SpiritHorse Staff Members
“The staff is so helpful, kind and we will remain in debited for
our lifetime for the dedicated, and the tireless work. The smiles they
have brought to the hopeless families and the disadvantage kids, who
visit the ranch, are beyond anyone's. Nowhere in the world you could,
get that care and love for these kids than SpiritHorse.”
Amy Golz
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Amy grew up in Nebraska. She has a B.A. in English and an A.A.S. in Equine Management and Training and has also lived in South Dakota and Wyoming. Amy’s experience with non-profits includes a position as a development assistant at the Nebraska Humane Society. She enjoyed owning and showing horses throughout most of high school and college and currently owns and trains two youngsters, Cash and Reese. In addition to riding, Amy enjoys snow skiing, reading, traveling, and spending time with her husband, Jason.
Anna Hemphill
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Anna’s deep love for children, animals, and the outdoors began with frequent outings to her family’s farm in neighboring Smithville, where she loved fishing and swimming in the pond, or hiking the unexplored back 20 acres. She has contributed many hours of volunteer work to her community, from participation in home construction for families in need to supervising children of all ages in Vacation Bible School and on mission trips with her church. In 2005, she moved with her family to Texas where her hands-on horse experience took root. In addition to training and caring for her mule and two quarter horse fillies, she also enjoys painting, sewing, swimming, and cheering for the Dallas Stars. Anna loves SpiritHorse and is thrilled with having the privilege of working with all the riders and their families.
Bailey Gramling
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Bailey was born and raised in Denton, Texas. She is attending NCTC for her basics and is transferring to Texas Woman’s University in the spring of 2010 for a degree in Education. In high school she was the president of their FFA and participated in Equine judging, livestock judging, and showed sheep and goats. Also she has a chocolate lab, Copper, who loves to go camping and swimming with her at the lake.
Chelsey Thatcher
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Born and raised in Texas, Chelsey grew up loving animals and children in Granbury with her siblings. She is currently attending Texas Woman’s University to get a bachelor’s degree in psychology where she eventually hopes to be able to combine her love for children and animals into a career as an animal assisted therapist. During her free time Chelsey enjoys playing many different sports such as basketball, volleyball and football, spending time with her boyfriend and friends, watching sports games, and watching movies. She is very excited to learn from and help the children of SpiritHorse.
Deb Milliken
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Deborah Dustin Milliken is a native Texan, born in Houston, raised in Dallas. Her lifelong love for horses dates back to childhood when her family owned a boarding stable in north Dallas, where she was instrumental in forming Saddle & Spur 4-H Riding Club. Deb has 22 years of experience in retail business administration and real estate marketing. She “retired” to finish raising her daughter, Rachel (now 25) to pursue an Associates Degree in Occupational Therapy. As a COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant), Deb has experience in Hippotherapy, as well as working with children with disabilities. Deb loves cats and enjoys hunting items for her antiques store in Denton, and searching for Indian artifacts in her own backyard and beyond.
Heather Beauchesne
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Heather came to Texas to pursue her passion for training horses in the Equine Industry. At Texas Woman’s University, she is continuing from her Associates in Equine Science from the University of Findlay, by pursuing a bachelor’s in psychology. She hopes to continue in the OT program. Her dream is to have a therapy center of her own while continuing to ride and breed reining horses with her family. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her boyfriend and participating in the OK Stockhorse Association.
Holly Hileman
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Holly, college student and mother of three, is a wonderful addition to SpiritHorse because of her great love of children, horses, and teaching ethic. We are happy to have her as part of our SpiritHorse family.
Jennifer Barton
Intern
Jennifer grew up in O’Fallon, Illinois and moved to Texas at the age of 16. She is excited to complete her internship this semester here at SpiritHorse. She has always wanted to work with horses, but has never had the opportunity. As a psychology major, SpiritHorse provided the perfect combination of helping people and working with animals for her. She has worked with dogs in rescue organizations and trained them for a profession. She is excited to be learning about horses.
Katy Duckworth
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Katy is a senior at Lake Dallas High School. She has been showing horses and competing in barrel racing and other rodeo events for around ten years. Katy was a volunteer with us from the beginning and absolutely loves working with the children and horses! Being very athletic, along with spending time with family, friends, and her horses, she has a very large passion for sports and is currently on her high schools girl’s power lifting team, and track team. After graduating high school she hopes to attend Tarleton State University with a rodeo scholarship and get a degree in kinesiology or on a much different note, Equine medicine.
LauraLee Winslow
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
LauraLee is originally from Minnesota, but now resides in Gainsville, Texas. She is in her second year of college majoring in nursing. During her free time, she enjoys riding and showing Cutting and Western Pleasure horses, and playing with her dog.
Megan Gault
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Megan was born and raised in Texas and just recently returned to Denton after 2 years at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. She is currently pursuing a degree in multimedia communications and 3 more years of collegiate hockey. Megan began Halter and Western Showmanship competitions at age 5, but sadly had to sell her horses when she moved to Denton. Aside from her love of children, Megan enjoys riding the Jet Ski, photography, painting, bowling, and live music.
Rachel Hathaway
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Rachel has owned and worked with horses for the past four years. She has the ability to form an instant connection with children with disabilities because she herself has dealt with her own physical disability since the age of fourteen. Rachel just loves children and has done a lot of volunteer work with children of all ages. Rachel loves swimming and playing with her pets at home.
Raechel Leroy
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Raechel found SpiritHorse Therapeutic a year ago and fell in love with the children and horses when she was a side-walker. Now she is one of our new instructors and is eager about spending time with her students and teaching all that she knows. She is a moder/ballet dancer at Texas Woman’s University and will graduate in December of 2010. She wants to teach children dance when she graduates.
Sarah Jo Davenport
Assistant Director
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Sarah Jo is a student finishing a business degree at University of North Texas. She started riding at the age of three and has continued a lifelong love of horses. Throughout high school, she worked for numerous different ranches and individuals, riding and training Quarter Horses. She has owned horses and competed in Western style riding and barrel racing since the age of 9. She loves working with the kids and seeing the daily improvement in every rider. Working with horses and children is a great passion of hers, and she enjoys bringing her dogs, Bruce and Daisy, to work. When she isn't working and going to school, she enjoys honky tonks, spending time with her fiancé, spending time with her parents and three older sisters, swimming, reading, taking Daisy and Bruce to the park, and football.
Sarah Webb
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Sarah was born and raised in Texas. She has been riding horses since she was 8. She has trained several of her own horses and shown at the APHA and PtHA World Show along with numerous local shows. Sarah also owned her own breeding business to breed her mares and sell the foals. She got out of the breeding to the public after her daughter was born on July 1, 2008. Now she enjoys spending as much time with her daughter as possible and showing cutting horses in the NCHA.
Stephanie Wilhelm
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Stephanie began working with horses at the age of fourteen, mucking out stalls in return for riding lessons. Since then she has trained multiple world champion Quarter Horses in Halter & Cutting, and currently competes in Reining and Western All-Around with her horse and faithful friend of eight years, Peppy Prince Tivito. She is a senior large animal pre-vet major at Tarleton State University, where she has had the opportunity to compete with their S.H.O.T. (Stock Horse of Texas) team, as well as study equine-assisted therapy. She is very excited about the coming session and can’t wait to meet the SpiritHorse riders!
Taylor Sanders
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Taylor has loved horses all of her life, and has enjoyed riding and owning them just as long. She and her horse, Classi, won multiple Championships together, including an APHA World and Reserve World Championship. She enjoyed being involved in the Hunter Jumper circuit as well, but after 10 years of showing, she now enjoys raising and developing young horses. Working with so called “problem” horses, is another passion of hers. She is studying Parelli Natural Horsemanship, and works on developing her horsemanship skills daily. In her free time she teaches Sunday school, rides her own horses, Chance and Scout, and spends time with her family. She is currently enrolled in Denton Bible Church’s Women’s Discipleship Training Program and will begin this fall.
Tracy Hahnle
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Tracy has a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education and has taught elementary school for 16 years. She recently opened her own pet sitting service that has grown to nearly 100 clients. She grew up with horses and had lots of fun riding around in a pasture. She has a true passion for all animals. She has owned a plethora of animals including a chicken, rabbit, cats, lizard, a bird and many, many dogs. She is married to her best friend, Chris and has one son, Jacob who is currently in middle school. When she has time, she loves to read and cook. She loves to go to the lake and camp, be on the water, and hang out with her family. Tracy is very excited to be at SpiritHorse and can’t wait to witness the children accomplish their goals.
