Red Rose Ranch Veterans Horse Camp (R3VHC) Participant Testimonials

“It was nice to be with like minded guys, who had been in the same parts of the world and went through the same experiences, all just hanging out and working with the horses. Thanks for including me.”

“This place gave me part of myself back that had been missing for a long time. This was by far the best experience that I’ve has since I was injured, and I can’t wait to go back. Looking to start riding lessons as soon as I can.”

“The opportunity to strip yourself of the burdens of life, embrace your suffering and find an outlet for it. This creates a once In a lifetime chance…to find yourself. That’s what the ranch does. You check your ego at the door, with the hopes of becoming something better and stronger. If you surrender yourself to the process, you will find something in you, that you never knew existed.”

“Working with horses has been the best experience I’ve found for staying in the present, better than mindfulness, guided meditation or anything else I’ve tried. To connect with an animal and build that trust is to live in the moment and it also allowed me to reconnect with myself.

My time at R3VHC reminded me that I shouldn’t be afraid to try new things or start from scratch with a hobby or passion, even as an adult, because it could just be the thing I didn’t know I needed all along. I’m going to carry that with me forever.”

“R3VHC took a small group of us this fall for an eye opener of an experience. These selfless people are doing good things for good people.”

“Living on a ranch was always a dream of mine.  To be able to live my dream and work on my metal health with such caring and supportive people has been a life changing experience.  Since leaving the ranch, I have continued with riding lessons and I feel mentally lighter, more confident, and that I’m starting to get back to the person I used to be.  Thank you for reigniting a passion I lost and giving me the knowledge to confidently move forward”.

“I came to R3VHC thinking it was just going to be a week around horses and other first responders. I left realizing it was a week that changed how I carry myself—in and out of uniform. There’s something about the way a horse reads you that cuts through all the noise. You can’t fake calm, trust, or presence in the saddle. The horses mirror exactly what you bring to them, and that honesty is what I didn’t know I was missing.

At the ranch, there’s no rank, no bravado, no egos. Just real people learning to breathe again, to lead from a grounded place, and to reconnect with what drew us to serve in the first place. The team at R3VHC builds that kind of space—safe, genuine, and quietly powerful. I came home with a lighter heart, a clearer head, and a deeper respect for what healing can look like when you mix good people, hard truth, and a few good horses.”