Horses in Hookstown help veterans heal and grow

In Hookstown, you'll find horses at Unbridled Performance and its founder, Amy Foster.
She's on a mission to help horses and military veterans, for free.
"I feel like we're answering God's call," said Foster.
This calling uses equine therapy pairing horses with veterans, like George.
"It's really gratifying to have (George) him come here, and you can just feel them relax and just open their hearts," Foster said.
Those hearts open through accomplishing different exercises, overcoming obstacles, and seeing them come alive together. Since starting in April even, George is just one of the veterans who's come out of his shell more, by interacting with horses. Foster told George, "(The horse) he didn't hesitate to follow you, at any point." With a high five, she said, "Nice job". George responded, "Thanks."
Foster said this entire experience was made possible by the non-profit, Outdoor Immersion.
"It's so peaceful here, and this is the thing that's missing for a lot of our veteran military community is a sense of peace," the founder of Outdoor Immersion, Jim Skal, said.
In this space, veterans gain more than just a sense of peace.
Through the non-profit's work, military vets restore resilience, increase connection, and find purpose for their future. That's all part of Outdoor Immersion's mission.
"It brings something out of the veteran, opens them up relationally, which helps to increase resilience, which is what we are really all about," Skal said.
The animal and human connection brings service men and women out of their shells.
Military veteran Mike Stanislow also volunteers with Outdoor Immersion at Unbridled Performance.
"The change I've seen in him (George) in the past few months has been night and day," he said.
While at the equestrian facility, veterans do service projects too.
"We'll walk and we'll work on the electric fences together, or walking, we will clear the path together." Stanislow said, "It helps them to give something back, so they don't feel like they are just taking."
After all, they are at a horse sanctuary.
"These horses are abused and neglected, so we take them and rehabilitate them right, so it's a lot like we as vets feel sometimes right, we are a tool," said Foster.
Those veterans find a sanctuary here, too.
"So, watching them bring these horses back to life. It's a mutual exchange," Foster said.
The strength, the speed, and the grace of a horse help to heal our service members, back to a peaceful place.
To connect with outdoor immersion's equine therapy with Unbridled Performance, you can attend a monthly community day at the equestrian facility. The next one is on June 21st, at 1 p.m., and then, you can schedule a one-on-one with the horses for free. There are no equine veteran programs in Allegheny County or Beaver County. So, this fills a void, and it's open to other first responders, like police and firefighters.
Outdoor Immersion provides a wide range of outdoor activities for veterans. For more information, check out their website at this link.

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Widow Demands Her Kids Get a Share of Late Husband's Ashes Despite His Dying Wish Stating Otherwise

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27 minutes ago

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Widow Demands Her Kids Get a Share of Late Husband's Ashes Despite His Dying Wish Stating Otherwise

Her father wanted her to have half his ashes, while the other half would go to his wife Despite legal protection of his wishes, her stepmother keeps harassing her to divide her portion She's accused of punishing her half-siblings, but says she's just honoring her dad — and protecting her peaceA woman turns to the Reddit community for support after a deeply personal family dispute over her late father's ashes leaves her feeling conflicted and alone. In her post, she shares that her dad's passing has reopened old wounds, especially regarding her relationship with his second wife and their children. 'My dad died recently and he appointed his brother, my uncle, to ensure his final wishes were respected,' she writes. She explains that her father was married twice: first to her mother, who passed away when she was 3, and then to his second wife, whom he married when she was 15. The relationship with her stepmother was never easy, and the arrival of her half-siblings did little to bridge the gap. 'Dad and I had a solid relationship but she and I did not and I really never had one with the other kids either,' the woman reveals. Her father's final wishes were clear and carefully planned. 'His wishes were for half his ashes to go to his wife so she could start a grave for them and the other half was for me so he could also be with mom,' she explains, adding, 'My mom was cremated too and I have her ashes as well.' This arrangement, however, did not sit well with her father's widow, who tried to claim all the ashes for herself. 'But my dad had planned everything and had legally ensured his wishes were followed with the help of my uncle,' she notes, grateful for the foresight that protected her father's intentions. After the funeral, she made the difficult decision to cut off contact with her stepmother in an attempt to seek peace and closure for herself. Regardless, her stepmom has contacted her "at least 11 times," saying that she "needs to share my half of the ashes with my half-siblings because they have none and we each have half." She tried to block her stepmother, but the messages kept coming from new numbers, making it impossible to escape the pressure. 'I am trying to get my number changed but I use this phone for work too so I need a process of approval to do it,' she explains. Her aunt, her father's sister, also got involved in the conflict, suggesting that they "combine dad's ashes and split them four ways so everyone gets the same amount." When the poster said no, her aunt said that she "shouldn't take my hatred of wife number two out on the kids." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The aunt also voiced her disapproval over the poster's decision to cut ties with her stepmom and half-siblings. However, the poster has done her best to make it clear that her boundaries are about self-preservation, not spite. Now she's wondering if her refusal to share her half of her father's ashes makes her the villain in this painful family saga. However, most commenters suggested that her stepmom simply shares her portion of the ashes with their children, noting that it's not the poster's "responsibility." "You share my thoughts," the poster replied. "It makes more sense that way seeing as they're her kids and she wants them to have their own share." In response to another user, the woman further explains that her late dad "wanted to honor both [his] wives," which was why "he chose to have his ashes with both." Read the original article on People