The Joyful Horse Project

Willoughby's work with The Joyful Horse Project, which was founded in 2011 in Lakeway, helped her fill a void, she said. She worked with Rand on the nonprofit's ranch in Bastrop, where the majority of the rescued horses are kept.

"I started rescuing horses privately," Rand said. "I rescued about 20 or 30 horses, primarily pregnant mares and young horses, from kill pens in Abilene."

Rand was content to keep rescuing horses on her own until the fires in Bastrop in 2011 forced her to evacuate 45 horses to a safe location, wild horses that had never been in a trailer before.

The community came together to help not only the horses, but also each other, and Rand realized that it wasn't just about saving horses, but bringing people together.

Healing with Horses Veterans Program, an offshoot of The Joyful Horse Project, offers veterans a unique opportunity to receive help in the transition from military to civilian life.

In the program, veterans interact with horses that have been rescued from slaughter, whether it is taking care of the horse or just being around the animal.

"These horses have been neglected and have experienced first-hand the trauma of living in a life-or-death environment," Rand said. "Who better to relate to them than someone who has served in Iraq or Afghanistan?"

The program is not a therapeutic riding session, Rand said, but rather a chance for soldiers to share a special empathy for the horses as they both progress through various stages of a rehabilitative process.

"Horses are prey animals and instinctively know our intentions," Rand said. "They can feel what your energy is like. There are a lot of parallels between these veterans and horses."

Rand and Willoughby compare the session for horses with the services provided by military hospitals such as Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

"You go to these units, and their mission isn't just physical health," Willoughby said. "They get you ready [for life outside military service] in every sense of the word."

Healing with Horses, which Willoughby has used her experiences to get the pilot program running in 2013, also turned her life around, and she thinks it can do the same for other veterans.

"Almost every soldier is so depressed [when they get medically discharged]," Willoughby said. "They just want to redeploy. It seems so hopeless, not having a purpose. The program gives veterans a support network. Having this—having a purpose—it saved my life."

Healing with Horses veteran's program

The Joyful Horse Project is hoping to start a Healing with Horses Veterans Program to help veterans deal with stress, frustration, grief, anxiety, challenges, pain, depression and more.

The pilot program will start in early 2013 and is currently in the process of raising funds for the 12-veteran program.

Workshops will last roughly 2 1/2 hours and will be held at a local ranch on a weekly basis during a six-week period. Lunch with coaches, family, friends and fellow veterans follows each of the workshops. Transportation to and from the ranch will be provided if necessary, Rand said.

The nonprofit hopes to sell 200 tickets to its Veterans Day Fundraiser at Flintrock Fall Pavillion, Nov. 11. The event lasts from 4–8 p.m. and features live music from Mike Beck and the Bohemian Saints. There is also a silent auction featuring local artwork, pottery, jewelry and more.

Tickets are $60 in advance or $75 at the door. Tickets can be purchased by mail at The Joyful Horse Project, 4316 Lakeway Blvd., Lakeway, Texas, 78734, or online at www.joyfulhorseproject.org. Tickets may be purchased for veterans as well.

Call 467-4893 for more information.

The Joyful Horse Project, 4316 Lakeway Blvd., Lakeway, 467-4893, www.joyfulhorseproject.org