USU Equine Program Honors Veterans with Valor Detachment at Porcupine Roundup

The Utah State University Equine Experience provided a Valor Detachment that performed a grand entry at the Porcupine Roundup rodeo in Paradise, Utah, last Friday. The mounted drill team is made up of veterans and active-duty military who are riding for veteran suicide awareness. This was their fifth event of the season.

The ride included two caparisoned (riderless) horses. This is typical at honorary military funerals, and the team always rides with one riderless horse to honor veterans who have died from suicide. The Porcupine Roundup also included a caparisoned horse to honor the Tremonton-Garland officers.

USU Equine Experience programs are part of USU Extension’s mission and include adaptive riding for individuals with disabilities, military veteran horsemanship experiences, driving programs, equine-assisted learning activities, and other services.

For information, contact Makenna Pahlke, equine-assisted services Extension assistant professor, Makenna.Pahlke@usu.edu