Veterans begin cross-Canada horse ride for PTSD, suicideawareness

Canadian Forces veterans saddled for those an epic cross-country trail ride that aims to includeCanadians within the deal with post-traumatic stress, suicide and family strife inside the military.

Veteran Paul Nicholls left British Columbia's legislature on horseback Monday inside a bid to ride11,000 kilometres across Canada by November.

The former soldier from Quesnel, B.C., who served during the Balkan conflict among the 1990s, saidhe wishes to make as many stops since he and fellow military riders could possibly do to helpCanadians and military veterans learn how to understand one other.

"The Canadians love their troops," said Nicholls on a ceremony marking the first step of hisCommunities for Veterans cross-Canada ride. "There's just no doubt this. It's just often-times wedon't know who our veterans are."

Nicholls said he struggled to appear again to civilian life, as have many other Canadian veterans,and he's convinced that the more the general public and veterans get to know about another, theeasier that transition will become.

"I can tell you from personal knowledge that the heart-felt thanks and timely support coming from acommunity, during that time of transition, can possibly be life changing," he was quoted saying.

Nicholls said he believes when he and his awesome posse ride into towns their presence will creatediscussion and awareness about the military and of course the issues veterans face and return homeafter serving their country in conflict zones.

The ride will make stops in nearly every province, visiting dozen of communities and cities, takingtrails and holding gatherings in areas where people can fulfill the veterans and also their horses.

"This will certainly create awareness and also that awareness will create a big change andunderstanding that change I recommend we can easily lower the ptsd treatment incidence of post-traumatic stress, family break ups and I think we can lower the incidence of veteran suicides," saidNicholls.

One year ago, National Defence started filling long-vacant positions within its mental well-beingbranch, while making public appeals for troops suffering with mental illness to come forward.

A veterans study released in 2013 found regular force veterans upon leaving the military rated theirhealth more poorly in comparison to the general population.

It said almost a quarter among those leaving the military reported both physical and mentaldisorders.

Testifying until the all-party House of Commons defence committee almost year ago, the military'ssurgeon-general, Brig.-Gen. Jean-Robert Bernier, said that depression, especially among male Forcesmembers, is double that of this very civilian population.

Nicholls, who became emotional several times a day since he described the explanations behind hisjourney, said he is well known regarding his their own unique bond along with mare, Zoe. The horsewill surely be with him all the way up.

"She's a good horse. Horses the population they have been together throughout history. There's abond, almost identical to that in an infantry platoon and a herd of horses. There's this profoundnecessity of strong leadership."

Nicholls said horses are the most honest animals on this planet and that they force their riders tohunt the truth.

"Sometimes if you desire to move forward with a horse and they are not gonna, you have to lookinside and ... you will see things in yourself which you will need to change," he explained.

B.C. Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon wished Nicholls amazing riders a safe journey.

"Today we are celebrating the beginning of a good endeavour by the younger bunch of Canadianveterans," said Guichon, who welcomed the riders to be reduced by to her ranch in B.C.'s NicolaValley near Merritt.