Mission and Vision Statements
Our Mission
Our Vision
RF History
Military History of Remount
The resupply of horses and mules to military fronts of American armed forces dates back to the Civil War, but it had been an ad hoc affair. In 1908, the Army began Remount, a formal program supplying horses for moving armies, artillery, and supplies. For U.S. troops, Remount horses also warmed the hearts and raised the morale of soldiers during wartimes.
In 1913, Remount started its own breeding program with appeals to civilian breeders for suitable stallions. The program produced recognizable horses of the highest quality. Most of today’s registered Paints, Palominos, Quarter Horses, and Appaloosas are direct bloodlines from Remount stallions.
In spite of the program’s successful 40-plus-years run, the evolving mechanized transport options replaced real horsepower. In 1948, the Remount program ended.
Today, the Remount legacy lives on. Remount Foundation has assisted thousands of U.S. service members to discover healing through horses. Remount Foundation co-founder Billy Jack Barrett says, “For decades Remount horses carried warriors into battle, now the animals are taking their riders down the road to healing.”
America's Bravest in Crisis
With the United States disengaged from active combat, most Americans may assume a decreased need for Remount Foundation’s services. Unfortunately, the reality is a marked increase in needed suicide prevention support from organizations such as Remount.
Colorado Springs, CO is home to many of our nation’s key military installations. Those service members who spend some time in “The Springs” usually select it as their home following their service tours. Colorado Springs, the county seat of El Paso County, Colorado enjoys abundant sunshine, incredible Front Range mountain views with downtown nestled at the base of Pikes Peak, and easy access to all of the outdoor activities and events Colorado has to offer. The already large veterans community continues to grow within the expanding civilian population. However, there is a dark statistic in the shadow of America’s Mountain®.
The El Paso County Coroner’s 2021 Annual Report came out following the worst months of the worldwide, COVID pandemic. With so many lives lost and the isolation experienced by practically every American, there was some expectation of an increase in the suicide rate in every community. The report appears to show positive signs of managing the mental health impacts of the pandemic with the county-wide number of suicides dropping slightly. That optimism is dashed when you see the detailed breakouts of the coroner’s numbers. In 2021, El Paso County experienced a 2% drop in suicides county-wide year over year; however,
the number of
suicides increased by 20%
in 2021.
In the year that saw the end of twenty years of conflict in Iraq/Afghanistan, more of our bravest succumbed to the lingering effects of war. The impact upon the lives of our active duty military and our veterans is deep. Very deep. And even with the VA and several organizations in Southern Colorado providing assistance, the waves of depression continue to attack our warriors.
in El Paso County
lost focus on their life purpose,
prematurely ending their lives in 2022.
The Watson Institute at Brown University found that
active-duty personnel and post-9/11
war veterans died from suicide
than were killed in aggregate
of all post-9/11 combat.
