Resilience in All Forms: Kevyn’s Story

Kevyn is a 15-year old Clydesdale mare who has been in our herd for seven years. She is a friend to many in our Riding Program, Vaulting Program, and has even been a kind partner in our Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Program. Her personality and temperament make her incredible at her job. She is sweet, kind, and takes her job seriously, ready to give 110% every day.

In June of 2020, Kevyn experienced a life-threatening colic episode. She underwent intensive surgery at Oregon State University large animal hospital. Thanks to the exceptional care from the team at OSU, she came home with a hopeful prognosis, but her road to recovery was not over. She spent months in rehabilitation, giving her body time to heal and then time to regain her strength back. It was November before she started training under saddle again, and then it was still more time before she was fit enough to return to programming. Throughout this long recovery, however, her strength of will and hopeful demeanor never wavered. There were times that we could not believe she had survived, and she would take those opportunities to kick up her heels or nicker good-naturedly as if to say “and yet, look at me now!”