Operation Horses and Heroes

What Operation Horses and Heroes does

Operation Horses and Heroes, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, founded in 2015 by Jerry (Gerald) Paulsen. The organization's core offering is an intensive, multi-day Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) program that immerses military veterans, active duty personnel, first responders, and their family members in interactions with horses to address PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, prosthetic-related challenges, and emotional or social difficulties. The methodology uses horses as experiential therapy partners, leveraging equine behavior as a source of non-judgmental, immediate feedback to support self-reflection and personal growth. Programs are delivered free of charge to participants at partner ranch facilities across eight U.S. states—Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kentucky—with the 2025 flagship program scheduled at Rocking L Ranch in Morris, IL on June 20–22, 2025.

The business model is donation-supported: the organization generates no participant fees and instead relies on tax-deductible charitable contributions (processed via PayPal and other channels), corporate sponsorships, and in-kind volunteer support. Participants and sponsors register through a self-service Squarespace website, and prospective participants are also acquired through a strategic partnership with Equine Affaire's "A Horse for Heroes" program in Ohio, veteran expos, and community referrals. Marketing channels include Facebook, regional press coverage (The American Legion, Daily Herald, Windy City Bulls, and others), founder media appearances on Brownfield Ag News and BlogTalkRadio, and event presence at equine and veteran gatherings.

The organization is governed by a small Executive Board comprising Founder and President Jerry Paulsen, Co-Founder and Treasurer Keith French, Vice President Nathan Lolley (a recently retired 25-year U.S. Army veteran), and Secretary and Board Member Cynthia Abraham (a U.S. Army Reserves Major and veterinarian). Reported headcount is 51–100, which likely reflects a meaningful volunteer base given the nonprofit, donation-funded structure. The organization holds a 2019 Guide Star Bronze Seal of Transparency and a Charity Navigator rating, signaling donor-facing accountability standards.

Name

Operation Horses and Heroes

Legal name

Operation Horses and Heroes, Inc.

Website

https://operationhorsesandheroes.squarespace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Operation Horses and Heroes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that delivers free, multi-day Equine Assisted Psychotherapy programs to U.S. military veterans, active duty personnel, first responders, and their families at partner ranch facilities across eight U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Sport/Show Horse Training & Performance Programs (AFAEAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Equine Working Ranch & Trail Operations (non-tourism) (AFAEAGAL), Equestrian & Horse Trekking Centers (THAAAKAL)

Keywords

• Equine-assisted therapy
• Veteran mental health
• Nonprofit therapy programs
• Trauma recovery services
• Military family support

Headquarters

HQ city

Elgin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations accepted via PayPal and other channels. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Business sponsorships at various levels for organizations wanting to support the program and veterans. Sponsors can also join the board of directors.
3. Volunteer Contributions: In-kind support through volunteer time, resources, and supplies donated to support program operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Operation Horses and Heroes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers an intensive, multi-day Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) program immersing veterans, active-duty military, first responders, and their families in horse-based therapeutic experiences. The program is offered free of charge to eligible participants dealing with PTSD, TBI, prosthetics, or emotional/social challenges, and is delivered at partner ranch locations across eight U.S. states.

Product overview

Operation Horses and Heroes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides a single, unified Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) program — an intensive, multi-day experiential therapy service that immerses military personnel, veterans, and their families in equine-assisted activities. The core offering is the EAP program, which is offered free of charge to veterans and healing heroes with PTSD, TBI, prosthetics, emotional or social challenges. The organization operates programs across eight locations (Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kentucky) at partner ranch facilities, with a 2025 program scheduled at Rocking L Ranch in Morris, IL (June 20-22, 2025). Related offerings include volunteer opportunities, sponsorship programs, and donation collection via PayPal, but these are operational support mechanisms rather than distinct product modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) Program An intensive, multi-day Equine Assisted Psychotherapy program that immerses military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their families in interactions with horses to promote personal growth, healing, and self-discovery. Provided free of charge.
• 2025 Program at Rocking L Ranch

Quantifiable outcome

• Veterans report increased confidence and trust - in horses, each other, and themselves
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Equine AffairecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEquine Affaire partners with Operation Horses and Heroes for the 'A Horse for Heroes' program, offering veterans, active duty, and first responders the opportunity to interact with horses and experience equine-assisted activities & therapies at Equine Affaire events in Ohio.
• Rocking L RanchcoreOthersRocking L Ranch in Morris, IL serves as the host location for the 2025 program (June 20-22, 2025). The ranch provides facilities for the intensive multi-day equine-assisted psychotherapy program.
• Charity NavigatorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe organization's Charity Navigator rating is displayed on their website, indicating transparency and accountability in nonprofit operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Equest: Texas equine-assisted therapy organization serving veterans, first responders, and individuals with disabilities through mounted and unmounted activities with a similar ranch-based free-to-veteran model.
• Saratoga WarHorse: Saratoga Springs, NY-based nonprofit delivering a three-day immersive equine-assisted psychotherapy program free of charge to combat veterans, providing the closest 1:1 model comparison to OHH's multi-day EAP at partner ranches.
• Strides to Success: Indiana nonprofit using equine-assisted services to help at-risk youth, veterans, and people with disabilities, delivering therapy through a comparable working-ranch operating model and participant mix.
• BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding: Illinois-based therapeutic riding center serving veterans and individuals with disabilities through ranch-based equine programs, representing the most directly comparable Midwest peer to OHH.
• Hearts & Horses: Colorado-based therapeutic riding nonprofit serving individuals with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges including veterans via ranch-based programs, with comparable participant economics and ranch operations.

Others

• Eagala: Global standards-setting organization for the Equine-Assisted Growth and Learning Association model — the same EAP methodology OHH uses — providing certification, training, and a practitioner network rather than direct service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• PATH International: Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International is the industry body that accredits equine-assisted therapy centers and runs the Horses for Heroes veteran-serving network that overlaps OHH's mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OperationHorsesandHeroes
• Xx.com/HorsesandHeroes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Operation Horses and Heroes