Tecumseh Legion introduces veterans with PTSI to equine therapy

A Tecumseh legion introduced veterans to equine therapy over the weekend.

A Tecumseh Legion is taking a new approach to supporting local veterans living with post-traumatic stress injuries — by introducing them to horses.

This past Sunday, Branch 594 arranged an outing for nine veterans at the Windsor-Essex Therapeutic Riding Association where they experienced equine therapy for the first time through the Legion.

David Woodman, veteran service officer at the branch, said while equine therapy itself is not new, this was the first time his Legion organized such an activity.

“It was a very successful trip. The staff there were knowledgeable, and the program is actually overseen by a psychologist recognized by Veterans Affairs Canada,” said Woodman.

“That means any veteran who has been prescribed mental health therapy can have equine therapy covered.”

The initiative was organized through Buddy Check, a peer-support group started by Woodman about six months ago.

The group meets monthly over coffee and donuts, creating a space where veterans can share experiences, talk through challenges and, increasingly, test out alternative therapies.

Equine therapy is just one of the avenues the Tecumseh Legion hopes to explore. Woodman has also invited guest speakers and plans to introduce veterans to service dogs later this year.

Woodman said while some veterans arrive knowing they need help, others discover it gradually.

He described one older participant who only recently realized the depth of his trauma after sharing his experiences at several meetings.

“It’s a necessary service,” Woodman explained.

“A lot of times we just sit, talk, laugh and even shed a few tears. Getting things off their chest is the big point of the Buddy Check program.”

The program comes as the very language around post-traumatic stress is shifting. Once known as PTSD — post-traumatic stress disorder — the term is increasingly being replaced by PTSI, or post-traumatic stress injury.

“They don’t want to call it a disorder anymore,” Woodman said.

“It is an injury brought on by traumatic events.”

The Buddy Check group will meet again next month for an informal session, followed by a December talk on seasonal affective disorder as veterans prepare for the holiday season.