EAS Program Development and Facilitation

Equine International partners with Project ComeBack in Holliston, Massachusetts, to develop and facilitate research-informed programs for veterans and military-connected communities. Our work brings together Equine International’s expertise in equine behavior, welfare, and equine-human interactions with Project ComeBack’s horses and farm environment to create opportunities for connection, community, learning, and mutual well-being.

Rather than using horses as tools for human outcomes, our programs are built around relationships. Participants are invited to spend time with horses through observation, shared activities, enrichment, and other forms of unmounted interaction that emphasize communication, choice, agency, trust, and respect for the individual experiences of both horses and humans.

Our veteran programming is grounded in principles of One Welfare, recognizing that human well-being, animal well-being, and the environments we share are interconnected. Activities are designed not only around what participants may gain from being with horses, but also around ways participants can contribute meaningfully to the horses’ lives.

Equine International develops several types of veteran programming at Project ComeBack, ranging from immersive single- and multi-day programs to opportunities for ongoing participation.

Programs are tailored to the needs and goals of each participating organization and may include guided observation and interaction with horses, equine enrichment activities, opportunities to learn about equine behavior and communication, shared group experiences, mindfulness and regulation practices, and time spent connecting with other veterans in the farm environment.

Across programs, we emphasize:

• Connection and belonging — creating opportunities to build relationships with horses and with other people without pressure to perform.
• Trust and communication — exploring how safety, boundaries, choice, and communication influence relationships across species.
• Purpose and contribution — providing meaningful opportunities for veterans to participate in activities that directly benefit horses.
• Mutual well-being — ensuring that programming supports the welfare and agency of the horses alongside the experiences of human participants.
• Community — creating pathways for continued involvement rather than treating equine-assisted programming as a single isolated experience.

The Veteran Enrichment Team (VET) provides an opportunity for veterans to participate in the ongoing enrichment and well-being of the Project ComeBack herd.

Team members learn about equine behavior, communication, individual preferences, and enrichment while helping develop and provide activities designed around the needs and interests of individual horses.

The program is intentionally reciprocal. Veterans are not simply receiving an experience from horses; they become active contributors to the horses’ quality of life. Through repeated participation, members have opportunities to develop relationships with individual horses, learn alongside one another, and become part of an ongoing community centered around shared responsibility and mutual care.

Equine International collaborates with veteran-serving organizations to make these programs accessible to veterans from different communities and backgrounds.

Partner organizations help us identify the needs of the veterans they serve, while Equine International and Project ComeBack tailor the program, activities, staffing, and environment accordingly. These collaborations allow us to offer programming that complements existing veteran services while providing something distinct: a non-clinical, relationship-centered environment in which veterans can spend meaningful time with horses and with one another.

Our current and developing collaborations include veteran organizations throughout Massachusetts and beyond, with programming ranging from introductory experiences and weekend programs to opportunities for sustained involvement through the Veteran Enrichment Team.

Our goal is not simply to provide veterans with access to horses.

We aim to create communities in which horses and humans can contribute to one another’s well-being.

By combining research, equine welfare, thoughtful program design, and partnerships with organizations already serving veterans, we are working to develop models of equine-assisted programming that recognize horses as participants in the relationship and veterans as valued members of the community rather than simply recipients of a service.

Are you interested in programming or represent a Massachusetts veteran organization that would like to partner with us on programming in Holliston?  We'd love to hear from you!  Contact us