ateasehorsecare.com :: Testimonials

My name is Roiane Evans and I am the owner of a 27 year young rescued Thoroughbred. His barn name is "Boss". This lovely gentleman came to me two years ago through a client that was going to Europe. People that had him where moving off my clients property and had no home for him. I went to check him out as a possible lesson horse. His history is a little sketchy, as far as we could find out he was bred to race but that did not work out for him; he was then bought for a polo mount. This worked out very well for the owner as he used him in polo competitions for many years. With detailed observation I noted from Bosses, his neck, shoulder, back, hip and leg injuries clearly indicated that this sport had been very hard on him. The extraordinary neglect of his feet after two years is still an ongoing struggle.

But miracles do happen, there is a plan and along comes Yvonne Allen. An amazing talent, Yvonne is a forward thinking individual who is dedicated to her work. Yvonne puts her hands on horses and can often transform years of pain and immobility into grace and fluid motion! The treatments that where done for Boss has restored flexibility, mobility in his joints as well as aid in suppling his muscles. This is a horse that could not round out enough to back up more than three steps before having to defend and turn side ways because of pain. Now he moves back with ease. He has lost the choppy trot and now moves forward in a relaxed long motion. Truly when I see him romping in the field with his pals like a two year old I know this would not have been possible without Yvonne Allen and At Ease Equine Body Care. Put a plan of care together for your "Boss" and you will see and feel the difference!

Yours from the Heart in our Golden Years;
Roiane and Boss

Hilary & Gucci’s Story

In July of 2006, my husband Mike and I adopted a 24 yr old Arab mare named Hilary. She was a boarder where I went riding and the owners had decided to put her down. She had been rescued once before, from the slaughterhouse in 2004. When we mentioned an interest in adopting her, they were thrilled that she would get another home. When Hilary moved in, she was very thin, her coat was dull and smelly, matted, and she had rain rot. We were told she wouldn't make it through the winter. Nevertheless, we decided to take her in and give her a place to either retire or die naturally.

We knew nothing about owning a horse so first we went down the long road to find out how to feed her. We asked everyone - people with horses, vets, feed stores, farriers, we even went to trade shows. And every time we asked for advice we got a different answer leaving us completely confused. A friend who knew we always looked for natural ways to care for us and our pets recommended calling Yvonne Allen. It was the best thing we ever did. Yvonne was a wealth of information, not only for advice on nutrition but for farrier, homeopath for horses, therapy, whatever we asked she had an answer or a referral. We were thrilled. In the fall, we met Yvonne at the Mane Event Expo in Chilliwack and she knew of an older mare (16 years old) that needed a home. She remembers fondly the look on my husband’s face who politely asked “Honey, what is a mare?” We agreed to meet her and 2 months later, Gucci, an enormous 17.2 hand brood mare who could not longer produce babies, was ours.

All this happened almost 2 years ago. Since then, the ‘girls’, as we like to call them, are healthy, happy horses that knicker when they see us coming. Hilary’s coat is now full and lush, she is maintaining a good weight and her arthritis was nothing more than a pinched nerve in her back. Gucci who was overweight and had a limp (due to an accident when she was 2 years old) who cribbed constantly is now at a healthy weight for her size Her limp has improved dramatically and she hardly ever cribs. Once in a while, we catch them both running in the pasture, playing and just being ‘horses’. It is so wonderful to watch.

This past winter, Yvonne came here for a day to teach us the magic of healing with Shiatsu. What a wonderful way to say thank you to those wonderful animals that do so much for us and ask nothing in return. Gucci, who we could barely touch when we got her, is now putty in Mike’s hands. When he massages her, she puts her head on his shoulder or back and is completely relaxed. It is so wonderful to have this special bond between with our horses. We are so grateful to have met Yvonne. She is the most passionate, caring, energetic and vibrant person - her enthusiasm is infectious. On behalf of our ‘girls’, thank you Yvonne for being the wonderful person that you are.

Recently I had the opportunity to take part in the At Ease Equine Body Care Shiatsu Short Course with Yvonne Allen. After completing this intensive day of learning and hands on treatment I feel ready to practice my new skills and apply them to my own horses. As a competitive Hunter/Jumper rider it is important to me to be able to tend to my horses muscles after a hard day of competition. With the new skills that I acquired during the short course, I will now be able to help my horses perform at their best and guard against injuries. Thank you so much to Yvonne for offering this service to horse owners.

Diane and Hoofer

Yvonne's Equine Shiatsu Massage short course was an enjoyable experience for both Hoofer and myself. The massage skills were easy to learn and were presented at a relaxed pace. Yvonne used a variety of visual methods and demonstrations, as well as involving me with lots of "hands-on practice". In addition, I am delighted with the colorful manual to continue at-home study with. We had fun! Hoofer loved this relaxation massage time and I know that from using the techniques I learned today, both she and our family dog will benefit with increased well-being.

July 18, 2006
Diane Paine,

Linda and Jacob

January 31, 2007
Hi Yvonne,

I gave Jacob a full body massage today. It took me about two hours but I was really taking my time to get familiar with where the muscle groups were and to be sure I was going down the right lines. I had read the manual and highlighted the different techniques so it was easy to flow into the next.

His left side needs more work than the right; much tighter through the neck and shoulders. He absolutely loves the cross fibre part as well as having his groin area massaged. He stuck his leg out sideways to get more, it was hilarious! After I was finished he just clung to me and then decided to have multiple rolls. Now that’s a relaxed horse!

I know the importance of keeping fit and all the components that prevent injuries. I have been doing stretching with Jacob for several years now; all the ones you have in your manual. I didn't have a good massage program though as I wasn’t able to get into where Jacob needed it the most. Your program is going to fit the bill. Thank you so much!!!!

Anyways, you presented everything extremely well and I really appreciated the hands on work and your help in making sure I was doing it right. I really got alot out of the clinic.

Also, I must mention to you that I had the best nights sleep after the massage you gave me. As well I would be very interested in the At Ease Body Care Newsletter you have developed.

Thank you so much,
Linda Buchanan

Diane Paine, B.H.Ec., B.F.R.P. Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner & Hoofer

Yvonne Allen is dedicated to working with horses in a holistic, natural way. Blessed with an open and inquiring mind, she searches for the truth in any given situation. She is committed to working with various modalities to create an individualized plan that best meets the needs of each horse.

I have known Yvonne for many years and it is my experience that she relates to horses with a sense of enthusiasm and integrity that is very special. My mare has carried a lot of muscle tension and does not open up easily to having strangers work with her; she loved Yvonne's caring "hands on" approach. I observed my mare voluntarily leave her herd buddies and a field of grass to approach Yvonne so that she could enjoy nurturing sessions of gentle body work. My mare sensed Yvonne's deep sensitivity to her and to this day she holds a loving connection to Yvonne.

Yvonne maintains great faith in the ability to promote progress for an animal and will continue with steady dedication until well being is accomplished. Yvonne is sincere, joyful and connects to the heart of every animal she works with.

Diane Paine, B.H.Ec., B.F.R.P. Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner

Sharon Wells-Ackermans & Laddie

Thank you for the micro current session you did for Laddie. As you know, Laddie is a 17 hand thoroughbred that was brutally jumped at a young age and developed navicular disease because of it. His bone degeneration will most likely never recover fully, but with proper nutrition, a responsible program of activity and specific attention to increasing circulation, I am able to ride him with no lameness apparent.

The micro-current sessions that you performed every week for months was, in my opinion, responsible for kicking off his recovery process by stimulating circulation in the feet. One year later he has remarkable hoof growth, is no longer walking on his heels, and both his farrier and his vet have remarked on how well he has done.

Thanks, Yvonne
Sharon Wells-Ackermans

Thea MacKenzie - Classic & Harley

In January, 2004, Yvonne began working with our 21 year old Paint Stallion, The Classic. For an extended period of time Classic had been suffering from founder, a bad quarter crack in a hind hoof and some kind of hip injury we are sure was caused from a mare in his pasture during his breeding years.These conditions were causing alot of grief for Classic.

Yvonne diligently worked with Classic's hooves with the Equi-Stim Leg Saver and also used McLaren Photonic Therapy as well as a hands on approach to promote relief and healing of these conditions. Classic showed us his response by using his breath to help release the built up pain and tension that was locked up inside his body. From time to time he would let out a soft, gentle nicker while focusing his attention on Yvonne. (Classic was a very communicative horse and always let us know what was working for him!) His movement afterwards was remarkably less stressed and his emotional state uplifted due to the relief his body had experienced.

For a period of time Classic was also having some problems with fertility. Yvonne used protocols from Brian McLaren's; DVM, Photonic Light Therapy Manual to stimulate acu-points on his body and in a few days his sperm mortality increased. Yvonne was also a huge help for us with our injured mare, Harley. No one thought this mare would survive her injuries but with Yvonne's dedication and willingness to try, I am VERY happy to say Harley has made a remarkable almost 100% recovery. This mare was bent in a C-shape with alot of head and neck pain. Now she travels straight and moves beautifully. The only remnants of this injury left is a slight bit of neck pain that I do believe we will help with a bit more therapy. It was a pleasure having Yvonne work on Classic and Harley. I noted how diligent and reliable she was with her efforts as well as her never ending quest of educating herself, so that she can better serve our equine friends.

Thea MacKenzie,
MacKenzie Meadows

Yvonne's massage course was one of the best things I have done for me and my horses in a long time. We were a group of 5 people with 4 horses to practice on and it was a very informative day. Yvonne was very organized and had a well planned course outline for the group. We learned the different shiatsu massage techniques step by step and practiced on our horses. When I started practicing my horse Felix he got so relaxed that he literally hung with his head down into the cross ties and almost fell asleep! It was very nice to learn the techniques within the group as there was a lot of interaction with many different questions being asked which were discussed and answered in detail.

I am glad that I took the course because now I have a better idea of how the horses body works. I can also maintain my horse so that his body will remain pain free from small discomforts that he experienced in the past. I might add that I am also using the same techniques on our dog as well as on my friends who all enjoy these massages very much. I can only recommend this course to anyone who wants to do something good for their horses; no matter if it is to give your a horse a break after a hard workout or if you just want to pamper your horse after a day in the field. It is a great way to establish trust and gain a stronger connection with your horse.