Horses help heal heroes

Crowd turns out for launch of program designed to aid veterans

Left, artist Doug Citizen creates a caricature of a child at Spirit Therapies? open house Sept. 11. The therapy group at 9140 W. La Madre Way kicked off its Horses Healing Heroes program. Below, Laurie Willmott, executive director of Spirit Therapies, left, and Valerie Galante, a licensed clinical psychologist and Spirit Therapies volunteer, invite U.S. Army Maj. Anthony Jones, the first veteran client of the Horses Healing Heroes program, to speak during the event. Jones received the Purple Heart, in addition to several other medals for bravery during his tour of duty.photos by charla glimp/Special to view Left, artist Doug Citizen creates a caricature of a child at Spirit Therapies? open house Sept. 11. The therapy group at 9140 W. La Madre Way kicked off its Horses Healing Heroes program. Below, Laurie Willmott, executive director of Spirit Therapies, left, and Valerie Galante, a licensed clinical psychologist and Spirit Therapies volunteer, invite U.S. Army Maj. Anthony Jones, the first veteran client of the Horses Healing Heroes program, to speak during the event. Jones received the Purple Heart, in addition to several other medals for bravery during his tour of duty.photos by charla glimp/Special to view Left, Buddy is one of Spirit Therapies? seven therapy horses used to work with children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. Below, guests enjoy a spaghetti dinner during Spirit Therapies? open house. Advertisement

Approximately 200 people turned out Sept. 11 to mark the kickoff of Spirit Therapies' newest program, Horses Healing Heroes -- a project designed to help servicemen and women work through emotional and/or physical injuries sustained during their military service to the United States.

Inspired by Heroes on Horses, a 3 1/2-year-old program designed by Therapeutic Riding of Tucson to help injured veterans regain balance and confidence, sessions are offered from 9 a.m. to noon every Friday. Sessions are scheduled for 90 minutes and cost between $90 to $125 each.

Friday's event included introductions of executive director Laurie Willmott's core of volunteers, featured a therapeutic riding demonstration, a caricature artist, music, a raffle, souvenir sales and a spaghetti dinner.

Of the therapeutic riding program she began 15 years ago, Willmott said, "I thought horses were my love. But one day I met a child who touched my heart."

She explained how the child had been a drowning victim and was basically locked inside her body. The day Willmott rode with the girl on horseback and she smiled, "the first smile she had ever smiled," Willmott said she knew what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

Today, Spirit Therapies, located at 9140 W. La Madre Way in northwest Las Vegas, employs seven therapy horses for use in administering equestrian therapy to children and adults with mental and physical disabilities.

As for the Heroes program, Willmott explained how its design materialized as a tribute to her own family of servicemen. And her volunteers, well, they're the angels she said that help her get through the very hard work of every day.

"This is a place that heals everybody," Willmott said.

For more information on Spirit Therapies, visit www.spirittherapies.org or call 219-1728.