ABC News did a wonderful story earlier this week about the Caisson Platoon--the troop of horses that is part of every military burial at Arlington National Cemetery. They have been doing this for 60 years.
It turns out that these dignified, slow moving horses are also giving wounded veterans a new lease on life. Injured soldiers, transported from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, participate in riding clinics aboard these horses once a week. The therapy has improved their minds as well as their bodies.
"The horses have done magic for them," Mary Jo Beckman, co founder of Caisson Platoon Equine Assisted Programs, told ABC News' Bob Woodruff. "They tell me they look forward to Thursday morning. . . this is what makes life bearable for them."
The soldiers do not use saddles when they ride. They sit on saddle pads so that they can better feel the movement of the horse's muscles. "When a horse moves at the walk, their hip movement is the same as yours and mine," explained Larry Pence, Beckman's co-founder. "We want them to get in synch with the horse."
Therapeutic riding has long been known to benefit mentally and physically challenged children. How fitting that these dignified beasts are doing the same for our military heroes.
Go to abc.news. com to see a video of the magic being worked.
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