath.com

https://www.horsesenseotc.com/veterans (Located in Marshall, NC)

https://hopeforheroeswa.org (located in Yelm, WA)

https://vetsct.org/ (New London, CT)

https://www.trotarizona.org/programs/ (Heroes & Horses Program. Located in Tucson, AZ)

https://www.hooves.us/ (Swanton, OH)

Our Website https://www.veteranvoices.us

Email Us: sitrep@veteranvoices.us

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