"When you are working with the horses you are really working with yourself," said Antonio Gonzales, who was based at Camp Pendleton and served three years in the U.S. Marine
The vocational horsemanship program has a dual purpose of helping veterans with their trauma while providing horse-handling skills necessary for the equine industry.
The Elite Vocations program provides shelter and equine career training to veterans with the help of retired racehorses at the Legacy Village Wellness and Recovery Center in Nipomo.