“seeing and being with the animals at the animal rescue definitely did feel therapeutic. It was pretty awesome learning how horses react to your vibes and emotions. I’ve worked with horses for about two years and never realized how trainers have that communication with them. . . . it really was true how obedient and honest they are. That was a really great experience having that class because just being with the horses helped me relax and not stress.”
– Female Veteran

“Working with the horses and the whole training experience was magical! It made me feel at ease and somewhat like (I had) a hidden talent. I’ve always had dreams of becoming an equestrian overall I had a great time I feel like I came out of my shell. I’m more open towards my peers now.”
– Female Veteran

“The best part of my trip was when I got to talk to . . . Randall. He told me that he was trying to create a transitional program for veterans coming home from combat. Part of the program is a veteran working with a horse while working with a therapist on a myriad of issues. The rehabilitation technique is called equine therapy . . . that makes use of horses to help promote emotional growth. I feel like all veterans can benefit from a program like this. . . . Many veterans come home and don’t have a mission to focus on or any friends to lean on and the mandated program that is being used today (by the military) is not good enough.”
– Marine Veteran

“Interacting with the horses was really awesome, I never would have thought that our energy would be transferred to the horse, whether it’s bad or good. The way the horses work was pretty cool and was just something else. The people that work there are very nice and I hope this program continues.”
– Veteran

“Connecting with the animals was a unique experience for me. I have never really worked with horses and have not often seen the appeal of them, but going to Living Free really changed my mind. I found it very interesting the way that horses respond to energy and enjoy(ed) the opportunity to work with them inside the corral.”
– Veteran

“We then got to help out the horses which I also enjoyed because not only were we just petting the horse, we were feeding it (and) we actually were able to learn how to in a way to properly tame a horse and communicate with them as well. I thought that was fascinating because I always just assumed that you would train a horse the same way you train a dog, but it’s vastly different. I couldn’t believe that the forces feed off of the trainer’s energy and understood commands without anyone saying the word.”
– Veteran

“Getting the opportunity to get up close and personal with horses has always been a strong desire of mine. . . . I was able to feed a horse and build rapport with it (and) soon after we were in the ring seeing if we could get the horse to follow commands. It was exciting and nerve wracking.”
– Veteran

“I would say my favorite part of the camping trip was being able to help Ray and the others at the horse ranch. It has been a while since I was able to do some hard outdoor labor for a good cause. . . . The people there are doing such a great job at taking in all the animals and on top of that, they are still helping out veterans overcome their own issues”
– Veteran

“When we arrived at the Living Free Animal Sanctuary they were very welcoming and seemed excited to have us there. Giving them a helping hand on field work that was needed to improve the sanctuary was uplifting. The biggest learning experience I ha(d) was interacting with the animals. . . I got to know a little bit about each of them and learning something new about the energy that a horse and human share with one another. It was a very calming experience. . . “
– Veteran

“When Ray was teaching the class about how horses are like biofeedback machines, relying on your emotions and feelings to respond, (it) is amazing. I had an opportunity to walk the horse, guiding it within the ring, changing her direction. It was fairly easy but I wasn’t able to successfully pick up her speed. It just blew my mind how this horse can listen and understand the commands you ask. It was a bit nerve-wracking at first . . . . The experience is something I’ll never forget and (will) cherish.”
– Veteran

“I had a very unique experience with a horse named Libby. . . . Libby and I bonded at a deeper level than I’ve ever bonded with any animal before. It was a very freeing and therapeutic experience and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity and came back with a renewed perspective.”
– Female Veteran

“I appreciated learning about the horses and interacting with them. I learned that patience with the horses is a key part to teaching them how to react to certain situations. I also liked the way the horse acted when they seemed to get irritated from something you were doing. They didn’t act violent, but they let you know if you should proceed (with) what you were doing or to just leave them alone. It was awesome that veterans are very relatable to the horses in that aspect, of being patient, it takes us time to adapt back to a more civilized environment.”
– Veteran

“The lessons I learned at War Horse Creek are unforgettable. In times of stress I like to think about how quiet and relaxing their sanctuary was. How the team was welcoming and understanding. They are a crew who use their knowledge of communication and patience to show peace in a busy world. I hope to go back to War Horse Creek but even if I never get the chance, I will always remember it fondly.”
– Female Veteran

“I was excited when I found out that the Pasadena Veterans Resource Center was setting up a camping trip. The thought of a getaway with fellow veterans was welcoming. The stress of school and work was becoming overwhelming. Though meeting new people in school and being with family is wonderful, it is fantastic to be around fellow veterans who understand your references, jokes, and a bond not understood by many. When Doc Martin told me that, while camping, we would be visiting a place called War Horse Creek to help them with handy work and meet the horses, I was beyond ecstatic. I had worked with horses before while stationed on Camp Pendleton but it had been a while.

On that Saturday when we got to War Horse Creek, there was an instant feeling of serenity. The staff was warm and welcoming. The smell of nature and wood was a welcomed difference from city air. When we got there we began to work on putting up some new barriers. It felt great working with my hands and working with a team. The gentleman let us ride in his truck and worked with us digging holes. It was work that felt more like a privilege, as a team we were able to take pride in what we had done for a service that gives back to veterans.

When they introduced us to the horses the feeling of calm and mindfulness deepened. The team that worked with the horses knew their animals inside and out. Their knowledge helped us bond with the horses and their positive attitudes further aided in a wonderful experience. The team was encouraging and would not let anyone fail. They showed us how to work the horses and how to communicate with them. They showed us that patience and composure goes a long way.

The horse I got to work with is named Hawkeye. They told me he was a shy horse who was still learning but was easy going. The minute I looked at him I knew I wanted to handle him. There was a sense that I could see a bit of myself in him. Still learning to trust and communicate. Hawkeye was easy going and sweet once he came to trusting you. He was amazing to work with and I regularly think about how much I learned from him.

The lessons I learned at War Horse Creek are unforgettable. In times of stress I like to think about how quiet and relaxing their sanctuary was. How the team was welcoming and understanding. They are a crew who use their knowledge of communication and patience to show peace in a busy world. I hope to go back to War Horse Creek but even if I never get the chance, I will always remember it fondly.”
– Jessica M, Military Veteran

“To be honest with you, I had never had a chance to be up close and personal with a horse before until I visited War Horse Creek. It was a very surreal experience for me. In the beginning, I was trying to get connected with the other female mustang, I can’t remember her name but was told that she is the oldest. However, she was not in the mood and was sort of stomping on the ground. I then moved on to another mustang named Trapper. He was pretty calm and cool with me. We started getting familiar with each other by the storage shed like others. We were able to bond fairly quickly.

As I was practicing rope-works with Trapper, he was very cooperative. Trapper caught on to what I wanted him to do very quickly compared to other mustangs that were working with other Veterans.

Transitioning back to civilian life is quite difficult for me, as things are not turning out the way I wanted them to be. However, working with Trapper and being able to command him to do what I wanted him to do gave me a sense of accomplishment as well as a joyful experience that I will never forget. I found the experience to be very therapeutic to me personally.

Thank you very much to War Horse Creek for such a wonderful experience of a lifetime. I look forward to visiting this peaceful land and working with Trapper again soon.”
– Hanson Tat, U.S. Military Veteran

“I can’t thank Living Free and War Horse Creek enough for the experience and life changing interactions I have had with both the mustangs and dogs there. Every time I visit I walk away with a new tool or knowledge I am able to apply in my daily life, relationships with my loved ones, and most importantly with the animals themselves.”
– Izzy Barakat, U.S. Air Force Veteran

“It is incredibly easy to live inside of our minds; To be so absent and separated from the present moment because we’re caught in a loop or feeling “stuck.” Some may call that being “checked out.” To me it feels like leaving my body and traveling back in time, to periods where I review and analyze things in hopes of downloading new information, or answers to questions I’ve already asked myself several times before (better known as insanity). The reality is that regardless of what you think you may know, or remember, you can’t change any of it. That means accepting a number of particularly difficult things, but for now, I’ll speak of one.

Before venturing up to War Horse Creek, I was coming off of a pretty crazy timeline of events. I had just found stable housing after being homeless for almost a year. I started going to school again after having quit my job as a wild land firefighter for 4 years, because my post-traumatic stress started to kick in for the first time. I was finally able to get service connected after (at the time) not really wanting help from the VA for more than 7 years. Like I said, it’s easy to get stuck in a loop, particularly the “a vet more fucked up than me needs it more, I’m good” loop.

Going back to school led to a few serendipitous events. It being my first semester back to school in a while and being part of the veteran cohort at Pasadena City College meant our group would be going on class camping trip to Idyllwild (we were told). The purpose of this trip was to help us to bond, regardless of what stage of transitioning we were at. We were told that we would be going to volunteer at Living Free Animal Sanctuary and after giving a hand we’d spend some time with the horses. I happily loaded up in the van. After helping at the Animal Sanctuary for a better part of the morning and eating lunch, we headed down to the stables to meet the horses that were part of War Horse Creek.

A little side note about Idyllwild; it is a very special place. Clear air, beautiful mountain ranges, and a quiet so serene, you really don’t know what to do with yourself because you’re used to all the city chatter. Now add horses to that.

I was really excited to be amongst horses again. Growing up around horses gave me a healthy respect and admiration for them. Being around them as an adult, however, was a surreal experience I did not expect to have that day. It profoundly changed my life, for the better.

We were fairly spread out. A few horses were in different areas, different groups of us were hanging out with them. I walked to where the hitching posts were (the area where the horses are held to be groomed and loved on) and I saw this big, beautiful horse being groomed by Sheila, a local volunteer. She asked me, “Would you like to brush her?” I gladly accepted and got closer to the horse as Sheila handed me the brush. “Her name is Libby, short for Liberation.”

The first time Izzy met Liberation (AKA Libby) at War Horse Creek for the first time in years, I felt a peaceful sense of just coexisting. It was the weirdest feeling. It felt like I had met up with an old friend. I ended up hanging out with Libby, brushing her, giving her so much love and feeling it back for a good hour. The rest of my cohort ended up slowly walking away back to the vehicles because they didn’t want to interrupt the moment that was being experienced.

After I finished spending time with Libby, Randall Harris (President of Living Free and War Horse Creek) approached me and asked me if I knew Libby was a wild mustang. I said no, I didn’t. Crazy thing is, I wasn’t surprised. He asked if I minded sharing my experience with him and I agreed. Experiencing that level of reflection and depth of connection after being numb for so many years, blew my fucking mind. I didn’t have to say anything while I was with her, and I felt safe, not angry. It was disarming in such a deep and healing way.

After my experience at War Horse Creek, I knew that I would like for this to continue to be a part of my life in some way. It’s been 3 years since my first encounter with Libby, and I see it as an absolutely blessing and privilege to keep coming up to War Horse Creek and visit with the mustangs they’ve rescued. I’m extremely grateful that a program like this is available to veterans, especially so close to Los Angeles.

Full Disclosure: The veterans that have come up to visit and attend the workshop at War Horse Creek did not leave the same. I know I didn’t.”
– Izzy Barakat, U.S. Air Force Veteran

“I was fortunate enough to be able to connect with the other veterans during the workshop. Everyone that attended had an open mind and were accepting of others. It allowed me to bond with them and open up to them during discussions over the campfire at night. We may have similar experiences or very different experiences, but that doesn’t keep us from listening to each other and learning about one another. That in itself is a form of support.”
– Workshop attendee and veteran, Eddie So

“The whole experience impacted me in a very positive and memorable way from interacting with the horses, instructors, and fellow veterans, to just enjoying the stillness and peace of nature.”
– Workshop attendee and veteran, Eddie So

“In addition to learning about the basics of horsemanship, I also learned a lot about myself.”
– Workshop attendee, May 2022

“During War Horse Creek’s Collaborative Horsemanship workshop, I was able to overcome my fear of horses, and use my energy and patience with myself and the horses.”
– Workshop attendee, May 2022