Iraq Army Veteran’s connection to horses helps her heal

For Seyward McKinney, the journey from riding in military vehicles to riding horses was one fraught with adventure.

Joining the Army was a calling, something McKinney realized she needed to do from the moment she took a school trip to New York City. She was active in school groups and found herself in New York prior to the events of 9/11. She was able to go back after 2001.

“I’ve been in both buildings after and there was dirt and stuff on the ground. They said it was ashes of people. Because of that, I wanted to join the Army,” she said.

As a surgical technician, Seyward found herself in Iraq for eight months, working on patients—both American and Iraqi.

“It was a great experience and I got to do things I normally wouldn’t get to do. We were preparing to take out someone’s appendix and the doctor said, ‘Are you ready?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, here’s the knife’ and he hands it back to me and lets me do the surgery while he assisted,” she recalled.

“Talking to horses a big relief from PTSD”

Repaired Sadam Hussein’s hernia

In addition to working on American service members, she recalled another patient who was more well-known while working in Baghdad’s Green Zone in 2004.

“Saddam Hussein was working out in his jail cell and pulled some muscles, so we had to do a hernia repair on him,” she added.

Her own injuries began after returning to the United States. In 2009, while at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, she wasn’t feeling well. “I started getting headaches and they did a CAT scan and found an arteriovenous malformation,” she said.

What the doctors found was a twisted mass of blood vessels connecting McKinney’s arteries and veins that were disrupting normal blood flow. After five surgeries, three related procedures and two radiation treatments, McKinney hoped she was out of the woods.

Nine days later she had a stroke

McKinney spent two years at Walter Reed Army National Military Medical Center and, while she was there, she was introduced to horses.

“I got in touch with some rehabilitation people, and they told me about this place at Arlington Cemetery. I got to go there and ride horses. The person in charge there told me about Healing Strides,” she said.

Healing Strides is a non-profit in Boones Mill, Virginia, that offers equestrian therapy for Veterans and others. The program works with licensed clinical social workers and mental health professionals along with professional trainers to teach Veterans how to ride. They help them understand the varied benefits of working with the animals.

Horses help relieve stress

Ricki McKinney, Seyward’s mother, said that “Seyward travels to Healing Strides three times a week supported by the Wounded Warrior Independence Program.

“I think one of the things Veterans get when coming to Healing Strides is a big relief from PTSD,” Ricki said. “Just to have a one-on-one with the horses, to be able to talk to them, it relieves a lot of stress. It helps them emotionally but also physically as riding builds core strength, leg strength and really helps in your day-to-day living.”

For McKinney, being with other Veterans is a helpful experience.

“Hanging out with other Veterans, not only when we’re on the horses, but just when you need someone to talk to, you always have someone who knows your story and who has been there,” she said. “Someone who has had that experience. After getting injured, you don’t really have as many friends as you want to have. When I’m here, I always feel that camaraderie. Everyone asks me how my day is and makes sure I’m doing OK. It’s a great organization and I’m really glad to be a part of it.”

But there is an aspect to working with horses that goes beyond fun or relief.

Talking to horses changed his mind

“I have a friend who was in the Army, and he went to talk to the horses,” she added. “That night he was going to go home and shoot himself. But because of an experience he had here, with a horse, he didn’t feel like he needed to do that.”

Carol Young, Healing Strides CEO, smiles as Seyward mentions her friend. In her more than 10 years with the organization she has plenty of stories to tell of Veterans who have left the program better than when they arrived.

“In 2011 we had our first Veteran walk through the doors,” Young said. “He had done six tours in Afghanistan, and he walked in not knowing what to do. I asked if he could drive a tractor and he said, Yes, ma’am.’ So, he mowed our field. He came back every day for six weeks from 9 to 5 every day and was constantly helping.

Father and daughter able to build trust

“After he learned to ride, he said, ‘I have a daughter. She’s 11 and she’s afraid of me. I think if she came down here and saw me with the horses, I think she wouldn’t be afraid. Would that be ok?’ I said, ‘Yes sir’,” Young recalled.

The Veteran’s daughter did come to visit and the two were able to build trust.

“The horses helped heal that relationship,” Young said. “When we serve our Veterans, we serve our Veterans and their families. That’s how the program got started.”

For McKinney, horses have opened up a new outlet for her wellbeing and created her goal to be a Paralympic Equestrian athlete. She’s already been involved in several shows and competitions and said she is working with trainers on a long-term Paralympic plan.