Animals Helping People: Rainier Therapeutic Riding

I believe in the power of animals. There is something deep in humans that lead to us domesticating them, not only as beasts of burden but as part of our families. We respond to their basic presence in a way we are often unable to respond to other people.

That’s why I love animal assisted therapy, from dogs who help kids learn to read, to feral cat programs in prisons, to horse assisted PTSD therapy.

This is the first post in a new series, where once a month, I will be highlighting the work of groups who use animals to help other people. I’m starting with a group local to my area, one that presented at the school C attends just earlier this week, Rainier Therapeutic Riding, in honor of Veteran’s Day.

RTR uses horses to help veterans overcome PTSD and other emotional issues. This is a cause close to my heart as I also come from a military family. And since we’re located very near the Joint Base Lewis McChord, there are a number of veterans in the area who can use the help.

Take a moment to look over their website. If you live in the area, consider volunteering. If you don’t live in the area, consider it for a charitable donation.

And if you have a recommendation for another service organization for me to highlight, let me know