Facility in Clarence connects veterans with rescue horses

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) — Wisdom Farm in Clarence is helping our country's heroes heal here at home. They hold equine-facilitated learning workshops and programs, connecting veterans with rescue horses.

Karen Arrison said she got the idea years ago when her late husband suffered a traumatic brain injury. He had a hard time putting sentences together, until he met a horse and started speaking full sentences. Now Arrison and her farm helps veterans heal by building that connection, but also through programs like their wise warrior yoga and heroes harvest programs.

"We want them to know that they absolutely deserve to enjoy these programs, to get the most that they can to get out of the program the way it benefits, and to help heal their physical and emotional injuries," Arrison said.

"It's just comforting and healing, little by little, but I can find myself trying to be a little bit slower now and hopefully I think I make the animals feel better, and they make me feel better," Vietnam veteran and Wisdom Farm volunteer Michael Tauro said. "By me being here i have absorbed comforting feelings and some healing feelings."

On Monday they held a Veterans Day family day, where veterans and their families could meet the horses, partake in arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, and a food truck.

For more information on Wisdom Farm, click here.