The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has officially launched a new partnership with Rainbow Riders to help first responders living with PTSD.
The mounted unit of the RNC has moved part-time to the Rainbow Riders facilities on Mount Scio Road, where they will operate an equine therapy program designed for first responders.
According to Rainbow Riders, research shows that people in such professions are five times more likely to experience PTSD than other members of the public.
(RNC Chief Joe Boland.)
RNC Chief Joe Boland says PTSD is very real for first responders.
Boland indicates that when officers put on their uniforms, some people—and even the officers themselves—may think they are bulletproof, but that is not the case. He says the goal of the program is to show people that they don’t have to go through life without reaching out for help.
(Rainbow Riders Board Chair Paul Antle.)
Chair of the Board of Rainbow Riders, Paul Antle attests to how powerful equine therapy can be for someone with PTSD.
Antle believes there is a ‘magic’ in dealing with horses, and an energy that the animals give off that helps people to heal.
