Courtesy Photo | (Photo courtesy Joy Ferguson) Master Sgt Corey Seeton works with Willow, a...... read more read more
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FALLS CHURCH Va.- As the saying goes, “There’s something about the outside of a horse that’s good for the inside of a man.” Army Master Sgt Corey Seeton knows all too well after severely injuring his right knee and shoulder when he fell while on a CONUS deployment in 2023, he found himself at the Fort Bliss Soldier Recovery Unit (SRU). One of the methods of recovery the SRU offers is working with horses.
“It’s been very eye-opening being there. It helped me decompress from everything I was going through on a daily basis. I forgot everything I was experiencing because I was focusing on working with horses,” said the Army Reservist on active-duty orders when he was injured.
This is not typical equine therapy. Seeton’s recreational therapist, Joy Ferguson from the Fort Bliss SRU, says it's deeper than just getting on a horse and riding. “Working with the horses is often called equine therapy, but we incorporate equine assistance services. Specifically, equine-facilitated learning is what we work on with the Soldiers here at the SRU.”
Seeton, who’s been at the SRU since April, also volunteers with horse therapy three days a week as part of his continuous recovery. He unabashedly shouts about the uniqueness of this form of therapy. “Every animal has a unique personality. You have to build a bond with that animal; It’s relationship-building, and when it happens, it is magical!”
There is a lot of grooming, walking, and building trust while giving commands and getting the horse to respond positively. Ferguson explains it in the simplest of ways. “There is a skill progression that we as humans have when working with horses. We go through the learning process. Seeton is spot on. It's about building a relationship with that animal spiritually, physically, and emotionally.”
Seeton, who is healing well from knee and shoulder surgeries, says he can’t say enough about the other ways in which he is afforded the opportunity to enhance his recovery at the SRU.
Seeton knows every Soldier’s journey through the SRU is different. Some may not choose the route he is taking to recover, but he encourages finding the right path for you by embracing the SRU. “Get engaged with their available programs to build camaraderie with other Soldiers. Seriously, get involved in anything they offer. Whatever you are experiencing physically, mentally, or emotionally, the SRU will be there to help.”
And if help from a horse intrigues you, but you don’t have experience or perhaps a fear of horses, Ferguson says not to worry. “As with any relationship, we start with observations about the world around us. We get to know everything about this four-legged animal just as we would a human and start building that relationship. You do not have to have any experience with a horse to benefit from this therapy at all.”
As Seeton faces retirement from the Army, he reflects on this final chapter and says he did the right thing. “I truly never thought I would need any assistance from the SRU. I know I wanted to get well so I could be with my family. I’m so glad I came here.”
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.18.2024 09:35 |
| Story ID: | 483251 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Soldier, horses, and the SRU, by MaryTherese Griffin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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