Key Takeaways
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impacts 7 out of 100 veterans, but the rate is much higher for women, with 13% of female veterans affected compared to just 6% of their male counterparts.
- New Tactics, a program based in Somerset, gives veterans, service members, and first responders an alternative equine experience, and they deliberately don’t call it “therapy.”
- Their sessions mix 30 minutes of mindfulness work, like reframing negative beliefs about yourself, with three hours of practical horseback riding centered on tasks and obstacle courses.
- A Baylor University study suggests that this kind of equine intervention, used alongside traditional treatment, can help veterans lower their anxiety and depression and improve their quality of life.
- The entire staff at New Tactics is made up of veterans and service members, which creates a “tough-love” environment built on a foundation of shared experience.
The fact that 7 out of every 100 veterans will grapple with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their lifetime is what’s driving innovative local programs to find support that goes beyond a clinical setting.
On a five-acre farm just outside San Antonio, you’ll find New Tactics, a program detailed in a recent San Antonio Report article. This isn’t your typical horse therapy. It’s an alternative for those who are wary of formal mental health treatment. Jim Schaale, who co-founded New Tactics, is clear about their method: they don’t use the word “therapy.” He’s found that this simple change in language makes the program a lot more approachable for “warriors” who would otherwise stay away.
Jim and Tammy Schaale, both U.S. Army veterans, started New Tactics in Somerset back in 2018. They specifically designed the equine experience for veterans, service members, and first responders, knowing many of them resist conventional therapy. Because their staff is made up entirely of veterans and service members, it creates an atmosphere of real camaraderie and straight talk.
The Impact of Equine-Assisted Initiatives
The sheer number of veterans dealing with PTSD shows why we need more than one type of support system. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) puts the number at 7% for all veterans, but the data shows a split: 13% of female veterans affected, more than double the 6% rate for male veterans.
Programs using horses are getting more attention as a solid complementary approach. A Baylor University study confirmed that when equine intervention is paired with traditional treatments, it helps lower anxiety and depression and improves a veteran’s quality of life. It’s a powerful complement to clinical care.
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New Tactics has a distinct structure for its Saturday sessions. The day starts with 30 minutes of mindfulness led by Tammy Schaale, who holds an M.S. in mental health counseling. A session in early August, for instance, kicked off with two minutes of complete silence, after which participants were told to “Take your biggest negative belief about yourself and reframe it, and give at least two reasons why your new belief is true.” This gets people thinking. Afterwards, someone read a passage from “The Daily Stoic” that started with, “Don’t go expecting perfection. That cucumber is bitter, so toss it out!” Each rider then finished by setting two goals, one for their horsemanship and one personal.
Beyond the Arena: Building Connection
After the mindfulness work, the next three hours are spent on horseback with Jim Schaale. His instructions are peppered with military lingo, and you’ll hear plenty of friendly “branch rivalry banter” between the riders. Jim says he believes in being “real” with the people here, which often means a “tough-love” style of guidance. It’s a dynamic that works for vets who are used to that kind of communication.
U.S. Army veteran Luis Montijo, who retired last October after 20 years, called himself a “lost soul” before he found New Tactics in March. He’s been coming back ever since. For him, the combination of Tammy’s “uninvasive process” and Jim’s “controlled stress” is what makes it click. He points out that they’re running obstacle courses and doing specific tasks, not just riding in circles. This level of complexity forces his mind to stay engaged and stops it from “wandering”, something anyone with a military background can understand.
As a nonprofit, New Tactics runs on donations, and a remarkable 95% of the horses on their farm were given to them. Jim Schaale has noticed that a lot of these horses have their own “issues,” just like the veterans they’re helping. That shared history helps build a real bond. “We know that the horses, like a lot of our warriors, have their own issues that are going on, so we can relate to them and their behavior,” he said.
Mike Waite, a reservist with 19 years in the U.S. Air Force, first showed up because his wife pushed him to. Now he’s a staff volunteer who owns four horses and 25 acres of land. Waite says horses have a way of bringing out a person’s vulnerable side. “We have a big macho thing in the veteran world. We all like to be ‘Billy Badass’ and all tough. But you can’t trick a horse,” he explained. You can’t fake it with a horse, and that demand for authenticity forces you to be real.
U.S. Army veteran Nancy Arriaga started volunteering on staff after two years in the program. Since she began riding, she’s seen a big drop in her chronic back pain and anxiety. Her confidence has shot up, too. “I used to be super insecure, very intimidated,” she said, talking about the real changes she’s seen in herself.
These stories aren’t just feel-good anecdotes. They show that helping veterans requires different tools for different people. While clinical therapy is one of those tools, programs like New Tactics create another path to healing for a segment of the veteran community. It turns out that tackling a familiar kind of challenge with a new, four-legged partner can be exactly what someone needs.
What is New Tactics?
It’s a nonprofit in Somerset, Texas, that uses equine experiences to help veterans, service members, and first responders. The program combines mindfulness and practical horseback riding, and they specifically avoid calling it “therapy” to make it more welcoming for people who are hesitant about formal treatment.
Who founded New Tactics and when?
Jim and Tammy Schaale, both U.S. Army veterans, founded it in 2018. Tammy also has an M.S. in mental health counseling.
What percentage of veterans experience PTSD?
The VA reports that about 7% of all veterans will experience PTSD. The rate is higher among female veterans at 13%, compared to 6% for male veterans.
How does New Tactics differ from traditional equine therapy?
They don’t call it “therapy.” This makes the program more approachable for service members who might resist a formal therapeutic setting. The staff is also made up entirely of veterans and service members, which creates a peer-led environment that you don’t find elsewhere.
Are the horses at New Tactics specially trained?
About 95% of the horses are donated. Co-founder Jim Schaale says many of the horses have their own “issues” and histories, just like the participants, which is a key part of how they help people connect and relate.
“As a World War Two veteran, Don represented a generation whose courage and service we will never forget. It was a privilege for the taxi charity to know him, and he will be remembered with enormous affection and gratitude.”
