Our stable manager and chief caregiver at Wild Apple Ranch is Janelle Smalley.
A native of Northern Michigan, Janelle Smalley has cared for animals and ridden horses since childhood. She earned her B.S. degree in Animal Science from the University of Hawaii at Hilo in 2000, where she studied reproduction, anatomy, pasture management, and soil analysis. She was awarded a Teaching Assistantship to work with her professors in special equine laboratory sessions and projects.
She was employed as a Veterinary Assistant for three years before returning to Michigan. She also worked extensively with a goat reproduction and artificial insemination program in California and across the United States.
Janelle tells her story this way:
So many horses have given me so much happiness...
I realized many years ago that working with horses is exactly what I want to do and what I need to do. And I am not speaking just of the fun and beautiful days with mares and newborn foals, but also the difficult times of trying to ice a fidgety horse’s leg or nights of fighting sleep to walk a colicky horse.
I wake up every morning and approach my job with total enthusiasm because I know that there is something I can do to give pleasure and comfort to horses in my care. I give a lot of myself to each horse, and they respond with what feels like appreciation. The bond that comes with that is what keeps me working hard throughout the day.
There is nothing else quite like hearing the nicker as I come into the barn, or seeing the expression of anticipation in their eyes when I enter their stall. I live for that! And I think that is what makes me a successful and untiring caregiver.
The goals of Wild Apple Ranch—to provide a peaceful environment for healing the ill or injured horse, to care for and stimulate the lives of the elderly retired horse—these are my goals, too. Please contact us to see what we can do for you and your horse. We would love to play a role in giving your horse a healthy and happy life.