IOM Supports Veteran Recovery in Ukraine Through Equine-Assisted Programming

Vinnytsia, Central Ukraine — At the equestrian club “Chance,” horses Caramel and Zefirka are curiously observing their new guests. Usually, children come to ride them but today is different. IOM has brought together the stable staff, veterans, psychosocial facilitators — not for leisure, but to train them in providing equine-assisted psychosocial support services for veterans, their families, and families of the fallen in Ukraine.

Leading the session is Peta Lowe, a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) consultant, specializing in veteran and family healing programming and working with IOM Ukraine in the development of equine-assisted psychosocial support services. 

“These animals successfully help people experiencing all types of physical and psychological disorders, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. Equine-assisted programmes offer a holistic approach that provides veterans with a safe environment in which they can, in relationship with horses, practice compassion, learn self-acceptance, improve social skills and regain a sense of calm,” says Peta. 

Peta’s workshops, delivered in Vinnytsia and Dnipro, aimed to initiate programmes for helping veterans in Ukraine to reconnect with themselves, their families, and their communities.  

Apart from possible physical wounds, the war and military service impact veterans and their families in invisible ways. Psychological and emotional stressors can make it difficult for veterans, their families, or families of the fallen to engage and connect, communicate and sustain healthy relationships. Equine-assisted psychosocial support can help them cope with the effects of war, fostering emotional wellbeing.  

In discussions with IOM, Ukrainian veterans have expressed that they need of peer veterans in developing skills to reconnect with their families and communities after returning from the frontline. This IOM programme has been designed to ensure that veterans are actively involved alongside IOM facilitators and stable staff. 

“To adapt, veterans need to have someone like them around, to feel understood. It's easy for me to communicate with them and find ways to encourage them to come to such activities,” says Oleksandr Zharikov, training participant in Vinnytsia. He is a veteran who, since leaving the Armed Forces of Ukraine in summer 2023, has dedicated his time and efforts to supporting fellow veterans. In his hometown of Ladyzhyn in Vinnytsia region, he has organized several support groups for his fellow veterans, creating a safe space for them to share their experiences and connect.

Oleksandr has always understood the therapeutic power of working with animals and often recalls how animals helped him stay emotionally balanced while on duty, as they could sense a person's mood.  

“Working with horses requires non-verbal communication, which can help veterans improve their interpersonal skills and re-build relationships with family members and peers,” says Peta Lowe. That is why, in her opinion, participating in equine-assisted programmes not only offers psychological and emotional relief, but also fosters a sense of community and belonging, reducing feelings of isolation among veterans and their families. 

Another training participant Stepan, manager of an equestrian club in Ladyzhyn, who had previously organized riding lessons for displaced families with children with the support of IOM, plans to run equine-assisted activities for veterans within the IOM programme. 

“IOM’s training is of particular value for us, as there are many veterans in Ladyzhyn: people who have been through the hell of war. The training taught us how to communicate with veterans, how to find the right approach to support them together with horses and thus provide an opportunity for their rehabilitation. Interacting with horses helps veterans to socialize, because the conditions there [at war] and in civilian life are very different, making it difficult for them to adjust,” says Stepan.   

A former military medic turned psychologist Fedir Melnyk had been practicing psychology for almost a decade and now sees horses as a powerful companion for veterans’ recovery: “After I came back from the war, I underwent psychotherapy myself because it was hard. I am trying out different methods that will be effective in working with veterans.” 

In his opinion, activities with horses are best suited for this purpose, since working with large, strong and intelligent animal fosters trust and confidence: “It is easier for a veteran to feel like an equal to a big animal, someone who is equal or even stronger. The building of trust and equality will be completely possible. I think veterans lack contact with themselves, and through contact with horses, they can find this connection with themselves.” It is true that due to their size and strength, horses provide an opportunity for people to overcome fears and develop confidence, making them an effective companion in supporting the healing process of veterans.

In addition to the training on equine-assisted psychosocial support activities, Peta delivered a workshop aimed at raising the attention on the same topic for interested organizations and partners in Kyiv and Dnipro. 

Psychologist Oksana, a participant of one of these workshops in Dnipro, has been using equine-assisted learning approaches for over a year and a half to help veterans and their families cope with stress and adjust to a new life. 

“I see how horses help veterans reconnect with themselves and the world. It's important for me to learn and share my experience so that more people can benefit from this support,” says Oksana.

Starting this spring, IOM will begin to provide equine-assisted psychosocial support activities for veterans, their families, and families of the fallen in different regions across Ukraine.  

By bringing together the trained veterans, stable staff, and psychosocial facilitators, to lead the group sessions, this initiative offers a holistic approach to veteran reintegration, fostering emotional wellbeing and a renewed sense of belonging. Through “human-horse” relationships, veterans build their awareness, become more present, communicate effectively and build self-confidence — all valuable tools that will support them in their families, work and social relationship. 

The initiative is implemented by IOM with the support of the European Union.