BraveHearts Trail To Zero

BraveHearts strives to provide the premier model for connecting horses with people as a catalyst for wellness.

By: PATH International Assn. for Therapeutic Horsemanship

It was September 14, 2019, and 15 veterans who ride with BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center are on mile eight of Trail to Zero® New York City to raise awareness about veteran suicide and offer hope through equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT). Sixteen of BraveHearts program horses and 23 mounted police horses march down the concrete streets, the sounds of their hooves on the pavement echoing through the tunnel of buildings. People on all sides stop to take pictures. As the horses move forward, a man steps out of the crowd to the edge of the street. He stands at attention and salutes. The riders march past, and tears stream down his face.

BraveHearts, a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center (PAC) in Harvard, IL developed Trail to Zero® after countless conversations with veterans regarding a tragic epidemic in this country – that of losing countless veteran brothers and sisters to suicide. During one discussion at a Brave-Hearts donor meeting in 2016, an idea was born – the group decided they wanted to ride a mile for each veteran lost to suicide every day. The concept evolved quickly into an initiative called Trail to Zero®, which would call attention to the 20 veterans who are lost to suicide every day and focus its mission on preventing this tragedy by offering hope through horses.

I hugged her and begged her to take care of herself. She wouldn’t let go as the other riders mounted up to leave, while I was left to feel the significance of every person we would meet in the coming 8 hours.

BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center was founded in 2002 by Dr. Rolf and Mrs. Marge Gunnar in Harvard, Illinois. Its mission is to bring hope, joy and unlimited possibilities through the healing power of the horse. BraveHearts strives to provide the premier model for connecting horses with people as a catalyst for wellness. Service to veterans began at BraveHearts in 2007 and has grown exponentially every year since. In 2019, BraveHearts served 1,064 veterans in over 16,820 equine sessions from 31 states.

Dr Gunnar, a highly decorated Korean War veteran and medic who served on the front lines, felt strongly BraveHearts farm had a “healing vortex,” and the horses gave him peace. He relentlessly paved the way by educating Chicago and Milwaukee VA hospitals, inviting them to visit the farm and experience its benefits. Today, BraveHearts believes its healing horsemanship offers hope to veterans who are struggling and unable to find relief through other types of therapies.

Each year, BraveHearts evaluates its internal programs and searches for innovative ways to reach even more veterans in need. “We pay close attention to what veterans want. Everything is custom to meet their needs. To me, anything with a horse is fair game and opens opportunities. If it’s ‘Hey let’s go gentle mustangs,’ or ‘Let’s start playing polo,’ then that’s what we do.” – Meggan Hill McQueeney, BraveHearts President and COO, Master Level PATH Instructor.

Trail to Zero®, which launched its pilot ride in New York City in September 2017, is an outgrowth of BraveHearts’ responsiveness to its valued service members. The riders included five veterans, three support riders, and the NYPD Mounted Police Unit. Since this inaugural ride in 2017, the Trail to Zero® concept has continued to grow. In 2018, Trail to Zero® initiated a ride in Washington D.C., then traveled back to New York City, with 14 BraveHearts therapy horses, 11 veterans, one Gold Star Father, five support riders, and the NYPD and U.S. Park Police Mounted Units.

In 2019, the ride expanded to include Washington D.C., New York City, and Chicago with 18 horses, 15 veterans, one Gold Star Father, six support riders, and the NYPD, U.S. Park Police, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania Mounted Units. To help fund this massive endeavor BraveHearts staff writes grants and solicits donations. Veterans and horses train and prepare year round for the Trail to Zero® rides. To become eligible to participate, a veteran must complete a series of steps. These include riding in weekly lessons, completing trainings, fulfilling paperwork requirements, participating in outreach and speaking events, and representing the brand every day of the year.

To aid in conditioning and development of veterans and horses, BraveHearts has a grant to access an additional 800-acre property for rides throughout the year. This is a place where the riders can breathe and develop further comradery. Additionally, BraveHearts holds Trail to Zero® retreats at the farm to help prepare the veterans. During these retreats, BraveHearts focuses on the development of various skillsets including horsemanship, physical endurance, mental preparations & conditioning, confidence exercises and ground work, packing the trailers, stabling care, preparation for media appearances, and rehearsing ride formations to keep veterans and horses safe in the busy cities.

Then, Hill-McQueeney takes veterans on long trail rides at the 800-acre property. Supported by outriders and coaches, these prep rides allow veterans to learn to manage their anxiety, solidify partnerships with their horses and become more confident. Also, veterans go on practice rides when they arrive in various Trail to Zero® cities. These may include beach rides, city rides or specific equine-accessible trails.

In addition, staff works hard to condition and prepare the horses. Before starting the program, all horses are required to complete a New Horse Protocol checklist. This includes completing quarantine, followed by a 30 day time frame to acclimate to a new feeding program and new herd mates. Then, staff evaluates each horse on the ground and under saddle, developing individual exercise plans and goals, which includes completing a certain number of mock sessions.

Additionally, each horse must complete a separate Trail to Zero® protocol checklist that includes trailering, tying, wearing serapes on their haunches, being in large crowds of people, traffic, moving bicycles, dogs, etc. An individual conditioning plan tracks and evaluates each horse’s progress and goals throughout the year to ensure their preparedness for the rides. Horses are seen by a team of equine nutritionists, massage therapists, chiropractors, saddle fitters, farriers and the veterinarian.

In 2013, BraveHearts began Operation Mustang ®, adopting wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management and teaching veterans how to gentle and work with them. It is this program that has allowed mustangs to travel with Brave-Hearts on every one of the Trail to Zero® rides.

During the 2017 inaugural Trail to Zero®, two mustangs successfully completed the journey. In 2018, four Mustangs were on the roster, and in 2019 six mustangs made the ride. The mustangs and veterans connect well with each other as both are learning to trust, build relationships, and find their purpose. Working with the mustangs challenges and teaches the veterans how to live in the moment, which is something many of them cannot achieve through medications or other more traditional forms of therapy.

“As a Combat Veteran I live in the future, always assessing the next threat, and I live in the past where all the pain I have experienced exists. Horses taught me where I need to be, in the present, because they do not know how to live any other way.” – Mitchell Reno, Army Veteran, CTRI, and 3-year Trail to Zero® Ambassador. As one of the veterans who has participated in every Trail to Zero® ride, Reno is now considered a senior ambassador, a veteran who has been on one or more of the rides.

When Trail to Zero® first began in 2017, all the participating veterans were PATH Intl. Certified Registered Instructors. They were chosen because of their horsemanship, speaking and professionalism skills they had to demonstrate to become certified, as well as their attendance, commitment, outside efforts, group dynamics and prior experience traveling with BraveHearts.

BraveHearts considers character as much as horsemanship when choosing the Trail to Zero® Ambassadors. “When you are on the road 16 days at a time, you want to be with a crew that endlessly supports one another,” said Hill-McQueeney. “There is no time for pity parties or not feeling well. We put on our boots and get the mission done. Through thick and thin, the team this year was nothing short of extraordinary.”

In addition, BraveHearts is very strategic in how it selects the lead horses and the order of horses and ambassadors during the rides. These lead horses help set the tone and pace and are in the position of highest exposure and influence. Since horses are herd animals, everything depends on the leaders, how well they tolerate that pressure, and how that transfers to every other horse in the group.

BraveHearts is blessed with horses who have traveled the country and have a lot of wisdom under their girths. BraveHearts partners junior horses next to, in front of and behind these more senior, experienced horses and carefully matches horses and riders. In preparation, the staff works closely with the mounted units on the permits, plans and routes and thinks through every possible element of challenge.

“Last year was my first time on Trail to Zero and I was just taking it all in. This year, as a senior rider, I had the opportunity to teach and guide my brothers and sisters through their difficult moments on horseback and even with some of their triggers.” – Mitchell Hedlund, U.S. Army Veteran, CTRI, 2-year Trail to Zero® Ambassador.

BraveHearts has been spreading the mission of Trail to Zero® across the country and around the world. During the 2019 rides, riders, as well as unmounted support staff and volunteers, passed out 3,782 BraveHearts carabiners and 16,295 informational cards; The ride was covered by a total of 122 national and local television, radio, print and online publications and podcasts. Since the rides took place in such heavily populated cities, the riders and support staff were able to spend significant time talking to the public about the mission during scheduled stops.

Each horse wore ribbons in their manes that initiated many questions from the public. Written on these ribbons were the names of veterans that those on the ride knew who had been lost to suicide. The ribbons were carried in the horses’ manes for all 20 miles during all 3 rides. For the riders, this provided an opportunity to honor their fallen brothers and sisters and to give hope to others struggling with suicidal ideations.

“The epidemic of veteran suicide in this country is a tragedy, and one that hits close to home for me. I’ve personally lost four dear friends to this epidemic and have encountered many grieving families and friends who have felt this pain as well. The equine assisted therapy that I’ve received has brought me strength, joy, and confidence. I know that I was brought here for a purpose, and I believe that purpose is to help bring that same hope that I now feel to those who need it.” – Tim Detert, U.S. Army Veteran, 2019 Trail to Zero Ambassador.

Planning for Trail to Zero® continues year round. BraveHearts welcomes veterans from around the country to apply to become Trail to Zero® Ambassadors. Those interested must be a U.S. veteran or active duty member of the military, provide a copy of their DD214 and be affiliated with a PATH Intl. PAC. Priority will be given to veterans who have obtained, or are working to obtain, their PATH Intl. CTRI certification. Once these initial requirements are met, a veteran is then eligible to begin working through the Trail to Zero® Ambassador application process.

These steps include completing all 2020 BraveHearts paperwork, acquiring five character reference letters of which at least one is from a person in a leadership role at the PATH Intl. PAC affiliate, submitting a riding video, meeting with the Trail to Zero® Ambassador Committee, and attending a Trail to Zero® retreat at BraveHearts. Veterans who complete the Trail to Zero® Ambassador application process and are accepted as a 2020 Trail to Zero® Ambassador will be invited on each ride on an individual basis, which may result in a one-time or multiple ride opportunity.

The benefits to the veteran and to the PATH Intl. PAC are exponential. For veterans themselves, being a Trail to Zero® Ambassador provides integration into their communities, social interaction and support, which leads to greater confidence, trust and purpose. Veterans experience growth in horsemanship skills, PATH Intl. CTRI skills, coaching and media and public speaking training.

For many it is a chance to honor brothers and sisters lost to suicide. For the center, having a veteran who is a 2020 Trail to Zero® Ambassador provides national media coverage, which, in turn, can create exponential growth for the center’s veterans program.

Veteran suicide has truly become an epidemic in the United States. At least 20 suicides a day… that’s 140 a week, 560 a month, and 6,720 veteran suicides a year. “The necessity of reaching out to other veterans and letting them know about equine assisted services cannot be overstated. It is too late for the men and women whose names we remember, but it is not too late for many others.” Angie Colella, U.S. Air Force Veteran, 2019 Trail to Zero® Ambassador.

In February, 2020, a Trail to Zero® Ride was held in Houston, TX, and rides are tentatively planned for later in the year in Lexington, KY and Chicago, IL. BraveHearts plans to move forward with Trail to Zero® rides marching down the streets of as many cities as possible, reaching every struggling veteran it can, and educating as many people as possible about the power of the equine. BraveHearts will continue to fight for those who have sacrificed and fought for us with one mission in mind – bringing that number from 20 to ZERO.

For more information on Trail to Zero®, please visit www.trailtozero.org.

Meggan Hill-McQueeney is the President and Chief Operating Officer of BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center, a PATH Intl. PAC in Harvard, IL. She is a PATH Intl. Certified Master Instructor and Evaluator, Special Olympics Equestrian Coach and was the recipient of the 2015 PATH Intl. James Brady Professional Achievement Award. She can be reached at meggan@braveheartsriding.org.

Avery White is Lead Instructor and Trail to Zero Events manager, a PATH Intl. CTRI, Special Olympics Coach, and serves on the PATH Intl Equine Services for Heroes committee. She can be reached at avery@braveheartsriding.org.

Amber Eck is the center’s Veteran Services Director and can be reached at amber@braveheartsriding.org.

Jeanna Sorgani is the Executive Assistant, a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Therapist and PATH Intl. Registered Instructor. She can be reached at jeanna@braveheartsriding.org.

Reprinted with permission from PATH Intl. Strides, Spring 2020