That's the thing about David--he always has to have the last word. The day I was asked to leave, he…read morefollowed me around yelling at me in front of volunteers and staff. This made me feel completely backed into a corner. I repeatedly asked him to please let me get my things and go home, as I had been there since 6 a.m., had not eaten or taken a break, and it was 5 p.m. Instead, he continued provoking me until I responded in kind. His anger and the way he uses it to intimidate people have been a recurring issue in my experience.
I also witnessed a similar situation involving Kelli and her husband Al, who has since passed away. On what was one of Al's last, if not his last, rides with Blue, several of Al's friends rode onto the property to meet them for a trail ride. After a verbal altercation between David and Al's friends over their gaited horses being too close to the barn, Al left with them to trail ride. David then approached Kelli, in front of me and another student/volunteer, and began screaming at her that she and Al were banned from the property and had to remove Blue that day. Kelli repeatedly apologized and explained that she and Al had nothing to do with his friends' behavior and had nowhere to move Blue on such short notice. After she continued apologizing, David eventually calmed down and allowed them to stay. Watching this interaction was extremely upsetting, particularly given the circumstances, and it was another example of the anger, intimidation, and instability I experienced in my time at the ranch.
That being said, I appreciate the acknowledgment of the years I spent caring for the horses, but I believe the response misses the central concern of my review: the unprofessional behavior of the owner and barn manager and the welfare of the horses who work there.
I also want to clarify that I was never a therapy patient at Heart of the Horse. I was a volunteer who spent years caring for the horses. Therefore, invoking confidentiality or HIPAA to avoid addressing the specific concerns raised in my review is misleading. The issues I raised concern my own firsthand experiences as a volunteer and the care of horses, not the private health information of a therapy client.
In my horse Earl's case, he suffered from significant left stifle arthritis for years while he was a lesson horse at Heart of the Horse. Looking through photos of him on Instagram and Facebook, his recurring leg wounds and bedsores are visible, including photos where they appear to be bleeding or wrapped in vet wrap. Despite his pain and mobility issues, he continued participating in lessons without Equioxx or other appropriate pain/comfort management. His current veterinarian has since determined that his arthritis requires ongoing management, and he is now enjoying a comfortable retirement with appropriate veterinary care.
I am also concerned about the "dental" care horses at the ranch received. In October 2025, the dental provider used by the ranch filed Earl's teeth deeply enough to expose the pulp. Subsequently, Earl broke tooth 306, which is closest to the Tom Thumb or Pelham bit that the barn manager insisted he needed for "brakes." These are not, in my opinion, examples of putting an individual horse's comfort and safety first. They also raise concerns for me about whether other horses have received similarly appropriate care while using ill-fitting tack.
Earl is now retired, comfortable, appropriately medically managed, and living a much happier life. The greatest thing David ever did for Earl was give him to me, and I am thankful for that gift. At the same time, I remain concerned about the horses still in the establishment's care.
I understand that the ranch may not wish to discuss individual situations publicly. However, that does not change my firsthand experience or my concerns about the way horses are managed and cared for. My review reflects my experience, and I stand by it. The positive reviews David references do not change that experience either.
