Old Lyme, CT- October 30, 2020: Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services (V.E.T.S.) and High
Hopes Therapeutic Riding have partnered to pilot a new veteran support program in Old Lyme,
CT. The creation of this pilot program will provide an additional opportunity for local veterans to
experience the benefit of a therapeutic equine program at no cost to them.
The six-week pilot program meets weekly at the Old Lyme campus of High Hopes and will run
until Veterans Day. Every Wednesday, the diverse group of nine veterans from various
branches of service, several horses, and volunteers meet with V.E.T.S. instructors to share and
learn introductory lessons in horse and life skills that include herd life, horse care, and
communication, along with exploring trust based relationships, nonverbal communication skills,
emotional control, and management among several other critical skills provided by their equine
partners. These skills are designed to be transferable from the barn setting directly to everyday
life with the goal of increasing the quality and purpose of life.
V.E.T.S. has been providing support to the veteran community sharing equine, agriculture, and
learning opportunities since 2015.
High Hopes has been providing therapeutic services in Old Lyme since 1986 and is an
internationally recognized PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horseman) Premier
Accredited Center.
For more information, visit vetsct.org or highhopestr.org.
