A horse grazes on grass during integration training, October 12, 2018, Lampasas, Texas. Soldiers with the 504th Military Intelligence Brigade participated in an equine event meant to build relationships after deployment. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Meli...

Soldiers with the 504th Military Intelligence Brigade talk about their observations of the horses behavior, October 12, 2018, Lampasas, Texas. The event was meant to aid in the relationship building and aid with self awareness after deployment. (U.S....

Sgt. Raul Pedraza, 504th Military Intelligence Brigade, and his daughter Bella Pedraza brush a horse, October 12, 2018, Lampasas, Texas. The setting enhances the learning and makes the experience more memorable. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Melissa N. Le...

504th Military Intelligence Brigade Soldiers and families meet the horses during reintegration training, October 12, 2018, Lampasas, Texas. Chaplain Mark Musser, 504th MI BDE, held the event to aid in bonding after deployment. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt...

By: Sgt. Melissa N. Lessard 504th Military Intelligence Brigade Public Affairs

(FORT HOOD, Texas, October 17, 2018)-On the outskirts of the hustle and bustle of city life lays a quaint ranch called Tyson's Corner Retreat and Wellness Center. It resides past a rocky road where the noise of cars from traffic can barely be heard. The noise of horses neighing, and dogs barking are the sounds of the day.

As families walk into the retreat they are welcomed by friendly dogs, the smell of the countryside, fresh coffee, and fresh food. The interior is bright and warming due to the many windows letting in light.

Joanna Tyson Dunlap, the owner and director of Tyson's Corner, started off by introducing herself, having families introduce themselves, their experience with horses, and what they expect to gain from working with a horse.

Dunlap said that working with horses is like working with family relationships when it comes to relationship building. It forces a person to look at themselves and what they bring into the relationship.

Chaplain Mark Musser, the 504th Military Intelligence Brigade's chaplain, scheduled a retreat for recently redeployed Soldiers. The goal of the retreat was to aid in relationship building and self-awareness. He taught subjects ranging from attachment theory and the communication process and how this relates to post deployment relationships.

Spouses with children, during the deployment suddenly become both mom and dad, he said. The family suddenly has a hole in it. This can create a roller coaster of emotions after homecoming.

Musser also discussed different types of personalities and how to identify this. The individuals who attended the course spent time assessing themselves and sharing the information with their spouses or with others in the class.

The Soldiers received hands on and small group training, he said. He used his own relationship with his wife as an example of a relationship.

After the Soldiers and their families received training from Musser, they went outside to spend time with Dunlap. The Soldiers gathered while she enticed the horses to come through the gate, using a horse call. About 15 horses galloped through the gate into the yard with the families.

Dunlap then stood in front to the group of Soldiers and families asking what observations each saw of the horses. Some of the observations ranged from physical attributes to their actual behavior as they entered through the gate. She spent about 10-20 minutes letting each person look at the horses. Some of the children were able to touch the horses while they wandered around.

After the initial observations, Dunlap gave everyone time to go pick out a horse and get to know it. Families brushed horses, followed them around, and led them through the open area.

"The retreat center is here to be resourced to the military at Fort Hood," she said. "We work real closely with the chaplains because it was founded by my dad who was a chaplain."

"What I see that comes out of Equine Assisted Therapy is more self-awareness and more understanding, she said. "When you work with a horse you have to learn how to be authentic and healthy connection. It becomes a partnership."

"Post deployment is about reconnecting," she said.