Leading a horse by its reigns, Megan Dannelly holds on with one hand while trying to control several balls with words on them, like mother, soldier, friend and volunteer, in the other. She attempts to complete a lap without dropping any of the balls, but is unsuccessful. One falls out of her arms. Then another. Soon, balls lay scattered in the dirt. 

The exercise shows roles people live in their daily lives and the challenges they face, sometimes making mistakes - dropping the ball - said Edye Godden, chief executive at Heartland Therapeutic Riding Academy in Gretna. 

Dannelly, who retired from the US Army in 2024, is one of dozens of military veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by working with horses at HETRA. Whether it's combat related or personal trauma, PTSD impacts the daily lives of veterans, Godden said. Approximately seven of 100 veterans experience PTSD, resulting in an average of 22 deaths by suicide daily.  

“It really hit home with me,” Dannelly said. “You put all your stressors, or big things that you think you have in your life, on the balls. I had so many balls, a big bucket in my life. What’s funny is that what I thought were the bigger balls or things, I just felt like the whole world was way down when I dropped them. It put things in perspective.” 

Dannelly experienced personal trauma, losing her son in 2020. A trainer with the Nebraska National Guard at the time, a fellow soldier recommended HETRA’s veterans program to her, Dannelly said. 

“I was in a fog for a while,” she said. “We came out during one of the family days, where it was just grooming horses. I grew up with horses, and I was like, ‘What better place?’ and I liked the services they offered for veterans. I knew I was going to be OK.” 

Besides participating in the veterans programs, Dannelly said she plans to volunteer with HETRA. 

Hosting a monthly coffee meeting, HETRA brings together veterans of all backgrounds in an environment where they can just talk amongst themselves, often finding common ground with issues and ways to address them, said Diane Bemis, an occupational therapist who oversees Healing through Hooves, a veterans therapy program. 

Veterans often volunteer at the riding center, helping guide horses during sessions, as well as stall work and even landscaping, Bemis said. Working around horses offers a physical and mental release from the issues, she said.  

Equine therapy helps veterans by helping them identify situations that trigger mood changes, Bemis said. Horses sense a person's mood, reacting accordingly, she said. Because horses can sense a person’s anxiety, veterans often adjust their feelings rather than upset horses, helping themselves identify ways to address their own concerns, she said. 

"We just kind of get our hands on the horses and get an experience learning about the horses' senses and how to communicate with them," Bemis said. 

Sometimes, a horse will determine the process of a therapy session, Godden said.  

“It always amazes me that they pick up on things that we don’t see, so we listen to them,” she said. “We may have an idea of what we want to work on, but then we listen to them and develop it based on what we’re seeing.”

Opening in 1989 with a single horse, HETRA works with adults and children experiencing physical and mental health challenges, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, brain tumors, head or spinal cord injuries, visual impairments and autism. Therapists also help with stroke recovery.

With a staff of certified physical and occupational therapists, as well as certified riding instructors, HETRA also relies on the assistance of almost 200 volunteers, handling everything from leading horse walks to stable clean-up, Godden said. Each volunteer completes an extensive training program before working with horses and clients, she said.

Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy experienced immediate success in its early days, outgrowing temporary stable locations, she said. In 1999, Godden relocated HETRA’s facilities to her Valley farm until the organization needed more space. Purchasing land northwest of Gretna, HETRA has been at its current spot since 2014. Growth continues to challenge its space, Godden said.

With about 30 horses in its stable, HETRA’s staff primarily uses younger horses, mostly in their teens, because of the lengthy training required to prepare them to work with a variety of therapy situations and client personalities, she said. Staff can’t predict how long older horses can be productive, Godden said.

For veterans, equine therapy can calm their fears and other emotions they experience with post-traumatic stress disorder, Godden said. Nothing beats riding a horse or even brushing it, she said.  

Tim Trudell is a freelance writer and online content creator. His work has appeared in Flatwater Free Press, Next Avenue, Indian Country Today, Nebraska Life, Nebraska Magazine, Council Bluffs Daily Non-Pareil and Douglas County Post Gazette, among others. He is a citizen of the Santee Dakota Nation.