Success Stories

Better Performing Horses for Three Minnesota Trainers

Brooke knows how to make her horsey clients feel tip top! Brooke and I have worked together with many client horses but I’ve finally had the pleasure of working very closely with her on my new project horse (my 8 year old Stallion Porkchop) who had some severe high heals in back and needed the time and patience of a great farrier and the assistance of a great body worker. Through massage and FES, with Brooke’s expertise, she helped him learn how to use his body properly as he was going through the process of correcting those angles and building correct muscle.

It’s also been an amazing journey with our older boy Avi. Brooke helped him work through some old tight body habits and freed up his right shoulder and helped him with over body weakness, from compensating for so many years! As was an integral part of helping Avi debut into the Grand Prix dressage ring at age 21!

Thanks for everything Brooke!

Rachel Wolf – Wolf Equestrian and Windamawr Stables

Brooke has been an invaluable member of my team for many years now. Brooke is consistently able to not only deliver improved performance and pain relief in the form of FES and massage, but is a critical eye for complex problems, a crucial sounding board for me with all of my clients, and an excellent horsewoman. Brooke and I have brought many horses from places of being dangerous to ride, in chronic pain, or otherwise unable to work back to health and functional use. It’s hard for me to imagine doing what I do without her!

Becky Seizert – Seizert Dressage

Liz Lund – Liz Lund Equestrian and Copeland Farms

A Grand Prix Jumper with Horse Show Miles Well Beyond Her Years

Waomi is a 14 year old 1.50 meter Grand Prix jumper with horse show miles well beyond her years. I have the privilege of showing her now as her career is wrapping up however, having competed at the top of the sport for so many years Waomi faces a number of physical issues. Loss of cartilage in her hock and fetlocks, neck arthritis and kissing spine are just a few of the issues she faces while competing. Before every competition Brooke does FES on Waomi at least once but often times more. After each session I can feel a huge difference in her body carriage, soundness and jumping ability. With Brooke’s help Waomi has been able to return to jumping a height my trainer and I thought she would not be able to jump again.

Jenny Wright – Greenwich, CT

Better Racing Times for Moxie, the Barrel Horse

She LOVES her time with Brooke! Not only does her demeanor soften but she drops her head and leans into the work.

This mare tries so hard and I am so glad I found someone who can help us keep her feeling her absolute! Moxie has gone from 2d/3d times to 1d/2d times since using Brooke (1/2 second in barrel racing is a LONG time)! She was recently 5th out of 97 horses! Not only has she improved her barrel times but her pole times are improving by as much as a second and she’s won high point at several shows this season!

Brooke gives us exercises and stretches to work on between sessions which gives me peace of mind too and keeps things in track! I am forever grateful to have Brooke on our team (or her allowing us to be in hers), knowing Moxie is feeling great gives me the confidence to enjoy all our special moments. Brooke has changed the game for us! Thank you Brooke for all you do for us, the work that keeps Moxie happy and the encouragement that keeps us going!

Staci McGuire – Zimmerman, MN

FES and a Quarter Horse Named Penny – Cutting Cows Again After a Suspensory Injury

Jen Havice: “With Brooke’s deep commitment to helping Penny recover from her injury, I got my horse back better than ever. I went from thinking I may never be able to cut cows with this horse again to riding in a clinic later that same year.”

In late April of 2017, one of my client’s horses, Penny, came in from the pasture noticeably lame on her left front leg. Concerned the lameness was more than an abscess, my client, Jen, decided to have her veterinarian come out for a consultation and exam.

What the vet found during his examination with ultrasound: 

• 2 out of 5 lameness on the left front in-hand
• Edema in the metacarpal and pastern regions
• Palpable pain over the midbody of the left front suspensory ligament
• Exacerbation of the lameness to 3 out of 5+ with digital pressure placed on the suspensory ligament
• Loss of fiber pattern and echogenicity in the midbody of the suspensory ligament about 9cm from the origin of the suspensory ligament

The assessment and prognosis

The veterinarian categorized Penny’s injury as a suspensory desmitis (ligament inflammation.) Based on the location of the tear in the midbody and Jen’s quick intervention, he gave her a cautiously optimistic prognosis that Penny’s suspensory would heal and the mare could go back to work in 6-8 months.

Jen Havice: “At first, I was shattered by the diagnosis. Even if Penny did heal completely, she may never go back to cutting cattle. None of the vets I spoke to had very encouraging words to say about that. And the thought of a potential 8-month recovery seemed like a nightmare. I wasn’t sure how to make sense of all the information.”

Penny’s therapy plan

Jen’s veterinarian suggested three shockwave therapy treatments spaced out over a 6-week period along with stall rest and unlimited walking under saddle or by hand.

Her veterinarian and I determined that FES therapy would be helpful to reduce inflammation and scar tissue build-up. In addition, Jen would ice, wrap, and laser the leg herself whenever possible.

At the beginning of May, I started FES on Penny.

Each therapy session included both front legs in order to determine what Penny’s “normal” inflammation response to the FES would be compared to the injured leg and provide support for the non-injured leg to reduce the chances of compensatory issues during the rehabilitation process.

Weeks 1-2: FES sessions every other day

Weeks 2-5: FES sessions once a week

Weeks 5-16: FES sessions once a month

The Outcome

At penny’s 6-week recheck with her veterinarian, he determined from the ultrasound that:

• The suspensory desmitis was markedly improved
• Fiber alignment was excellent
• Echogenicity was very good
• There was only a small area of enlargement

We continued with once a month FES sessions through August in order to support the recovery process while Penny went back into regular work. By the end of June, the vet cleared Penny for all day turnout with the herd and to slowly add cantering to her work program.

The mare eased into full work in July. Jen has been able to successfully ride Penny in several cutting clinics since her recovery.

Note: FES therapy was only one part of the horse’s rehabilitation protocol (see Penny’s Therapy Plan above.) Many factors may have contributed to the final outcome of which FES can be considered one.