OUR STORY
A Story of Service, Healing, and Second Chances
Warrior Ranch Foundation began with a simple but powerful belief: that veterans, first responders, families, and horses in need could find connection, purpose, and healing together. What started as a vision has grown into a community built around compassion, service, and the life-changing bond between people and horses.
Where the Mission Began
Warrior Ranch Foundation began with Eileen Shanahan’s love of country, love of horses, and desire to give back. As Founder and President of Warrior Ranch Foundation, Eileen brought together several parts of her life that had long shaped who she was. She had spent more than 20 years studying Natural Horsemanship and had developed a deep respect for the way horses respond to patience, trust, presence, and leadership. She also came from a place of deep appreciation for those who serve, recognizing that freedom is precious and never free. Out of those commitments, the idea for Warrior Ranch began to take shape. Eileen saw that horses and people could help one another in powerful ways. Veterans and first responders, many carrying the invisible weight of service, could find connection and purpose through working with horses. Horses in need could receive care, training, patience, and a second chance. The mission started humbly. Warrior Ranch Foundation was founded in 2016 and began in Eileen’s own backyard. What started as a vision became a place where service, healing, horsemanship, and compassion could come together.
At the heart of the idea was a simple but powerful belief: people help horses, and horses help people..
WHY HORSES
Why Horses Are at the Heart of the Story
Horses are not just part of the setting at Warrior Ranch. They are part of the work, the connection, and the healing. The relationship between a person and a horse is built through trust, patience, awareness, and respect. For veterans, first responders, and family members, time spent with horses can create space to slow down, reconnect, and experience a different kind of support. For horses in need, Warrior Ranch offers care, purpose, and a safe environment. In many ways, the mission works in both directions. People help horses. Horses help people. And together, both can move toward healing.
GROWTH OVER TIME
A TIMELINE of the warrior ranch
As Warrior Ranch grew, so did the need for a dedicated home where the mission could continue to expand.
2016
Founding of Warrior Ranch Foundation
The organization begins with a vision rooted in service, horsemanship, compassion, and second chances.
2017
Early Programs and Activities
Warrior Ranch begins bringing people and horses together through meaningful experiences.
2018
Move to Calverton
Warrior Ranch moves to the former Long Island Beagle Club property on Edwards Avenue in Calverton, creating room for the mission to grow.
2019
Growth of the Herd
More horses become part of the Warrior Ranch story and the organization’s work expands.
2019
GROWTH OF THE HERD
More horses become part of the Warrior Ranch story and the organization's work expands.
10 YEARS OF SERVICE AND SECOND CHANCES
A Decade of Service, Connection, and Care
Warrior Ranch’s 10-year milestone represents more than the passage of time. It represents a decade of people showing up for one another. A decade of veterans and first responders finding connection. A decade of families, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and community members helping the mission grow. It also represents a decade of care for horses in need—horses whose own second chances have become part of the larger Warrior Ranch story. As Warrior Ranch looks back on its first decade, the organization also looks forward to the next chapter: serving more people, caring for more horses, and continuing to build a community where healing happens together.
STORIES ALONG THE WAY
The Moments That Shape the Mission
The story of Warrior Ranch is told through the people and horses who have been part of it. It is seen in the veteran who finds comfort in the quiet presence of a horse. The first responder who discovers a new way to reconnect. The family member who sees hope return. The volunteer who gives time and finds purpose. The horse who arrives in need of care and becomes part of something meaningful. These moments are the heart of Warrior Ranch. They remind us that healing often happens through trust, patience, and connection.
A veteran or first responder experience
Help with appropriate horse-related needs such as grooming, feeding support, care routines, or other activities as directed by ranch staff.
A horse rescue or rehabilitation story
Help with appropriate horse-related needs such as grooming, feeding support, care routines, or other activities as directed by ranch staff.
A volunteer's story of a life changing experience
Help with appropriate horse-related needs such as grooming, feeding support, care routines, or other activities as directed by ranch staff.
A donor or sponsor impact story
Help with appropriate horse-related needs such as grooming, feeding support, care routines, or other activities as directed by ranch staff.
A major turning point in Warrior Ranch history
Help with appropriate horse-related needs such as grooming, feeding support, care routines, or other activities as directed by ranch staff.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Next Chapter Is Still Being Written
Warrior Ranch’s story continues with every person who participates, every horse who receives care, every volunteer who gives their time, and every donor or sponsor who helps make the work possible. The need remains real. Veterans, first responders, and families continue to seek connection and support. Horses in need continue to deserve care, patience, and purpose. Warrior Ranch exists at the intersection of those needs, creating a place where lives can change together. As the organization looks ahead, its future will be shaped by the same values that started it: service, compassion, connection, and community.
