Elena Flaharty

Elena’s journey with horses all started when she was seven years old. A neighbor

introduced her to the world of horses, and she has lived in it almost every day ever since. The

only reprieve came during college when she sold her horse due to a lack of available time. In

regards to this time, Elena said: “I realized when I did not have a horse how much I needed a

horse...for my sanity.” This realization led Elena to purchase Lola, the horse she named when

asked which horse in throughout her lifetime she’s had the strongest bond with, and eventually to

building her own barn and training business.

As the owner and trainer at Rise Above Equestrian, Elena works on a daily basis with

both her own horses and those of her clients. When asked for her perspective on the relationship

between horses and humans, Elena explained, “So, the trust that you have to gain with these

huge animals is immense and I think it takes patience and understanding and respect and kind of

special...modes, I guess, of training or philosophies…” Elena’s enormous respect for horses

shines through in the way she anticipates and fulfills their every need, including--but not limited

to--feeding three times a day, grooming, bathing, lunging, giving them each a chance to go out

and run around, and plenty of treats and love. They, in turn, giver her a sense of peace.

When asked how working with horses affects her overall wellbeing, Elena said,

“Knowing it influences my mental health has positively affected me because I know what I need

to do if I’m feeling anxiety or depression or whatever.” And just as the horses provide Elena with

emotional support she returns that same understanding to them, proving that the horse-human

relationship is a beautiful, symbiotic partnership.

 Kate El-Bizri
Kate El-Bizri grew up caring for her grandmother’s Welsh Harness ponies: “...she just

grabbed me when I was very very young and was like “Here’s how you walk a pony. Here’s how

you touch them. Here’s how you groom them.” When she was 10, she received her first pony of

her own, Aclu, who was “...was like a dream come true…” and was Kate’s best friend for

“...years and years and years.” Being around horses is so deeply ingrained in Kate that when they

weren’t a part of her life she felt as though there were a “hole” in her life that was only filled

once he began riding again.

Why does Kate enjoy working with horses? “Part of it’s that I always have,” she says, but

“...part of it is also like I said, the stress relief and the anxiety relief. To have that in my life is

really important.” When Kate is working with horses, she can be “completely mindful” and she

learns a lot: how to properly tack up a horse, how to adjust tack, how to tell if a horse’s tack has

been improperly put on, and, more importantly, hard work and how to deal with stress,

competition, and failure.

Many of these lessons have come from Kate’s favorite memories, most of which include

showing and succeeding despite adversity. In one such case, Kate fainted during a class due to

dehydration and poor nutrition. She got right back up and on her pony and finished the class

though, winning reserve champion of the show. In another instance, showed the horse she’d been

leasing for about a week and a half at the last minute and won reserve champion of the class.

Kate’s story shows how horses can teach persistence and provide a calming influence in one’s

life.
 Sharon Dulava
Sharon’s fascination with horses has existed as long as her earliest memories, and the

moment the local riding school would let her--age seven--she began lessons. Her fascination with

horses developed into a respectful admiration as she began to understand the extent of the impact

that working with horses had on her. Sharon explained how horses affected her life in an

interview, saying, “Horses and the community around them have always helped center me when

stress and daily struggles of life start to affect me.” Sharon, like many others, learned how to face

and effectively manage her emotions due to the influence of horses and the community with

which they provided her. In fact, all of Sharon’s favorite horse moments revolve around feeling

connected with the horse she was riding or working with and her favorite activity to do with

horses is “...to play on the ground and just goof around with them, especially when the horse is

really engaged…” Sharon’s emotional connection to all horses is abundantly clear--not just from

the interview but from the way she interacts with them--but her connection with her horse

Hudson is the most special of all.

Having never being able to have a horse as a child she never let herself become “truly

emotionally attached” to any one horse. When asked about their relationship, she stated: “I feel

like I know Hudson completely, and I love and respect him for all his quirks and charms. He is a

complicated individual that I truly love and trust.” Sharon’s relationship with Hudson has

developed into unconditional love and unquestioning trust, providing them both with comfort

and a sense of security. Their relationship, along with the rest of Sharon’s story, is proof that the

horse-human relationship is incredibly emotionally rewarding.

 Lily Branca
Lily Branca is a promising young equestrian who, despite only having ridden for “about 2

½ years,” is already showing at Intro and Training Level Dressage and shows a deep love and

respect for the horses, the sport, and the equestrian community. The impact that riding has had

on her life has been extremely positive, both emotionally and just in general. “They [horses]

have made my life much happier and they teach me so many things that people can not,” Lily

stated in an interview, and the excitement she shows for working with horses is undeniable. The

smile on her face says it all, as does the fact that she never turns down the chance to ride,

regardless of the horse or how much she’s already ridden that day. When Lily is around horses,

she feels “Extremely happy, confident, and like I can do anything.” Lily’s confidence is nurtured

by the supportive environment she in which spends so much of her free time, and it grows due to

the leadership role she must adopt when working with the horses.

There are two horses with which Lily has a “deep connection.” The first, Lola, Lily

described as “...she was the first horse I ever did more advanced things with and had my first

show on.” Lily is so close to Lola due to the important experiences they shared together, and the

ways in which Lola helped her grow. As for the second horse, Odin, Lily said, “He makes me

very happy whenever I have the opportunity to ride him.” Lily’s relationship with Odin is based

upon an emotional connection rather than a shared history. The fact that Lily formed close

relationships with two horses for completely different reasons proves that the horse-human

relationship is complex. The joy and confidence these relationships bring her prove that the

dynamic is beneficial as a whole.

 Lynwen Royet
Joy. Responsibility. Selflessness. Loyalty and true friendship. Appreciation. Patience.

Resilience. These are the things that Lynwen Royet will tell you that horses have taught her.

Anyone else who’s spent years riding would probably agree with this list, arguing if only to

expand its contents. Lynwen began riding when she was nine and has done jumping, hunters,

dressage, and trail riding. When asked how she feels when she is around horses, she replied,

“Like I was where I was supposed to be & constantly excited and happy.” Lynwen experiences

the positive emotional benefit of working with horses that almost all equestrians report, but her

sense of belonging goes deeper than the average rider’s. For Lynwen, her reasoning for working

with horses is the following: “Because it’s in my blood that I have to be around them. It feels so

normal and natural to be near them and riding them.” This explanation shows that being with

horses isn’t just about feeling happy; it’s a part of who Lynwen is.

And the horse that’s called to her the most? The thoroughbred mare she owned for 10

years, Angel Miss. This is the horse she named when asked the horse she’d been closest to and

why, saying, “I learned as much from her as she did from me.” Lynwen also described how in

the beginning Angel Miss would take off as soon as she got on but “By the time we each trained

the other…” the pair could do everything from cross country to first level dressage to trail rides

up on Mt. Diablo. Lynwen’s love for horses and her relationship with Angel Miss, in particular,

are evidence not only of the emotional benefit and support they can provide but of the powerful

bond a person can create with a horse given enough time, patience, persistence, and compassion.
 Erin Bai
Horses have always been a part of Erin Bai’s life. “Riding and being around horses has

been my passion and release since I can remember,” she stated in an interview and the fact that

she’s ridden for over 30 years is a testament to that statement. Riding “was everything” as a

child, and now that Erin is an adult it is something she shares with her daughters and does to

relieve stress. Erin rides because “Being around horses relaxed me and feeds my soul,” she said,

and that it is “...the one thing that really relaxes me.”

Over the years, certain horses and experiences have stood out. The two horses that have

left a lasting impression on Erin are Chloe and Lola. Chloe was the first horse Erin owned as an

adult, and Erin describes Chloe as “She is me in horse form.” Lola was “love at first sight” and is

the horse that Erin has brought along from the first lunge to the first show. The experiences that

stand out to her are the firsts. Her first show with Chloe, in which they placed fourth when Erin

wasn’t even sure they would get in the arena. Or her girls’ first championship wins on Lola,

which she said “...made my world to see all three of my kids succeed.” Sharing her passion with

her daughters gives them something in common, and makes horses that much more important to

Erin. Riding has brought peace, joy, and an opportunity for bonding with her family into Erin’s

life. Through horses shes has learned not only how to experience and manage her own emotions,

but how to help others do so.

 Gaynor Jones
Gaynor Jones may be relatively new to the riding, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t

experienced the emotional benefits of the sport. Though she took lessons “...for about 5 years as

a kid from age 8-12,” and has been in lessons for about 3 years as an adult, Gaynor still feels as

though she has a lot to learn. That doesn’t mean she hasn’t learned anything, however. Gaynor

said that as a child riding taught her “...patience, discipline, how to be present within the

moment, how to respect animals and connect with them.” These values are still present in

Gaynor’s relationships with horses today. When asked the horse related skill of which she was

the proudest, Gaynor responded: “I guess I’m proud of the effort I put into making a connection

with the horse I am riding.” Horses taught Gaynor how to build these connections, and she has

now returned to share her learned compassion with them.

Gaynor grew up in Australia, and most of her riding was out on the trails, where she

would often spot kangaroos amongst the trees. “It was pretty magical,” she exclaimed when

recalling the experience. Being around horses has always been special to Gaynor for a multitude

of reasons. The first is that it forces her to be present, which not only helps her connect with the

horse she is working with but distracts her from her chronic pain. As she says, “There is no time

for me to think about the pain in my back or neck or my focus will be broken and the riding will

be negatively affected as a result.” The other component of spending time with horses that is

special to Gaynor is the relaxing atmosphere it provides for her. While Gaynor may still be

learning how to ride, it is very clear that horses have already taught her so much about

compassion for and connection with others.

 Nicole Royet
Horses both keep Nicole Royet grounded and set her free.​ This is because Nicole has

anxiety and depression which are alleviated by riding. In an interview she said “They [horses]

have helped me gain control and manage my anxiety as well as depression.” Nicole also stated

that she felt as though horses had impacted her life in a very positive way. As for her connection

with the horses themselves, Nicole stated “I feel very spiritually connected and at one with

them.” More specifically, Nicole feels a connection with Big, a horse she rode for a number of

months and with whom she formed an immediate bond. She says the two of them “learned

together” and that they always worked together nicely, “...almost like we were a whole.”

Despite having ridden for 2 years, Nicole’s favorite memory is still cantering for the first

time, which she described as “​I felt free, almost like I was flying,” and described the moment as

one she would never forget. Her favorite activity is grooming “because you get to spend quality

time with the horse,” and she is most proud of the new skills she learns. Working with horses

gives Nicole the opportunity to relax and enjoy herself while also building relationships.

Although the relief from her ailments may not last beyond the walls of the barn, the temporary

relief provided by the presence of a horse gives Nicole the chance to escape for a while, allowing

her to manage her emotions and--in developing connections with the horses--to improve her

ability to recognize and address the others’ emotions.

 Morgan Wilmoth
Like many other girls, Morgan Wilmoth dreamed of having a horse of her own, but it

wasn’t until her college years at Arizona State University that she was finally able to pursue her

equestrian dreams. “​Since then they have driven my college major, what I’d like to do with my

life, and so much more,” Morgan stated in an interview. That was about 6 years ago, and

Morgan’s had many memorable experiences and learned plenty from the horse world since then.

An Off-the-track-Thoroughbred, Red, taught Morgan “...the basics of jumping, how to train both

on the ground and in the saddle, and how to be a true horsewoman.” Morgan rode in both

English and Western styles and competed in low-level pleasure shows in both disciplines in

addition to horsemanship in hand and low-level hunter/jumper shows.

Although she has learned extensive amounts of horsemanship, Morgan also recognizes

the life skills she’s learned from working with horses. Though she does name stress management

and confidence like many others, Morgan said the skill she is the most proud of is her courage.

“Riding can be intimidating and people forget that sometimes we lose a bit of our nerve as we

get older. I have definitely lost some of mine, but getting back on, or staying on, let’s me gain

some of it back,” Morgan explained. In many ways, Morgan’s story as a whole is about courage.

She pursued her dreams despite the timing and was rewarded with wonderful memories, a

community that is like family, and a resurgence of that original courage and excitement that drew

her to horses in the first place.

 Evelyn Sucher
Evelyn is a 15-year-old girl whose love for life and all things horses is unparalleled. Due

to a rare genetic mutation, Evelyn has seizures, autism, low muscle tone, pulmonary issues and

orthopedic issues, and despite all her health challenges she manages to be the happiest, brightest

person I know. Evelyn has been riding since the age of 5, and her love for horses can be seen in

everything from her favorite TV show (​Spirit​ on Netflix) and the way she introduces herself to

others as “Cowgirl Evie.” Even just talking to Evelyn about horses, her excitement can be seen

through her beaming smile and heard through the joyous tone she adopts.

When it comes to how riding has impacted Evelyn’s life, her mother Liz believes that

“...it’s so good for her in so many ways.” This includes the long-documented physical benefit,

the fulfillment of Evie’s high sensory input needs, the social aspect of being around both horses

and all the people at the barn, and the everyday skills--like counting and following

instructions--that are incorporated into her lessons. Horses are also a source of bonding between

Evelyn and her parents, who were both avid riders earlier in their lives; Liz even calls Evie’s

riding “...an enriching experience for both her and us.” Evelyn is enriched through the skills she

learns, while her parents are enriched by witnessing their daughter’s growth and joy.

Riding improves Evelyn’s life by granting her the ability to learn in a fun, safe

environment that welcomes her wholeheartedly. She can learn to express and manage her

emotions appropriately while also develop everyday skills and having several needs fulfilled.

Her parents gain an opportunity to bond with their daughter and to continue to watch her

blossom into the wonderful young woman she is becoming.