Range Ranch Uses Equine Therapy for Vets and First Responders

FREDONIA, NY — Earlier this year, Spectrum News 1 featured a ranch in Western New York designed to help veterans and first responders suffering from mental illness.

The installation also hosts a number of military groups and trains its members using the same equine or equestrian therapy.

This has an impact both on and off the field.

Lt. Col. Ron Saglimbene is one of 21 U.S. Marines from the prior service, Recruiting Station One, during a training exercise with local reserve units at Range Ranch, a safe and healing retreat in Fredonia, for Veterans.

“So we’re very excited about the opportunity that we have to really take our recruiters to the next level, using these partnerships,” Saglimbene said.

These are partnerships that will help recruiters identify with rural communities.

“Giving recruiters the opportunity to understand what this population really needs when we talk to them and connect with them,” Saglimbene said.

The ranch provides equine therapy to veterans and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions, while helping them experience the great outdoors.

“Understanding that there are outlets, (that) there are opportunities for Marines and all service members suffering from any type of mental anguish or any type of trauma. There are organizations, institutions that are there to help them,” said the lieutenant-colonel. Robert Moore at Range Ranch.

“So understanding what it is is going to be critical for recruiters and the work they do,” Saglimbene said.

Led by Dawn Samuelson, founder of the National Equine Institute of Growth through Healing, or NEIGH, recruiters participated in numerous exercises. These exercises required teamwork, organization and communication, not only with each other, but also with the horses, to help gain the animal’s trust – skills that recruiters can use in their work.

“Obviously they’re recruiting other military members, so it’s very important to understand what’s behind their emotions and how it affects those around them,” Samuelson said.

Lessons that Saglimbene and his team learned first-hand.

“Really gets individuals to understand boundaries and be able to read other individuals when you’re talking to them, so that’s a huge piece that we just learned here, that we didn’t expect, so I think it “It’s great,” Saglimbène said.

Ranch leaders also hope to one day raise beef cattle.

Recruiters also better understood why agriculture and protecting food security are important to agricultural communities.