Week 01
The Foundation
A big week. Before participants advance, we establish the foundation: safety, horse care, communication, trust, and basic control.
Equine Valor Project pairs veterans and first responders with horses in a six-week horsemanship progression — from groundwork to the saddle — a place to decompress, rebuild trust, and stand with people who get it.
Equine Valor Project’s mission is to provide services to military personnel, veterans, and first responders through Equine Activity and Therapy programs that are tailored to address specific issues faced by wounded service members and first responders combating PTSD, while also providing a supportive and therapeutic environment for their families and loved ones.
Our goal is to assist military veterans and first responders using current therapies, with future aspirations of additional activities such as sports and recreational riding, trail riding, camping and community outreach. Funding through donations and grant support will allow for us to provide the additional services. Lessons and service are currently through individual and group lessons which provide innovative, recreational and therapeutic activities using the horse.
Horses don’t ask what happened downrange or on the last shift. Whether you carried a rifle overseas or answered the call at home, they read posture, breath, and intent — and they respond honestly. That honesty is the foundation of our work: hands-on time with the herd — from groundwork to the saddle — that builds calm, confidence, and connection.
Every program is run by veterans, first responders and experienced horse handlers, in small groups, at no cost to the service members, veterans, and first responders we serve.
One program, six weeks, one herd. Each week builds on the last — no horse experience required.
A big week. Before participants advance, we establish the foundation: safety, horse care, communication, trust, and basic control.
We introduce lunging to develop control, responsiveness, and communication while building the foundation for riding.
Participants learn proper tacking and work through exercises like the saddle balance trainer, blindfolded obstacle navigation, and tack races — building skill and confidence before getting into the saddle.
We learn that progress doesn’t always mean pushing forward. Through groundwork and line driving, participants learn to recognize tension, confusion, resistance, or discomfort — and when it’s time to simplify, return to the foundation, and rebuild confidence.
We get into the saddle. Riders learn to communicate as lightly and consistently as possible through their voice, seat, legs, and reins, with an emphasis on balance rather than force.
We put it all together through obstacle riding, confidence exercises, pattern work, and evaluation.
Horses and the people we serve have something in common: both survive by staying alert. A horse is a prey animal — it reads posture, breath, and tension faster than any person can, and it responds to what’s actually there, not what you say is there. For someone who has lived on high alert — downrange or on shift — that honesty works like a mirror. You can’t fake calm around a twelve-hundred-pound animal; you have to find it. And when you do, the horse settles with you — immediate physical proof that you can bring your own nervous system down.
That’s the quiet mechanism behind the six weeks. Working with a horse demands presence — grooming, lunging, and riding pull attention out of the past and into the moment in front of you. It rebuilds trust in small, repeatable steps with a partner that holds no judgment and keeps no record. And it restores what service takes when it ends: a mission, a standard, and a team. Research on equine-assisted programs for veterans points to meaningful reductions in symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression — but our graduates usually put it more simply: the barn is where their shoulders finally came down.
In their own words — veterans and first responders who came through the program.
This page is dedicated to the Veterans that fell victim to the 22 a Day crisis that we face every day. They were family, friends, colleagues, and loved. As long as EVP exists, the names below will remain visible for everyone that views this page. We say their names, and tell their stories in order to one day, reduce the 22 to 0.
To add a name to this page, click the link below to make a donation. On the donation page, after checking the box next to “Write us a comment,” include the name, rank, branch, and birth and death year in the text box of your donation. Then submit your donation.
Donate & add a nameThis page is not monitored or updated daily. Please allow 5–7 days for a submitted name to appear. We will do our best to honor your loved one as soon as we can.
The businesses that keep hay in the barn and the program free for those who served.
Hay, farrier visits, vet care, and session time all run on donations. $45 covers one veteran’s groundwork session. Monthly givers keep the barn lights on year-round.
The people, the horses, and the place behind the Equine Valor Project.
The veterans, first responders, and horse handlers who run the program.
Mike is a U.S. Army veteran, husband, father, nonprofit founder, leader, mentor, and community advocate whose journey through military service and medical separation has shaped his commitment to serving others.
Mike proudly served in the United States Army, where he developed the leadership, discipline, resilience, and dedication to service that continue to guide his work today. His military career ultimately ended through medical separation, an unexpected transition that gave him firsthand insight into the challenges service members can face when leaving the military.
Following his separation, Mike spent years providing military and civilian behavioral health counseling while also navigating his own transition. Today, Mike uses that firsthand experience in his work helping wounded active-duty soldiers navigate the medical transition process out of the Army. Having personally walked this path, he understands that transition is about much more than paperwork or leaving a career. It is about rebuilding identity, finding purpose, and learning how to move forward.
His leadership is grounded in service, compassion, accountability, resilience, and purpose. Mike believes that being wounded or facing an unexpected transition does not mean a person’s ability to lead, contribute, or make a difference has ended; it can be the beginning of a new chapter. Through his continued service to wounded service members, veterans, first responders, and their families, Mike remains committed to helping those who have spent their lives serving others find the support, strength, and purpose to move forward.
Steve serves as President of the Equine Valor Project, bringing decades of military leadership, nonprofit board experience, and a continued commitment to serving veterans and the community.
A retired Air Force veteran with 33 years of service, Steve began his military career as an enlisted Airman before earning his commission, becoming a B-1B and JSTARS pilot, and ultimately retiring at the rank of Colonel. His military career gave him a firsthand appreciation for the unique experiences veterans share, as well as the importance of connection, purpose, and community after military service.
Steve’s commitment to service has continued beyond the military. He previously served the boards of the Elk Institute and Friends of Fisher House Charleston and now serves the EVP board, staff, volunteers, and community partners to advance Equine Valor Project’s mission of supporting veterans through equine-assisted programs.
Following his military retirement, Steve transitioned into real estate and works alongside his wife, Sarah, with the Poulos Property Group at Keller Williams.
Joy is our board secretary for Equine Valor Project. Although she is not a veteran, Joy comes from a long line of military service members in her family. Her dad was in the Army, her brother a Marine, and her paternal grandfather served in the Army for his entire career. Being there to support veteran family members has been a huge part of her life. She deeply understands the importance of continued support for those after active-duty military service.
As for horses, she started taking lessons when she was 5 years old. She rode for most of her early life and worked at a barn throughout high school. During this time, she helped facilitate classes similar to Equine Valor Project, but for children with autism. In college, she rode competitively in the western pleasure category. Joy loves all animals and knows the unique value they bring for healing and support.
When you email EVP, you’ll be talking to Joy! Her passion for veteran and first responder support and love of horses have her ready to answer all your questions.
Horses have been a lifelong passion for Ashley. She began riding at just eight years old, developing a deep love for horses and the unique connection they share with people. Her journey with horses has taken her from the show-jumping arena to equine rescue, teaching, and now therapeutic work with veterans and first responders.
While stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Ashley volunteered at an equine rescue in Hereford, where she gained firsthand experience caring for and rehabilitating horses in need. Later, while stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, she adopted three horses and began giving riding lessons, further developing her passion for helping others discover the confidence, peace, and connection that horses can provide.
Ashley’s love for animals also led her to pursue a career as a veterinary technician. Through years of working with animals, she developed a strong understanding of their health, behavior, and individual needs—knowledge that continues to play an important role in her work with horses today.
Ashley is also a wife and mother of two children, ages 16 and 20, and the wife of a retired U.S. Army veteran who served for 26 years and retired in 2022. Her family’s military experience has given her a personal appreciation for the sacrifices made by service members and their families, and a deep respect for the challenges many veterans and first responders face.
Today, Ashley serves as the Barn Manager for Equine Valor Project, where she brings together her lifelong passion for horses, veterinary experience, and connection to the military community. She is dedicated to creating a safe, compassionate environment where horses and people can heal, grow, and build meaningful connections.
For Ashley, Equine Valor Project is more than working with horses—it is about creating a place where those who have spent their lives serving others can find a moment of peace, connection, and healing.
Benjamin serves as the Veterans Liaison for the Equine Valor Project (EVP), where he works to connect veterans with the healing power of equine therapy and build bridges between the veteran community and the resources available to them. In this role, he draws on his professional experience as a Certified Peer Specialist (Mental Health) with the Department of Veterans Affairs, applying a "crawl, walk, run" approach to help veterans move forward at a pace that honors where they are in their journey. He is a strong advocate for behavioral activation and mindfulness practices, and he is passionate about helping veterans identify what is right in their lives while finding new ways to apply their military skill sets in service of their own well-being. For Benjamin, this work is deeply personal — he believes every veteran deserves to understand that they matter, and he brings that conviction to every veteran he supports.
Benjamin served 15 and a half years in the United States Army as a Special Operations soldier with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), retiring at the rank of Master Sergeant. Throughout his career, he built a reputation for discipline, adaptability, and steady leadership under demanding conditions. His time in Special Operations instilled in him a deep understanding of resilience, teamwork, and the power of a supportive community — qualities he now channels into his work supporting fellow veterans through their own transitions.
Outside of his professional and volunteer work, Benjamin enjoys staying active through regular exercise, and finds peace and renewal in camping and hiking. He also enjoys cooking meals together with his wife, valuing the time it gives them to connect and unwind.
Fire Chief Michael Dick is a veteran public safety leader with nearly four decades of dedicated service. His career began in 1989 in Northern Virginia following his service in the U.S. Navy. In 1999, Chief Dick joined Savannah Fire and Emergency Services, where he was instrumental in establishing the department’s Water Rescue and Dive Team, developing the Marine Firefighter Program, and designing the Savannah Fire Boat. A long-time member of Georgia Search and Rescue Task Force 5 (GSAR), he deployed to New Orleans in 2005 to provide critical search and rescue operations after Hurricane Katrina.
Following a successful tenure as Deputy Chief of Bryan County Fire & Emergency Services—where he expanded their marine and dive capabilities—he now serves as the Fire Chief of Garden City Fire-Rescue. A recognized expert in technical rescue, Chief Dick is a foundational member of the NAUI Public Safety Dive Training Committee and teaches advanced marine firefighting, boat operations, and public safety diving through NAUI and ERDI. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health and Safety and Fire Science. Outside of command, Mike is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting and fishing with his wife Kelly, daughter Maddy, son Gavin, and friends.
Kori is a U.S. Army Veteran who joined Equine Valor Project in July 2025 and participated in its first six-week program, where she formed an immediate and lasting bond with Reese.
As EVP’s Social Media Manager, she uses strategic storytelling to build community, grow awareness, and share the organization’s mission with Veterans, First Responders, and their families. She is also a proud mother and holds a master’s degree in Sports and Health Science.
Originally from New Jersey, Drew moved to the Savannah, Georgia area in 2015 and has called it home ever since. He began his career in the fire service in 2007 and has held the ranks of Firefighter, Engineer, and Lieutenant throughout his fire service career. Today, he continues that career with Garden City Fire-Rescue.
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and nearly two decades in the fire service, Drew brings a unique combination of professional experience and personal understanding to the Equine Valor Project. Having spent his career alongside first responders, he understands the demands of the job, the experiences that can stay with you long after the call is over, and how important it is to have people and resources you can turn to.
That connection is a big part of what drew Drew to the Equine Valor Project. As Web/E-Commerce Manager, he uses his communications background and first responder experience to help share the organization’s story, expand its reach, and support its mission through marketing and e-commerce initiatives. Most importantly, he wants to help more military members and first responders discover the support and community the program provides. For Drew, it’s about taking care of the people who have spent their lives taking care of others.
From its earliest development, EVP recognized the therapeutic and transformational value of working with horses. Horses require individuals to be present, patient, attentive, and willing to build trust. Those same qualities can become powerful tools for individuals working through trauma, transition, stress, loss of confidence, or major changes in their lives.
Rather than creating a program centered solely around riding, EVP developed its approach around relationship, horsemanship, responsibility, teamwork, communication, confidence, and personal growth.
The goal was to create an environment where participants could step away from the pressures of everyday life, work alongside horses, and rediscover abilities that may have become buried beneath the challenges they were experiencing.
A significant part of EVP’s history is Three Notch Farm, which became an important part of the organization’s ability to turn its vision into reality.
The generosity of Kevin and Charlene Purdum, and assistance from Olivia Taylor, provided EVP with something that was essential to the development of the program: a place where the organization could operate and where participants could experience the benefits of working with horses.
Kevin and Charlene generously allowed Equine Valor Project to utilize their land and horses prior to EVP securing horses of their own. Their willingness to open their property to EVP provided far more than physical space. It created an environment where veterans, service members, first responders, and others could gather, work with horses, learn, grow, and build relationships.
Their generosity represents an important part of EVP’s history because it helped bridge the gap between an idea and an operating program.
Without people willing to invest in the mission, organizations like EVP cannot grow. Kevin and Charlene Purdum’s willingness to share Three Notch Farm with Equine Valor Project became an important part of the foundation upon which the organization was built.
Contact usFollow the herd for updates from the barn, graduate stories, and event announcements.
News from the barn — program milestones, graduate classes, and announcements will be posted here.
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