Thank You, Equestrian Aid Foundation

I would be remiss to not thank Equestrian Aid Foundation for their tremendous help - not only with myself, but with several athletes I know.  They assist with financial help equestrian athletes from all over the world who have been hit with catastrophic illness or injury.  They have helped me as well as many athletes I know who have been devastated financially and otherwise by accidents, injuries and illness.  If you ever see a fundraiser being given by them, GO!  Encourage your friends to go.  Participate in the online events offered.  You never know when you or a loved equestrian friend may need their services.  Thank you, Eddo Hoekstra, for referring me.  Thank you, EAF, for your kindness, assistance and help.   Their website is:  www.equestrianaidfoundation.org
Or - you can click HERE!

Life at the Wilken Farm

Ghlen's First Selfie

Life at the Wilken Farm is busy and uses every skill for my daily physical therapy.  At the end of every day, I am exhausted and every muscle in my body is screaming.  But it is worth it.  The Wilken Farm is a personal/private farm of some friends of ours and they have allowed Ghlen and me to come here as we continue on our journey back to the sandbox.  They have taken us under their wing, provided a stall for Ghlen and his own personal paddock.  They allow me to stay in their extra bedroom.  I get to feed and take care of their two dogs and eight cats (kind of like the dog and cat nanny!)  They feed me (and I try to feed them some too).  Ghlen is under cameras, so I can see if he is getting into some residual epm trouble and intervene quickly if needed.  These episodes are getting fewer and further between.  They follow instructions regarding his care when I am gone.  THANK YOU, Wilken Farm owners for helping Ghlen and me make our comeback.

Ghlen is improving each day.  I am amazed at where he was and where he is now.  Each day, I allow my heart to sing a little more with Ghlen's comeback from an almost certain grave.  Ghlen is happy here and is in work 3-4 days a week.  Next week, after my surgery, I plan to bump him back up to 6 days a week, allowing each day and how he feels/is doing to dictate whether it will be a strong work day or a light work day.  Ghlen has a pasture just behind his stall we call the big boy pasture because he has become such a big boy with his being brave.  Several years ago, he was, in the words of his owner, "not very brave".  I've spent several years earning his trust, taking him purposefully into situations I knew were scarey for him but safe for us.  He is beginning to trust and to let me lead him and to look to me with questions when he is afraid, rather than taking the bit and bolting, forgetting he has a rider up there on his back.  He is so bold and powerful and now we are beginning to add the brave.  It is an awesome thing to ride such a powerful horse when there is brave behind the power!  I can't wait to show him off to the world again one day soon.  A special thank you to the Wilken's, Lori Northrup, Kathy Marshall, LV Performance, the Equestrian Aid Foundation, KER, Parson's Auto and EquitOtic - and of course, Nancy Stanton. I'm off to try and fundraise to the tune of about $200,000/year minimum....  Contact me if you have any ideas!!!

Thank you, LV Performance!

Fuzzy pic.  Sleepy baby boy with his magnetic sheet

I'd like to thank some others who have helped us on Ghlen's journey to recovery and back to the competition ring.  Today I am giving a shout out to LV Performance!

Ghlen has shivers, as everyone who knows him knows.  It has never affected his abilities and he has been national champion every time his owner, Nancy Stanton, has taken him out.  They told me when I first started with him that if he makes less than 70% on anything, he's having a bad day!  With me, in a three week span, we qualified for and were invited to the London Selection Trials in 2012 and placed 12th.  Nationally, we placed 6th.  Not nearly what I had planned, but not bad for only three weeks together on a horse that is definitely not a push button horse!

During this time, his requirements for vitamin E were 3-5,000 iu/day.  After he became ill in 2015, his requirements jumped from 3-5,000 iu's/day to 10-15,000 iu/day of Vitamin E.  This amount of naturally occurring Vitamin E has helped immensely in his comeback. 

This is where LV Performance comes in.  I order my vitamin E (among other things) from them.  Their service is quick, efficient and knowledgeable.  I can order his Vitamin E and before I know it, it is on Ghlen's stall step!  They take an interest, not only in placing your order, but in the horse and rider individually and what their needs are.  They have a great line of products from freshly batched equine sourced probiotics to supplements, leather care and insect control.  They are located in Wellington, FL.  Their website is:  www.lvperformance.com or you can click HERE.  They are a newer company and will be adding more products as they grow.  I'm sure if they don't have it, they can get it for you.  Check them out!

Update on Ghlenlivet (thank you EquiOtic!)

Well.  It's been a long, long time since I've posted here.  Ghlen has been through a lot.  I have been through a lot.  And we are both mending and heading back in the right direction.  As many of you know, Ghlen had a run in with EPM in June of 2015.  Since that time, there have been quite a few ups and downs.  He is doing well, under saddle, working on his good days (which is most days now), and is having days where his movements are even more astounding than when I first started with him.  If I can say so myself, this gorgeous mover is getting better with age.

I would never have gotten him back without the help of EquiOtic and Doug Froh.  He talked to me on the phone the night we thought we were going to lose him and offered his help.  Ghlen's response to the EquiOtic was nothing short of miraculous.  I had him on probio's.  But not live EQUINE sourced microcial probiotics.  I cannot thank Doug or EquiOtic enough.  They literally gave me my horse back.  If you have not checked them out, look them up HERE - or go to www.equiotic.com

Out goals have not change - just the timetable.  We are eyeing para nationals,  para weg, paralympics and able bodied nationals, as well as some other things, if he is able.  One day at a time but things are definitely looking upwards! As always, thank you, Nancy Stanton, for entrusting this boy with me.  I hope we can do you proud one day.