In this deeply personal episode of Science for Soundness®, I open up about one of the most vulnerable experiences of my life. When my dog Skye fell suddenly and severely ill, I found myself navigating uncertainty, fear, and long nights at the vet clinic — all while recovering from my own back injury and trying to keep the yard and business running.

For someone who has always relied on self-sufficiency, asking for help was terrifying. But what happened next changed everything I thought I knew about community, belonging, and letting myself be held.

In this episode, I share:

– What happened when Skye collapsed and the emotional rollercoaster that followed

• Why asking for help felt so vulnerable — and why I did it anyway
• How your messages, healing offerings, and donations helped carry us through uncertainty
• The moment everything shifted when I finally opened myself to receive
• What horses teach us about community and co-regulation
• How vulnerability is not weakness, but an invitation for others to step closer
• Why connection and community are not luxuries — they are biological needs for both horses and humans
• How this experience changed the way I see my work, my community, and myself

Whether you’re navigating challenges with your horses, your life, or your own sense of worthiness, I hope this story reminds you that you don’t have to walk alone. There are people who care — deeply. And sometimes the greatest act of strength is letting them in.

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