Andre Andrews is a New Jersey boy who never had much to do with horses.
Yet on the eve of Memorial Day, the U.S. Navy veteran found himself saddling up a white Spanish horse named Travieso — and helping current service members engage in some horse-assisted therapy.
“Welcome to ranch life,” Andrews said to about 30 active-duty military personnel visiting his nonprofit Warriors Road at Christy Ranch in Sylmar. “We grow and we learn from people who came before us. So let’s grow from this experience.”
While thousands of people flocked to San Pedro for the third day of Los Angeles Fleet Week on Sunday, May 28, sailors, Marines and Air Force staff spent a day at Warriors Road, getting a break from their assignment on board the USS Ashland, USS Cincinnati, USS Princeton and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Terrell Horne. The four ships are visiting San Pedro for LA Fleet Week.
As part of Fleet Week, the U.S. service members have fanned out across the Southland, participating in events from Brea to Venice. The Navy Band has performed at the main expo in San Pedro and at Angel Stadium. Service members have competed in dodgeball and cooking competitions.
But they’ve also gotten some time to themselves, such as learning, for example, what it’s like to be a firefighter — which could be a potential post-military career for some of them.
And then there was the trip to Warriors Road.
Andrews founded Warriors Road four years ago as a way to offer a free ranch and horseback experience to veterans and first responders.
“We give them a great chance to center themselves, experience the tranquility of being around horses and just let all other things melt away,” said volunteer London Scott, who calls Warriors Road a sanctuary.
Scott is one of 10 board members who help Andrews run the nonprofit. The board may have lofty titles, but they all do the dirty work of cleaning out stalls and raising money to pay for veterinary bills and horse supplies. Many of the…
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