Photo Credit: McKayla Hohmann
Veronica Gets Started in Dressage
Veronica’s home in Ipswich, Massachusetts, is situated on a two-acre property that’s shared with her pony, Fraya, and beloved horse, Daisy. For more than a decade, Veronica has devoted herself to riding, training and working with horses.
Veronica first discovered her love for the animal and the sport when she was just eight years old and was attending a week-long riding camp, where she officially acquired the “horse bug.” After the camp was over, Veronica found a local hunter-jumper barn where she could start taking lessons and develop her skills as a rider. However, it was when she got her first horse, Daisy, that Veronica made the switch to dressage. She says, “I’ve always liked dressage and the look of it. So when I got Daisy, I said, ‘let’s try that.’”
In 2017, Veronica had the opportunity to showcase her budding dressage talents with Herrmann’s Royal Lipizzan Stallions. She toured with the group, performing multiple roles in the show from carrying the flag during the national anthem to riding in the quadrille, a four-rider sequence that highlights the horses’ classical equestrian moves.
Following her tour with the Lipizzan stallions, Veronica connected with Liz Austin Dressage. She started working at the farm where Liz was operating her dressage business. Veronica’s work around the farm turned into an opportunity to receive professional instruction from Liz, a two-time National Champion of the Brentina Cup, USDF gold medalist and Grand Prix competitor. For Veronica, it was an exciting step in advancing her equestrian career.
Digestive Concerns Surface in Veronica’s Pony
In 2020, Veronica purchased a new dressage pony for her riding program called Fraya. But the seven-year-old Haflinger Appy started showing clear signs of digestive upset from the moment Veronica brought her home. Month after month, Veronica tried to settle her pony’s digestion with supplements, diet changes and electrolytes, but nothing seemed to work.
It was while Veronica and Fraya were training with Liz at her Gathering Farm in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, over the summer of 2020 that the issue became a point of discussion. Liz says, “When I saw the digestive upset that cute, little Fraya was having, I asked Veronica to do me a favor and to try SUCCEED.”
Veronica agreed to start SUCCEED to see if it would be the thing to encourage Fraya’s digestive health. At first, Veronica did not see the immediate results she hoped for, but Liz encouraged Veronica to keep going with it for at least a month.
“It’s important to remember that it takes time for SUCCEED to work. And if you give it time, it’s an amazing product. It really is,” says Liz.
SUCCEED Makes the Difference for Fraya (and Veronica!)
Within three weeks of starting SUCCEED, Fraya’s digestion was functioning normally. For the first time since bringing Fraya home, Veronica could tell that her pony was comfortable in the gut. Liz also noticed the difference in Fraya’s performance during Veronica’s riding lessons.
“I saw that Veronica’s pony was moving better and more willing to go forward. It was amazing,” Liz says. “SUCCEED is one of my favorite products in the whole world for digestive health.”
Now that Fraya is feeling well, Veronica is looking forward to what’s ahead. She hopes to take Fraya to dressage competitions throughout the New England area this coming year. Veronica also has her sights set on teaching other aspiring riders. She wants to bring the next generation of young riders into the sport and to train horses for equestrians of all ages to enjoy.
Why Liz Austin Recommends SUCCEED to Clients Like Veronica
Liz says that she’s a “fixer” and truly believes in supporting her horse’s gut health with SUCCEED—a product she’s trusted since 2006. She’s grateful that her client Veronica was willing to give SUCCEED a try, too.
“I really think SUCCEED is a great product. For many of our horses, it’s been invaluable. It’s a game-changer for them,” Liz says. “And thank you, Veronica, for taking your wonderful pony’s health seriously and believing me when I said, ‘let’s leave her on it a bit longer’. SUCCEED makes such a big difference for so many horses.”
