James Norman served our country for twenty years before retiring from the U.S. Army. When he returned to civilian life, he found the transition to be difficult. Now, he’s finding comfort and hope for the future thanks to time each week spent with horses at a special place just down the road from Houston.
Many veterans face the same struggles as Norman, explained Sasha Camacho, co-founder of SoléAna Stables in Angleton.
“A lot of times, it’s easier to be deployed and to go on a deployment than it is coming back because our servicemen and women just come back different,” said Camacho. “Our goal with this program is to help them, you know, to give them that hope. Let them know that they’re not forgotten, because a lot of times they come back and everyone else’s lives have just kept going on, and it’s normal. But for them, they come back different.”
Camacho and her husband first opened SoléAna Stables a decade ago in order to give their daughter, who was born with Down’s Syndrome, and her friends a place reach their goals in a loving and compassionate environment. The therapeutic riding program was just the beginning.
“We’re also a military family,” said Camacho. “For us, we knew that once we created the program for individuals with disabilities, and it was a trusted program, well-established, we knew that eventually we would create what you see behind me now, which is Horses for Heroes.”
Camacho’s husband has served in the military for 32 years. She said they knew horses could help veterans regain some of the confidence and trust they may have lost. That’s why they created the Horses for Heroes program last summer.
"Horses are mirrors. You know, they reflect what we’re feeling a lot of times before we even know what we’re feeling,” said Camacho. “If a horse isn’t doing what you’re wanting them to do, why is that? .... I think when our veterans come here and they start working with the horses, they’re immediately realizing, there’s things that I need to change about me so that the horse does what I want it to do.”
Among the activities on site, the veterans learn about grooming the animals and guiding the horses with their voices. Camacho explained the skills developed at the stables can translate to success in the veterans’ personal and work lives as well.
Norman said it’s already working for him.
"This program is very, very demanding, but also so peaceful. The four-week program that we’ve been in so far... my level of trauma, I can tell, and nervousness have decreased a lot,” said Norman. “These horses are really here for a great reason. And I’m glad they’re here. I’m glad we’re here.”
To learn how you can volunteer at SoléAna Stables or to make a donation, visit their website.