In Connecticut, these horses are helping veterans cope with the trauma of combat

John Yang:

An estimated 15 percent of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD and depression. For some it's the invisible wounds that take the greatest toll. Pamela Watts of Rhode Island PBS weekly reports on a program that helps ease those struggles with horses.

Thor Torgreson, V.E.T.S. Co-founder and Instructor: Winston Churchill said, you know the outside of the horse is good for the inside of a person, you know, and it's true. There is a magic that happens of being around an animal that large with that type of energy. Thank you.

Pamela Watts:

On this Connecticut farm in 2015, Thor Torgreson co-founded a nonprofit to help combat veterans.

Thor Torgreson:

I have seen individuals who have been homeless addicted to drugs, incapable of walking on their own without a walker or a wheelchair, become fully mobile, off of their addictions, own their own home now drive credit of each 100 percent transformation.

We kind of had that anecdotal data of where there have been individuals who told me that they have not ended their lives because of this program. Start to make a turn because he's going to want to walk out.

Pamela Watts:

The program is simply called V.E.T.S. or Veteran Equine Therapeutic Services.

Thor Torgreson:

Horses are just by nature, the poster child of PTSD, they have hypervigilant, stress, tissues fight or flight issues, all of the markers that are traditional PTSD markers. And that is a survival mechanism.

And we have veterans who come in who have those same issues. And you know, when they come in, I kind of jokingly say you're just a horse, and we can work with that.

Pamela Watts:

The equine specialists first encourage veterans to totally unwind, shaking off tension with deep breaths to let the horse know they are calm in control, and a decisive leader.

Thor Torgreson:

If you put both hands on him, and do that same breathing exercise, you're trying to relax and make him relaxed by you relaxing.

Pamela Watts:

Torgeson says horses are perceptive, they can sense anger and stress in humans. Empathy, compassion, and emotional management lead the horse to respond. The hope is veterans take those skills off the farm and into their lives. And it doesn't require mounting a horse just harnessing trust.

Thor Torgreson:

Because if I taught you how to ride a horse, and then you never interacted with the horse, again, the skill or the experience would be wasted versus coming get to understand an animal at a very deep level that makes you understand yourself at a very deep level.

Pamela Watts:

Torgeson says the program can be transformational.

Thor Torgreson:

There are people who have had to see and do things that no one should have to see or do. You want to stuff those in the darkest place that you can and many people feel that they can never come back from that darkness.

Mike Warren, Retired U.S. Marine:

I wasn't worried. I don't, you know, just a lot of bad things done to human people, you know, a lot of wrong, you know that. You would see any humanitarian situation.

Pamela Watts:

Mike Warren found himself in that darkness. He was an 18-year-old Marine when he was deployed to the Gulf War. On the way his company was rerouted to evacuate U.S. citizens from Liberia during its civil war.

Mike Warren:

I saw you know, a kid on the street, you know, he had to be like 11 years old shoot an adult, you know? And those are just things that you never forget.

Pamela Watts:

And then there were two deployments to Iraq. How did you get diagnosed with PTSD? What happened to you? Well,

Mike Warren:

I didn't know until later. I ended up going to an alcoholic and drug rehabilitation treatment.

Pamela Watts:

To self-medicating?

Mike Warren:

Yeah. Self-medicated, you know, and —

Pamela Watts:

Because why?

Mike Warren:

Try to suppress the feelings that I had of the things that I've seen.

Pamela Watts:

How did this program make a difference for you?

Mike Warren:

I'm here today because of the program.

Pamela Watts:

Really?

Mike Warren:

Yeah, because I was in the hospital five times for suicide. You don't want to commit suicide.

Pamela Watts:

Warren is now a volunteer here. Caring for more than the horses, he helps veterans entering the program. Some 100 service people have come through these gates, all served free of charge.

Families of veterans also benefit. Sara Stepalavich was pregnant with a young son at home when her husband was deployed with the Coast Guard. She gave birth to her son with Down Syndrome and was raising both boys alone while her husband was frequently at sea.

Sara Stepalavich, Coast Guard Spouse:

I like to say that out of something really dark came something really beautiful. I was at a moment of total crisis. My oldest is here all the time. He loves coming out here. My youngest absolutely loves it here. My husband has benefited from this program. I mean, this is my second home. This is my second family. I found my tribe.

Pamela Watts:

Stepalavich also found her calling at the farm.

Sara Stepalavich:

I'm trying to get certified in equine bodywork and getting hopefully my equine specialist and mental health and learning.

Pamela Watts:

Mike Warren believes the program has helped him communicate better with family and friends.

Mike Warren:

The horse starts to like, bring you down and break you down, you know? So it opens your heart, either cowboy. Ah, no, good boy, aren't you?

Pamela Watts:

Warren cherishes a breakthrough moment. While cleaning the paddock, this horse named Gump showed his appreciation.

Mike Warren:

He came up to me and he put his head right on my shoulder. It just like lowers everything down and almost like can bring you to tears.

Pamela Watts:

In this space and at this pace, soldiers who have returned home from war are finding peace.

Mike Warren:

When I'm here. I'm not there. You know what I mean? But I'm here with the horses. I'm in a different place. Tranquil place. It's a lifesaver. You're a good boy.

Pamela Watts:

For PBS News Weekend, I'm Pamela Watts in Stonington, Connecticut.