https://www.forestacresretreats.com/

Forest Acres Retreats and Events, Jamestown, NY (2026)

04/12/2026

He came to visit from CO 🐴💙 And KeKe was in love. It wasn’t a therapy visit… this guy’s a horseman, so he knows the power of horses.
But seeing him with my horses made me think about how it’s hard for guys to ask for help. (Most of our 1:1 clients are women.)
Resistance to talking things over is real - it can often make you feel like you’re reliving trauma or stress.
With horses, you don’t have to talk about anything at all.
Which is why sometimes calm happens in the barn, not in a clinic.
Studies prove again and again that equine-assisted experiences like this are one of the 3 most beneficial therapies for people with PTSD.

03/26/2026

Outdoor art is back in session and Mr B wants all the attention on him. 🐴🎨

03/14/2026

My friend Larissa is tempting me to plan an experience with the wild horses surrounding her retreat center in Puerto Rico! A tropical paradise perfect for yoga and equine-assisted activities awaits.
I was excited to open a surprise package from her to find this book, “Becoming Happy: 30 Ways to Heal Your Mind, Body and Soul”, a compilation of perspectives from several authors, by Kim Somers Egelsee. The book made it to #1 on Amazon. Reading Larissa’s chapter, “Horse as Healer”, reminded me of the impact a horse can have on someone who might not be taking time for themselves.

Larissa and I became friends over our shared passion for how horses help people. I’m grateful for women like Larissa who are bringing depth, care, and lived experience into conversations about healing and happiness.

Our work at and is all about that: honoring the nervous system, protecting time, and building meaningful work and connections while respecting horses.

03/10/2026

At our recent Auckland cadaver workshop, we worked on the foot of a pony that died with what most would describe as classic “coke-can feet” - inside P3 would be termed "rotated".

Pre-trim >> 69mm heels.
Post-trim >> 23mm heels.

We trimmed and rebalanced the hoof capsule, and once the distortion of the hoof capsule was removed, P3 returned to its neutral, ground-parallel position immediately.

In ONE TRIM.

Yes - we absolutely would have done this on a live horse. In one trim.

Because every moment that pony was forced to stand on the tip of P3, the bone was slowly starving itself of its own blood supply - beginning the agonising process of osteonecrosis - bone death.

Rehabilitation for this little pony could have started from that realignment moment forward. Just like it could for so many equines right now - if old science would just get out of the way.

Old science, with old outdated theories, that do not stand up to scrutiny on live horses, are conditioning owners to believe something that is not true.

P3 100% cannot rotate independently in a hoof capsule. They've never proved it, not in one peer-reviewed paper - yet you still believe it.

And us? We can prove on every 'de-rotation' trim that those old theories were just simply that - theories.

In the sagittal section on this hoof you can see:

>> Yellow outline - P3

>> Dotted yellow line - where the palmar processes would be (not visible because the cut is through the middle of the foot)

>> Blue line - the inner hoof wall

Between these lines you can clearly see the laminar separation.

This separation was not caused by diet. It never is. In all the 1000s and 1000s of hooves alive and dead that we have seen like this, not one has ever been consistently balanced.

That is huge. Because that means all the current theories surrounding that word "laminitis" were wrong.

In the real world, out of the manipulation of a lab, hooves do not rip apart because the horse ate too much grass, or got in the feed bin, or had a retained placenta.

The imbalance WAS ALREADY THERE. But no-one spotted it. Like a magician's slight of hand, you were all conditioned to look the other way.

Laminae tear because of hoof capsule divergence (HCD) - the hoof capsule growing on diverging planes that no longer match their internal structures.

And when the capsule is brought back into alignment, P3 comes back with it - immediately.

We prove this every time we perform a realignment trim.

But the result of imbalanced hoof care leading to HCD is always 100% predictable, repeatable, and tragic:

>> The hoof capsule diverges, the horse is forced onto the tip of P3, and laminar separation follows.

We correct feet like this every single day.

Sometimes we get to them in time. Sometimes we do not - because too much P3 osteonecrosis has already occurred.

If the current laminitis theories were correct - particularly the idea that P3 rotates independently after laminar failure (SADP theory) - this realignment would not be possible. P3 would keep 'moving'.

But on real horses, in real feet, we see the same thing again and again - once distortion is corrected, alignment returns - and P3 STAYS WHERE IT IS PUT.

You may look at the realigned section of this foot and think the toe looks long now.

It is not long. It is distorted.

The toe is actually SHORTER in length than the “coke-can” section - it simply sits on a completely different plane.

But if this was a live pony, someone would no doubt shout - "take that toe off" - and then the entire process of divergence would begin all over again. No doubt the fate of this poor pony.

And the reason why the world is stuck believing that "laminitis is a terrible disease".

Every day equines are being pts for this very problem, all over the world.

Equines are suffering - and dying - from trimming practices that chop the toe while allowing the heels to rise.

The result is then blamed on a metabolic cascade causing laminar failure and P3 rotation. That has NEVER BEEN PROVEN.

But when you look inside the foot, the story is very different.

And that is exactly what we are showing you. All you have to do, is open your eyes.

HM.

Help us stop this and learn how to truly balance a foot - join our free rehab group The Phoenix Way: Path 2 Hoof Health

02/26/2026

I grew up on a 100-acre farm (Forest Acres) in Jamestown, New York, where horses weren’t just a hobby…they were heritage.

Left: me at 6 1/2, perched on Jasper, one of our ponies, legs too short for the stirrups. Riding was just something I did most days.

If the horses decided to take off, I had no choice. I had to figure out how to stay on, keep my balance, and roll with it.

Right: me today, celebrating horses that have had rough lives; and helping leaders, healthcare professionals, and high-achievers navigate challenges that show up.

Helping them stay steady and shift gracefully when life suddenly accelerates.

That little girl on a pony taught me an early lesson: sometimes, you have to step up before you’re ready.

Growth doesn’t wait for perfect timing or confidence.

It comes from showing up, holding on, and figuring it out as you go.

➕ What’s one time you had to step up before you were ready… and what did it teach you?

Dena Garfield

02/24/2026

Italy is considering a major shift in how it treats horses.

A new bill in the Italian Parliament would recognize horses, donkeys, and mules as companion animals instead of livestock. If it passes, it could permanently end the slaughter and sale of horse meat in the country.

Horse meat has been part of some regional traditions in Italy. But times are changing. Consumption has dropped over the years. Many people now see horses as companions, not food.

Supporters say this bill reflects modern values and stronger animal protection. It would also require stricter tracking, microchipping, and serious penalties for illegal slaughter. Critics argue it could hurt certain industries and erase cultural traditions.

The law has not passed yet. It is still under debate. But if approved, Italy could take a historic step toward protecting equines nationwide.

For many Americans who see horses as partners, athletes, and family companions, this story hits close to home. The world is watching to see what Italy decides next.

References:

- The Guardian... Horse meat set to be banned in Italy amid draft equine bill
- Indeks Online... Italy to ban horse meat consumption

02/24/2026

This is the kind of cool we like to share with our leaders.

Whether it’s during a restorative movement and mindset session, a leadership development intensive, or a horse connection, there’s progress in the pause.

When asked how she stays steady, triple-gold medalist Eileen Gu shifts her energy.

When she’s skiing, her mind recovers.
When she’s modeling, her body recovers.
When she’s at school, her body recovers.

There’s power in that shift.

02/23/2026

We started in the barn with watercolor paper on the easel, the late afternoon light slipping in through the open doors while the horses shifted softly behind us, hooves settling into shavings and the quiet smell of hay and warm wood filling the space.

The paint came first, and then the torn tissue paper scraps, which quickly became his favorite part. He dabbed and layered and pressed each piece down with total focus, watching the colors blend and gather in their own way, building something that felt entirely his. There was no hurry, no instruction, no attempt to redirect his pace. I simply stood nearby and reminded him, you can take your time here, take as long as you want on your masterpiece.

The barn has a way of holding that kind of permission. Nothing rushes you there. The horses breathe long and deep sighs, the dust hangs in the light, and time feels slower.

When we moved over to the horses, that same energy carried with us. A hand resting on a wet coat, the steady rise and fall of breath under our palms, the quiet adjustment of feet as we stood side by side.

He loved the partner poses too…finding balance together, noticing how small shifts in posture can change everything. Even sitting in the hay wasn’t a concern.

By the end, the barn felt softer somehow, as if the painting and the movement and the simple act of not hurrying had settled into the beams along with us. And like every session, something new unfolded. Not because we expected it, but because we gave it room.

02/18/2026

🔥 Today marks the official start of the Year of the Fire Horse.
In Chinese astrology, the Fire Horse represents unstoppable momentum, courage, independence, and transformation.
Those born under this sign are passionate leaders who refuse to be tamed…not because they’re wild, but because they know their own power.
I’m feeling that energy right now.

This morning, I watched my mare choose a nonverbal client and wrap her neck around him, the same way she’s only done once before, with a woman in deep emotional pain. After that moment of pure connection, he painted. Watercolor on paper. Colors bleeding into each other. Something beautiful enough to frame.

Yesterday, seven young girls stood on a stage after our session and taught yoga poses to their peers. Eight years old and leading with confidence. During our nutrition session, a child tried blueberries for the first time and said “I love them now.”
These aren’t just sessions. They’re moments of transformation.
A horse knowing what a human needs before words are spoken.
A child discovering courage she didn’t know she had.
Another child’s world expanding with a single brave bite.
Already in 2026, we’ve helped find homes for 5 horses. Women have found the courage to leave loveless relationships and dead-end jobs… only to start their own businesses and unlock their natural gifts to share them with the world.
This is what Equine Union International is built on. Not just programs. Not just outcomes.
Beauty. Connection. Impact. Moments that change everything.
And it’s moving beyond just me, beyond just my city. The momentum is building.
But I don’t want to do this alone.
If you’ve been watching…if something in you has been saying “I want to be part of this beauty” ……
This is the year.
Come with me.
Comment FIRE and let’s talk about what role you play in what’s next.

02/05/2026

SUBJECT: Regarding Your Request to Rehome Horses
It has come to my attention that it is common for my friends, colleagues, clients and community to be contacted, very, very regularly (sometimes 3-6 times per month) by other working equine professionals, with the request that "we" absorb horses from their programs due to those horses aging out, being unsound, or deemed unsuited for the training outcomes of someones program. This has become so common it is no longer surprising that "people like us" are seen as caring, empathic and safe homes for overspill of the industry.

Anyone reading who is often approached like this, and is looking for a way to reply to these applicants, the applicants are very seldom coming from friends or colleagues and are usually from totally unknown persons, and you would like a clear, not-mincing-of-words way to reply in a manner that outlines your ethical stance, holds others to a higher standard, and invites them to resolve an overflow problem in a collaborative manner, I attach below email copy for you to use. Feel free to soften the tone if you feel that's right for you. I have not softened the tone, because I believe it is the responsibility of all horse-work programs to factor in the lifelong care of the majority of horses they take in, and begin to stop treating these animals as disposable.

Dear (name of applicant)

SUBJECT: Regarding Your Request to Rehome Horses

Dear (name of applicant)

Thank you for reaching out. We need to be very clear and upfront: we are not able to take on or re-home horses from your program, particularly those being displaced due to age, illness, or perceived lack of talent or prospect for the training outcomes in your program. Our work is not that of a retirement facility or overflow solution for programs that can no longer accommodate the long-term outcomes of their training and business decisions. Asking private individuals or small operations to absorb this responsibility shifts the burden away from where it ethically belongs and does not reflect respect for the animal as a lifelong commitment.

That said, we do believe strongly that the responsibility for a horse’s full lifespan must be built into any professional training operation, and when this is no longer possible, it is important to examine why. As a constructive alternative, we are willing to offer consulting support to help you to identify the structural reasons your program is struggling to safely accommodate horses long term. This is not rescue work, but professional analysis intended to address root causes rather than symptoms. The outcome of this consulting arm of my work is to maximise the number of safe homes for an industry over populated with horses while under populated with responsible long term stewardship.

Specifically, we can offer:
(1) a program and inventory audit to assess horse intake, throughput, and exit strategies;
(2) a financial and cost-of-care analysis to evaluate whether pricing, volume, or resource allocation is creating unsustainable pressure on your program and business; and
(3) a training and outcome review to examine how expectations around performance, age, and soundness are influencing disposal decisions.

Engaging in this kind of assessment is, in our view, a basic sign of respect for the animals whose labor underpins the industry we love so much and work so hard to uphold. If you wish to pursue this route, you are welcome to let us know. This offer would be a 3-6 week assessment, depending on the outcomes of the assessment and include an actionable plan for you to implement if you so choose to.

Kind regards,
----

Forest Acres Retreats and Events

04/12/2026

03/26/2026

03/14/2026

03/10/2026

02/26/2026

02/24/2026

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02/23/2026

02/18/2026

02/05/2026

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