Melisa Pearce, CEO of Touched By A Horse™, Creator of the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™
Melisa Pearce, CEO of Touched By A Horse™, (www.touchedbyahorse.com) located near Boulder, Colorado is a lifelong horsewoman and entrepreneur. Melisa was chosen one of the Top 50 Most Influential Horsewomen by Horse South Magazine in 2008 and she has won two World Championship American Paint Horse Association awards. She has bred over 150 foals, owned and managed multiple ranches while developing her expertise as a trained psychotherapist.
Through her therapy work with clients on her ranches, Melisa discovered her clients became more grounded and secure when working with horses. This inspired her to expose a wide range of people to the beauty and wonder of horses through experiential workshops and retreats that integrate horse interaction with positive guidance on examining how people have chosen to create their past and how to create their future.
Through her groundbreaking twenty years of working horses and humans together in a therapeutic way, Melisa has found that horses teach people much from being in the present moment. Melisa shows that shifting a person's energy has immediate payoffs with both horses and human interactions. Her approach further demonstrates that a person, who is willing to refine their focus and exhibit more determination, will ultimately experience more success in achieving their goals in all areas of their life.
Melisa is a master communicator. Her success in translating human behavior through observation and interaction with horses has made her a highly effective motivational speaker. Melisa is able to tailor her comments to her audience whether it is in an arena, auditorium, personal retreat setting, business or sales team meeting.
Melisa shares her expert knowledge of equine supported coaching and the power of emotional healing through partnering with horses. She exhibits this with large or small audiences through crowd pleasing live horse/human demonstrations, seminars and keynote presentations across the country. She has been a clinician at the Equine Affaire in Ohio and Pomona, California, the Equine Extravaganza in Virginia and North Carolina, as well as many other venues. Her work has been featured in: American Cowboy Magazine, American Paint Journal, Horse Connection Magazine, The Denver Business Journal, Colorado Lifestyle Magazine, 5280 Denver’s Mile High Magazine and others. Her Deck Whisper's from a Horse's Heart was published in April 2004. Her book, Eponalisa: The Fall Ride, a parable about finding life's purpose, was published in January 2009.
 Kerry Borcherding, MA
Throughout her life Kerry has had a profound love of horses and yoga and has continuously experienced the healing power inherent in both. Because of this, she is passionate and committed to bringing horses and humans into relationship through the medium of yoga.
Yoga means union. Through the use of yoga, she helps guide individuals to experience the mind-body-spirit connection. By engaging in a combination of meditation, yoga asana (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), and equine assisted psychotherapy, she has found that her clients become more deeply aware of their physical bodies, emotions, and breath, as well as a deeper connection to their horses. Far beyond a mere physical exercise, yoga goes straight to the heart and soul, opening the one while enhancing the appreciation of the other.
Kerry is currently a Gestalt Equine Psychotherapist in private practice, a contract psychotherapist for Equinox Counseling and Wellness Center, and a yoga instructor in and around Boulder, Colorado. She earned a Master’s Degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Wilderness Therapy from Naropa University, is a certified Gestalt Equine Psychotherapist from the Gestalt Equine Institute of the Rockies, and is a trained Anusara Yoga teacher.
“With yoga, no matter what crisis may appear to be insurmountable in the changing world around you, you will hold to the peaceful center that always is and always has been.”
- Rama Jyoto Vemon
www.kerryborcherding.com
Explore the Wilderness Within
Sharon Bringleson
Sharon has been consciously living from a holistic perspective for over 50 years. She crossed departmental bo undaries in college, creating her own major in liberal arts and in the 70’s helped pioneer one of the first holistic health programs at a major university. This program taught the power of synergy in combining healthy life style practices in the arenas of environment, nutrition, mental health and exercise to create a holistic momentum of wellness.
She has loved horses since the age of two and has owned horses since her late 20’s. While managing a show barn and teaching riding in southern California in the early 70’s, she decided to focus on having right relationship with her personal horses, rather than continue as an equine professional. After reading and meeting Linda Kohanov, the internationally acclaimed author of The Tao of Equus and founder of internationally acclaimed Epona Equestrian Services, she completed their apprenticeship program in 2006 as an approved instructor in equine experiential learning.
Her current holistic practice with horses teaches people how to access their emotional and intuitive intelligence to build safe, healthy and fulfilling relationships with the horses and humans in their life.
David Di Pietra
David Di Pietra is President and CEO of Synergist Saddles. The Synergist Saddle Company has been building premier custom saddles for twenty years, everything from eighteen pound endurance saddles to fifty pound roping and working saddles and enjoys a world-wide reputation in all disciplines for high quality and excellent service. He is a 2nd generation saddle maker, having learned the craft from his father. His family’s endurance racing background has proved to be the perfect proving ground for saddle innovations pertaining to the fit and comfort of both horse and rider.
David has successfully fitted thousands of horses and mules, and continues to fine-tune his saddle making skills by seeking out and trading ideas with other custom saddlers around the country. He believes the average horseman, when armed with the correct information, can make an intelligent decision on their next saddle purchase or the evaluation of their current saddle fit and is always ready and willing to help riders with their saddle requirements, no matter what they may be.
Pat Hall CJF
Pat Hall with his wife Valerie own Be Quick Horseshoeing Inc. and Be Quick Feed & Farrier. Pat has a wide variety of experience with horses. As a  youth, he showed horses in 4-H and worked 2 summers and a fall in the mountains packing horses and mules. This was his first introduction to foot care for horses. After graduating high school he spent 4years in the Army. This led him to showing horses at the first European Championship Quarter Horse Show in Achen, Germany. Honorably discharged, he came back to Colorado to attend college. During which time he worked at an Arabian farm the job required an occasional trim on brood mares. This started a Journey to become a competent farrier and horseman. While apprenticing for Certified Journeyman Farriers, Pat learned the value of working with other farriers. Instant feedback and the ability to discuss foot problems shortened the learning curve. This led to competing as a farrier and becoming an American Farriers Association Certified Journeyman Farrier. This practice continues today. Pat finds himself learning from teaching his employees. Farrier work seemed to be one of the things that made sense. No foot, No horse. The search for the knowledge proceeds after 25 years of foot care. He believes this craft can’t be mastered, only respected. Balance is more than a term used when trimming a foot. It is an approach. Horsemanship skills, technical skills and business management are all important components of a successful farrier business. He believes in choices for his clients and systems that work for his client horse needs. Barefoot, Natural Balance or Conventional foot care each one has its’ place. He experiments with these techniques on his own horses to see changes in performance, gait and hoof quality. Sometimes he would just see if the horse could keep the shoe attached.
My name is Keith Jacobson I am first and foremost a horseman, I ride a LOT, and have horses that are comfortable living on rough ground without shoes. My horses seem to run and play more since becoming permanently barefoot, a sign of comfort and good overall health. I am also a Natural Hoof Care Practitioner. I live west of Berthoud Colorado, and my primary practice area is along the Front Range from Boulder to north of Fort Collins. I am in Loveland and Longmont twice in a typical week.
Like thousands of horse owners all over the world, I have found that most horses are comfortable and healthier when proper barefoot trimming methods are used. I have elected to help horses and riders in our area become more aware of the health benefits and convenience of keeping our horses barefoot through my Natural Hoof Care practice. I don't make any all encompassing statements such as "every horse can be barefoot and healthier and happier as a result". But most horses can, particularly if the owner believes in the idea. Most horse owners shoe out of habit, or because they don't know there is an alternative, or because Natural Hoof Care Practitioners have not been available. Now you and your horses CAN enjoy the convenience, comfort and health advantages offered to barefooted horses, the way nature intended. www.NaturalHoofCareofColorado.com
Raian  Kaiser
Raian Kaiser has been teaching and training riders, horses, and companion animals for over two decades. She uses body work to improve animals’ balance, self-awareness, and self-control, and to increase the connection between horse and rider.
The Equine Touch is a valuable addition to the training program, and stands on its own as a uniquely effective,
teachable and repeatable method of body work.
Raian is an Equine and Canine Touch International Instructor, TTACT & TTEAM Practitioner III, certified veterinary assistant, and member of NAHA , ARIA, CHA, IEEE and other associations. She works with all breeds from pony to draft, gaited and non-gaited, in disciplines both English and Western. She runs the Equine Touch National Coordination Center for the USA , and is currently Secretary for the International Equine Touch Association (IETA).
 Katelyn Kent
Kate is a trainer and coach in Denver,CO. She helps humans develop sensible horsemanship skills by increasing awareness, consciousness, clarity and communication around the horse. She also trains horses using the same techniques. She is a freelance writer, equine and fine art photographer and speaker. Katelyn strives to create an new awareness that challenges humans to a new way of being around the horse that truly considers the horse.
Horses are highly sensitive. Training can be very stressful for them. I discovered that when interacting with horses in a way that decreases worry and anxiety serves to empower these majestic creatures to reach their fullest potential. Working with horses in a way that increases stress levels serves only to diminish them as beings. I believe it can drain the horse of his very essence. You can readily see the effects of human imposed stress and pressure when you encounter the horse who appears flat or has that glazed look in his eyes. It can also be expressed by the horse who behaves inappropriately or in those who are prone to certain illnesses. Understanding this concept changed my way of being around horses. If a horse looks to me knowing he can depend on me to listen and to give him comfort when he needs it, I will be held in high regard by that horse. In allowing him the opportunity to be heard, the horse readily looks to me to decide which direction to take our training. It goes beyond leadership to a higher level of trust and understanding. I have trained the most unlikely horses to do the most unusual things.
This concept of LIBERTY is perhaps quite different than anything you have ever experienced. LIBERTY means the horse has freedom to think or act without force; to be allowed to do something or to have autonomy. Whether you are working on the ground, under saddle or on line the concept is exactly the same. It does not mean that the horse is left without guidance. You ask, your horse offers, you listen... then you decide.
"ASK OFTEN...TAKE LITTLE OR NOTHING...REWARD GENEROUSLY!"
 Rachel Knorr
......will speak on the low starch feed line from Ranch-Way Feeds.
 Allen Landes, DVM
Dr. Landes was born and raised on a ranch in Monte Vista, Colorado. Besides working with horses and mules as a teenager, he rode both bareback and saddle bronc horses.
In the late 1980's, he entered school and received his degree in veterinary medicine from Colorado State University. After graduation, Dr. Landes practiced in Illinois in a multi doctor practice for several years.
In April of 2001, Dr. Landes and his family returned to Fort Collins from Illinois and he joined Equine Medical Service as one of the staff practitioners. In December of 2008, Dr. Landes purchased Equine Medical Service from Dr. Altman. He currently focuses on medical cases and has an intense interest in dentistry, acupuncture, chiropractic, and surgery.
 Joyce Leake
Joyce Leake is an internationally respected Animal/Interspecies Communicator and
specialist in animal-human relationships. She has been featured on all media and
appeared for two years on a weekly prime time animal program for Japan’s Nippon TV.
She was the headliner for the Tokyo Pet Show, where due to her impressive Japanese fan
base, completed the success for all corporate sponsors and promoters. Her story has been
featured in national and international magazines. She is also recognized as the Animal
Communicator of choice for South Korean pet enthusiasts. Her work includes celebrities
of both human and animal kind; from movie stars and musicians to iconic race horses,
celebrity dogs and cats and an exceptionally gripping experience, a grieving elephant.
From her travels and experiences she has networked with other extraordinary individuals
who enthusiastically share their knowledge through her innovative and one-of-a-kind
membership website: www.AnimalUniversityCampus.com. She and Dr. Vickie
Wickhorst, Phd. co-authored 2 books, Decoding the Mystery of Interspecies
Communication and a 104-page workbook, Communicating with Animals - A
Twenty-One Day Guide to Success. Her desire to raise the bar is illustrated by her
commitment with Animal University’s comprehensive, progressive 5 -level Interspecies
Communication Certificate Program teaching and mentoring the student from lay to
professional, in the exploding field of animal-human relationship and communication.
Her passion to prevent the heartbreak and trauma of lost dogs prompted her creation of
the Whistle Me Home – Lost Dog Kit. She is the Director of an International
Consortium for the collaboration among practitioners, authors, presenters and other
extraordinary individuals to serve as an exchange of information, practicum and research.
And, soon to be launched by Animal University is Animal University Radio syndicated
worldwide, on-demand. For more information on Joyce and her work visit
www.AnimalUniversity.com and www.AnimalUniversityCampus.com or you may
contact her directly:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
303-621-2819
303-243-1145
 Cindy Loader
Cindy has had a passion and connection with animals since she was a child. She has rescued and re-habilitated horses that other trainers said were too difficult.
Cindy believes that being in Harmony with your horse is like riding a Pegasus. It is a magical union of horse and rider.
Always searching for more knowledge of horses, Cindy graduated Level 3 PNH in 2004 and went on to study with many great horsemen including; Manuel Trigo, Buck Branaman, Jack Brainard, Ray Hunt, and Eitan Beth Halachamy, etc.
Cindy uses her skills as a Professional Belly Dancer & Instructor as well as an Equine Touch Practitioner to connect with the Body, Mind and Spirit of the Horse.
Elizabeth Meyer
Lizzy is a life-long horsewoman and has been a veterinary technician for many years with both small and large animals. She has a  Bachelor's in Biology as well as Veterinary Technology. She specializes in helping horses and their owners with difficult physical, mental, and emotional problems. Her work is a blend of intuitive and scientific, melding the two in order to optimize the benefits of each. A consultation with Lizzy includes a full nutritional assessment as she will highlight the limitations of your horse's current diet. Her alternative is a gradual transition to a true whole-foods diet that horses can digest without stress. Her specialty cases include chronic colic, foot pain, immune system imbalances, and behavioral problems. All of these issues can be helped notably through the simplification of the horse's diet.
Jennifer Oikle, Ph.D.
Title of Talk:
The Whole-Hearted Horse & Rider: Creating Success from the Barn to the Boardroom to the Bedroom
Jennifer Oikle, Ph.D. is a relationship psychologist, Reiki Master, and founder of the Happily Ever After Holistic Healing Horse Ranch, in Parker, CO. Her passion is facilitating a unique form of Heart-Based, Equine-Assisted Coaching to help people dissolve their blocks to success and reclaim their Magnificence.
With her Whole-Hearted Horse & Rider programs and podcast, she specializes in helping horse lovers create a magical connection with their horse that translates into skills for building fulfilling relationships in all arenas of life, creating success from the barn to the boardroom to the bedroom!
She’s also the founder of the Equestrian Enlightenment Movement and the author of Awakening Unity with Horse, special projects that bring horses & humans together in service of healing and spirituality. She’s a featured expert on HorseTipDaily.com and her work as a love coach has been featured on local TV and in national magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Redbook.
For free downloads to boost your bond with horse, visit: www.unitywithhorse.com
Phil Ratliff
See Rite Bite EQD.
Phil is a graduate of the Academy of Equine Dentisty in Idaho, Phil Ratliff, C/EQD, C/AWHD, continued his education at the Advanced Whole Horse Dentistry Learning Center. His busy practice that spans Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and California, making barn calls and working on site at major shows and events.
Phil takes the time to educate his clients as well as to the importance of a balanced, whole horse approach to equine dentistry. A superb horseman, Phil has the ability to quickly forge a trusting and co-operative relationship with his patients, making for a comfortable and relaxed dentistry experience.
Results are the measure of the man; profound results that are achieved again and again, across breeds, across ages, across disciplines. Phil works with top performance horses including dressage, hunter jumpers, racing, reining, cow horses, cutters and
more consistently improving performance, attitude and well being.
Cheryl W. Rennels
Cheryl grew up on a Nebraska farm, riding and raising quarter horses. Her professional life as a banker and real estate developer led her to challenge and research why the traditional answers she had received for her own health issues often led to more dysfunction.
Rennels is a rancher in Colorado and raises foundation quarter horses. Rennels has learned that her horses, like herself, respond positively to natural, alternative health care. With extensive training and masterful use of kinesiology as a tool, she is able to determine which products and techniques to use with her horses and other clients. Currently she is working with essential oils, soliton laser, touch, FIR, and other natural holistic forms of intuitive modalities. Whether working in person with her equine clients or long distance with the horse's owner, the results are obvious. The horses respond with improvement in symptoms and behavior because the root cause of the problem has been identified and addressed. All work is natural and complementary to traditional veterinary care. Rennels is available for consultations and clinics.
Rennels is also a publisher of complementary care, equine related material and those works which allow the authors authentic voice to be represented.
Allen Landes, DVM and Phil Ratliff will demonstrate equine dentistry.
Jenny has been a certified equine massage practitioner in Colorado for three years, completing a rigorous certification process after realizing the need to add body work as a service for her equine rehabilitation clients. She specializes in working with post surgical and post injury lay-up and rehabilitation horses, but also sees a wide variety of sport horses that are competing regularly, trail and pleasure horses as body work clients. Jenny also teaches Equine and Canine massage courses for the Colorado State Department of Education Certified Rocky Mountain School of Acupressure and Massage (RMSAAM) based out of Carbondale, CO. See her website www.acadiaequinerehab.com
 Dr. David Siemens
Dr. David Siemens is a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa . He is also certified in the Zahourek System (creating the equine musculature structure in clay from the inside out on a model horse). Dr. Siemens has a real love for animals, especially dogs and horses. He first started working on animals in 1988 and later attended the charter course of Options for Animals and the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association where he received his post-graduate training and certification in animal chiropractic.
His practice began in an established office in Iowa. Since 1981 he has practiced in Colorado . most recently with an office in Eaton, established in 1985.
In 1988 he served as a ski team chiropractor and accompanied the Puerto Rican Olympic Ski Team to the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Dr. Siemens enjoys presenting information about Animal Chiropractic to various horse clubs and civic groups. He was one of the presenters at the Horse Gathering, held in Estes Park, Colorado, the summers of 2000 and 2001 to educate people on what chiropractic is and why animals, specifically horses, might need chiropractic care and what to look for.
He has a keen desire to educate and help people and their animals stay healthy and operate at their peek performance level. When asked by Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, Texas, to assist with the postgraduate animal chiropractic course in 2003 he accepted and continues teaching licensed Veterinarians and Chiropractors at the Post Graduate level.
Dr. Siemens resides in Loveland, Colorado and has his own horses - taking pleasure from trail riding and driving them.
Gail Snyder
Gail Snyder is a natural hoof care professional and will be on our hoof care panel.
 Dr. Kelcey Swyers
Kelcey is the Animal Nutritionist and Nutritional Technical Services Manager for Ranch-Way feeds in Ft. Collins , CO . She recently finished her doctorate degree at Colorado State University in ruminant nutrition under the advisement of Drs. Shawn Archibeque, Terry Engle, Nancy Irlbeck, and Bernie Rollin. Kelcey is originally from Yuma , Colorado with a diverse background in agriculture, with her strengths being in commercial beef production, raising and showing Quarter Horses, swine production systems, and 4-H/FFA show livestock.
In 2000, Kelcey obtained dual Bachelor of Science degrees at Colorado State University in Animal Science and Ag Business and competed on the Livestock Judging Team. During that time, she also held an internship at Ranch-Way Feeds within the company’s Technical Services department. She then worked as a territory manager for Cargill Animal Nutrition's Nutrena and Acco brand feed divisions in the Rocky Mountain Region. After that, she had the opportunity to concentrate on carnivore diets, while working as a District Manager for the pet food company, Royal Canin, along the Eastern shore board. While on the East Coast, she started tackling her Masters of Science degree in Equine Nutrition at the University of Maryland . Her master’s work was focused on the effects of supplementing the equine diet with probiotics against an induced acidotic challenge, in addition to evaluating the viability and quality control of probiotics at commercial feedmills.
Upon completion of her Master’s Degree at Maryland , she decided to return to beef cows and come back “home” to CSU. Her ruminant nutrition Ph.D. research efforts were focused on the application of yeast technology in beef cattle. The applications she tested were the ethanol industry’s by-product, dried distiller’s grains (DDGS), and a commercial yeast culture that was fed as a natural alternative to feeding ionophores in natural beef finishing systems.
Now, at Ranch-Way, she works with the company’s customers who raise everything from rats to horses to elephants, and helps them design safe and nutritious feeding programs for their animals. Kelcey and her husband, Jon, now live near Mead, CO.
 Nancy Zidonis and Amy Snow - Tallgrass Animal Acupressure
Tallgrass has served the human and animal community for almost 20 years through acupressure manuals, meridian charts, videos and extensive Hands-on and Online training programs. We are constantly expanding our programs and products to increase everyone’s knowledge of acupressure and other forms of energetic medicine. Our intent is to provide the best learning tools and training programs to give animal guardians, trainers, and healthcare practitioners access to this powerful healing modality.
The goal of practicing acupressure is to restore, replenish, and maintain the natural harmony and balance needed in animal and human bodies to create optimal health and well-being.
Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute offers highly interactive training programs in acupressure and other areas of Traditional Chinese Medicine for animals. Our instructors are experienced and known as leaders in their field. We have been teaching all levels of acupressure courses worldwide for many years. The Tallgrass courses are designed for animal guardians, trainers, and healthcare practitioners. We are consistently adding new learning opportunities.
Tallgrass offers a comprehensive Animal Acupressure Practitioner Certificate Program curriculum,and people are welcome to take courses without being on the Equine or Small Animal Practitioner track. Every participant receives a Certificate of Achievement after successfully completing the requirements for any of the courses listed on this website. www.TallgrassPublishers.com
 Tracy Vroom CST, EBW
Tracy's business the CranioConnection (http://www.cranioconnection.com) is a strong representation of her belief that the best results for optimal health and performance of any animal are achieved with a collaborative support team which could include its owner/caretaker/rider, veterinarian, chiropractor, acupuncturist, equine dentist, farrier, and her own work as a craniosacral therapist. Tracy’s system is a unique combination of craniosacral work, the Tellington TTouch Method, shamanic technology and massage. When issues associated with dysfunction and pain are addressed and rebalanced with corresponding bodywork modalities and craniosacral therapy, the animal patient typically finds relief and lasting results, which include improved performance, movement, flexibility, health, and behavior.
Tracy has taught and studied with world-renowned pioneers in complementary and holistic medicine. Her certifications include Craniosacral Therapy for Horses and Companion Animals (highest level of Upledger and Milne-based techniques); Equine Body Work (specialty in sports massage, bi omechanics, and movement); the Tellington TTouch Method/TTEAM; Shamanism; and Reiki. She constantly furthers her studies with continuing education courses and maintains animals have been her most profound teachers.
 Jen Wright
(bio unavailable) See Happy Horse Tack Shop website. Proper Tack Fit.
 Suzi Zielinski
-- shown here right after her ride in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade.
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