"I never thought this experience would change my life and set myself on a new path."
-Iraq Veteran
Empowerment. The organization is both a reset and skill tune-up for performance optimization that is adaptable at many levels promoting holistic mental and physical wellness.
Our mission at WHFV is to equip veterans, first responders and others for success by using reflection and personal growth. Our goal is to help veterans and first responders who experienced life-disrupting trauma to recover from their limitations, to repurpose their talents and abilities to a successful life, and to reintegrate into their families, workplaces, and communities. We envision a community of active duty military, combat veterans, first responders and others who support one another as each individual moves from trauma through recovery to a productive and sustainable life.
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Through exceptional horsemanship, War Horses for Veterans provides combat veterans and first responders the tools for growth personally and professionally. The combat veterans come from all over the country. The new First Responders division serves our local Kansas City departments.
— TAKE THE FIRST STEP ON A JOURNEY THAT PUSHES YOU TO NEW HEIGHTS
The horse will keep you focused and honest every step of the way. If you are not present and engaged the horse will let you know.
BENEFITS OF OUR PROGRAMS
Build Confidence
At War Horses, you will break down and face your fears, by learning to be vulnerable with the horse. When facing your fears and conquering them, a natural boost of confidence occurs. You also gain confidence in a supportive environment with your peers. You will gain confidence after learning how to communicate and move a 1,000 lbs animal, period.
Improved Communication
The most important part of communication is listening. As you work with the horses you will be placed in a situation where you have to understand what you are communicating both, verbally and non-verbally.
Increase Energy Awareness
Energy awareness can change the whole dynamic of what you are trying to accomplish. Your energy and what you put off says everything. Working with a horse you learn very quickly how that energy can affect your communication.
FOLLOW @wh4vets
Meet The Team
Patricia & Andy
Brown
Co-Founders
Andy Brown, with his wife Pat, owns a pipeline supply company. Over the years, he has employed numerous veterans of war. Andy has been a trail rider since his childhood and has always been passionate about horses with an equal passion to empower veterans.
Pat and Andy both empathize with our fighters, as well as with their horses. They see a strong link between the two and provide our veterans and their horses with that connection by opening up their home and farm to our combat veterans.
Patrick Benson
Co-Founder/ Director
Patrick Benson is an Army Veteran who served in the Infantry from 1998 to 2004. His numerous military operations enable his understanding of the physical and emotional strain on our combat veterans. As a professional horseman, he manages a training and breeding program for performance horses.
Gary Llwellyn
Assistant Director
Gary Llewellyn, is retired Army warrant officer who participated in the program in 2015. He later moved to Kansas City from Michigan to become a program mentor. Gary was a Warrant Officer 2 and Scout Pilot, Alpha Troop, US Army in Vietnam in 1969. To Gary, this program is a wholesome and real opportunity to experience the brotherhood he had missed for so many years and to recount stories, laugh and disengage. “The experience here made me whole again.”
Bret Cortright
Director of Operations
Bret Cortright, retired law enforcement of 12 years now working as the Director of Operations at War Horses for Veterans. He and his wife Jessie have been married for 10 years and have three daughters. You will find Bret working with veterans and first responders in a round pen with horses or see him in the kitchen cooking up some grub for the participants.
Director of Equine Management
Jacob Greenlief is a Marine Corps veteran who served in the infantry from 2008 to 2017. Jacob was medically retired after a helicopter crash and is now working at War Horses for Veterans as the Director Equine Management. Jacob has been married to his wife Cecilia for 11 years and has 3 children. Jacob hopes to meaningfully impact Veterans lives through horsemanship and continue to grow through horsemanship himself.
