A Lifelong Passion: How Horses Shaped My Journey Through Caregiving and Cancer

Susan (Ohmart) Bloom & Carol Ann (Socolofsky) Ohmart win first place in Lead Line

I believe that every little girl has a love of horses. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to enjoy that passion hands-on and even carry it on into adulthood.

Horses

My passion for horses started at a very young age. I can‘t remember a time when horses weren’t a part of my life. My grandpa, Charles Socolofsky, got me my first pony at about five, I started showing in lead pony and I was hooked. As a youth, I showed in 4-H and AQHA shows and High School Rodeos. My favorite events were pole bending and barrel racing because of the exhilarating feelings I got from the speed, however, I showed in most of the western classes at one time or another. When I went to college I became interested in hunter/jumpers, again I was hooked on the rush I got from this new discipline and I showed hunter/jumpers as a young amateur in AQHA shows.

Charles Socolofsky with Raise A Secret, a stallion that he raised.

Grandpa had been an athlete and coach. When he quit coaching to move back to Kansas to farm he started to raise and race some Thoroughbreds but mostly Quarter Race Horses to feed his competitive spirit. Some of my fondest memories are of traveling to the races and to breeding farms to look at stallions with him as a child. He would pore over the stud books and write out pedigrees on his horses. He was a big, kind man who was loved by all and a great mentor.

When Grandpa died I was pregnant with my first child and still heavy into showing hunter/jumpers with my trainer, riding coach, and friend Tina Estes. Shortly before his death my husband and I had moved to grandpa and grandma’s farm, taking care of the farm work and horses. When it was decided to sell the horses most of the broodmares and some of the racehorses were split between me and my aunt and American Quarter Horse Racing became my new passion.

Equine Gestalt Coaching Method®

In late January 2013, my husband was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease. Thus, started my journey as a caregiver. We’ve traveled many miles and seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in the healthcare system.

Mike’s passion: preparing the boat to launch at Lake Merritt in NE.

Then in January of 2016, my job as the Oakley Area Tourism Director was combined with another full-time job. I didn’t feel like I could manage the two full-time jobs and my caregiver role, so I passed on taking the combined position. Instead, I enrolled in the Touched By A Horse Equine Gestalt Coaching Method program.

The Universe had something else for me to learn and in November of 2017, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My journey continues with medical professionals as both a caregiver and a patient.

This combines my love of horses with a desire to create more connection between doctors, patients, and caregivers.