Home Depot Volunteers Upgrade Indiana Ranch for Veteran Therapy

At Triple E Ranch in Haubstadt, Indiana, something remarkable happens when combat veterans meet wild mustangs. Both are learning to trust again, and now their healing space just got a major upgrade.

The Mustangs of Service Veterans Program pairs veterans working through trauma with wild mustang horses transitioning to domestic life. As the horses learn to trust humans and adapt to a gentler world, veterans find themselves reflected in the animals' journey from survival mode to safety.

Home Depot Foundation volunteers rolled up their sleeves for a full day of ranch improvements. They cleared walkways, preserved shade trees, and repaired gates, fences, and barns that house the therapy sessions.

The work matters because every detail of the ranch environment affects the healing process. When veterans arrive for therapy, they need spaces that feel both safe and welcoming. The horses need sturdy, well-maintained structures that help them feel secure as they adjust to their new lives.

"The Home Depot Foundation has been amazing to us," says Daniella DeSilva, the program's facilitator. "They help us do major projects around the ranch with the upkeep, so we can run the program more smoothly and efficiently, create better spaces for our veterans and mustangs that help us with our mental health program."

The Ripple Effect

The parallels between veteran and mustang experiences create powerful moments of connection. Both populations know what it feels like to live on high alert. Both are relearning what peace feels like. When a veteran gains a mustang's trust, they often rediscover their own capacity for patience and gentleness.

The program doesn't just benefit individual veterans. Families notice the changes when their loved ones come home calmer and more present. Communities gain skilled volunteers as veterans rebuild confidence through working with the horses.

The ranch improvements mean the program can serve more veterans year round, regardless of weather. Better walkways increase accessibility for veterans with mobility challenges. Upgraded facilities mean the mustangs stay healthier and more comfortable, making them better therapy partners.

Home Depot Foundation's support of veterans organizations nationwide creates a network of healing spaces. Their corporate commitment to serving those who served translates into tangible, dirt-under-the-fingernails work that changes lives.

Thanks to one day of dedicated volunteer work, both two-legged and four-legged heroes have a better place to heal.