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Monday, January 07 2019 / Published in General, Weekly Feature

Elizabeth Ehrlich: From Ulcers to Entrepreneur

Elizabeth Ehrlich with Bella

By Kathryn McMackin

Every so often, a horse person stumbles across an animal that changes his or her life. For Elizabeth Ehrlich, it was Bella, a 7-year-old warmblood who walked off a horse trailer and turned Elizabeth’s life on its head.

After developing ulcers, the mare inspired Elizabeth to create her own formula to promote good equine gut health. Within 18 months of developing the product, Elizabeth walked away from her law career to concentrate on her flourishing company, Equine Elixirs, and the all-natural gut health supplement, Ulceraser.

“Buying Bella was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life,” Elizabeth gushed. “If not for her, I would never have come up with the Ulceraser product. As the business continues to grow, I keep thinking that if I hadn’t bought Bella, or if I had ridden some other horse, none of this would have happened.”

Elizabeth and Bella in Wellington, Florida

The Beginning

Growing up in Ridgefield, Connecticut, Elizabeth had her first taste of the equestrian life when she was around 5 years old. It started as daddy-daughter weekends away with her father and younger sister.

“My mom told my dad he needed to take my sister and me out of the house on the weekends so she could recover from taking care of us during the week,” Elizabeth remembered. “On these weekends, he would take us for pony rides, and the pony rides turned into pony lessons, and then we were leasing ponies, then buying ponies, then there was the breeding of ponies.

“It got to the point where my mom was begging us to not spend every weekend at the barn, to come back and spend some time with her,” she added with a laugh.

Elizabeth’s love of horses grew from there. Throughout grade school, she was a regular at Pendleton Farm, a small stable in North Salem, New York. It was there where, alongside her family, Elizabeth learned how to care for horses and progressed through the hunter ranks.

Even through college and graduate school, horses called to Elizabeth. While studying at Tufts University, she would travel home to ride and show her dad’s horse. And despite the long hours it took to get her law degree at Boston College, she still found time to sit on a horse.

“My love of horses is something I feel at my core,” she remarked. “When I’m around horses, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be, and nothing else I’d rather be doing. It’s something that’s always pulled me in.”

After law school, Elizabeth moved to New York, beginning a six-year stint at a law firm in Manhattan. There was no time for riding.

Bella’s stomach problems helped Elizabeth create an all-natural gut health supplement

The 10-Year Plan

After graduating from Boston College Law School, Elizabeth took the Connecticut and New York bar exams, but she also took the bar exam for Florida. She had long been drawn to the state’s palm trees and blue water, and her 10-year plan included a move south. As fate would have it, she met her husband-to-be, Douglas Bookbinder, who worked in New York but was based in Florida.

“I would visit him and we would drive around, see some barns and meet people,” Elizabeth said. “I knew Wellington was the horse capital of the world — at least over the winter.” She made the move to Palm Beach in 2012, well before her 10-year plan expired, and was back in the irons six days a week not long after.

Then Elizabeth met Bella. A sale horse, Bella had come off a truck to be tried but wasn’t a good fit for the intended rider. Elizabeth, on the other hand, immediately fell in love with the mare. Soon, she was talking to Doug about adding to the family.

“He asked me to please tell him I didn’t want to buy a horse,” she laughed. “By the end of the discussion, I was pretty sure he knew we were going to be horse owners.”

By fall 2015, Bella had joined the Ehrlich family. With her curious, food-driven personality and a bay coat speckled with dapples, Bella was about to throw a curve into the pathway of Elizabeth’s life.

Elizabeth and Bella enjoying a ride

Tummy Problems

About a year after Elizabeth purchased her, Bella started acting strangely. Normally quiet and responsive, the mare had become a little unpredictable under saddle, spooking and acting sulky to the leg.

“She wasn’t herself,” Elizabeth said. “She became especially fussy about grooming, pinning her ears back and kicking out with her hind leg. The symptoms were all signs of ulcers.”

Bella showed improvement after a course of omeprazole, but Elizabeth wasn’t finding great product options to maintain a healthy gut. Bella reverted back to showing some of the cranky behaviors, and the cost of the maintenance products started to add up.

Elizabeth began to research. She pored over online medical studies and went in search of natural ingredients with the amino acids and omega fatty acids she was reading about. She combined these ingredients and tested them at different ratios using Bella as her initial test subject.

“When I found the formula that made a difference in Bella’s overall demeanor — the way she acted and the way she looked — it was incredible,” Elizabeth said. “And it was more cost-effective than any other product out there.”

Inspired by the positive changes in Bella, Elizabeth started reaching out to friends and other horsemen. Everyone agreed: Maintaining equine gut health was a problem. She sent samples to everyone in exchange for honest feedback. After two weeks, the reports were in: The horses on the supplement were quieter and happier with improved coats and appetites.

And that’s how Equine Elixirs was born; Elizabeth dubbed the all-natural gut-health supplement Ulceraser.

“I had thought Ulceraser could become a business, but only in the sense that your wildest dreams could come true,” Elizabeth said of developing Equine Elixirs. “Could this become a company with a well-known product and a household name? I was willing to put in the time and effort necessary to make it a possibility.”

Seeking Influencers

The first thing Elizabeth did was submit the product to a lab for a comprehensive screening that tested the product against all potential banned substances. It passed with flying colors; Ulceraser was an all-natural, FEI- and USEF-safe product.

Certificate in hand, Elizabeth began approaching athletes at the top of their sport.

“Giving them a copy of the certificate from the lab gave me a lot more credibility,” she said. “I wasn’t offering them a bucket of unknown substances, I was showing them they didn’t need to be worried about the safety of their horse.”

To Elizabeth’s surprise, many equestrian leaders were open to trying a new equine gut health product. Oftentimes, these influencers would put a few horses on Ulceraser, and over the course of weeks and months, more horses would be added to the oral routine. Soon, entire barns were including the supplement in their feeding regimen. Now Ulceraser can be found in the feed rooms of McLain Ward, George Morris, Quentin Judge, Scott Stewart and Patricia Griffith, to name a few.

Getting Her Hands Dirty

This past year, Elizabeth has been busy concocting and testing new products. In the works is a natural, non-crumbling horse treat that provides the same gut health benefits as Ulceraser. She’s also working on developing an all-natural alternative to Depo-Provera, a progestin used on mares (and sometimes geldings and stallions) for behavior-related purposes. The all-natural product will be administered twice daily during feeding, laying the groundwork for consistent results.

Both products are expected to be released during winter 2018–2019. And both products are Bella-approved.

“The work ethic I’ve developed as a rider and horsewoman has fed into my professional life,” Elizabeth said. “I have no problem getting up before the sun rises, whether to go to the farm or to go to the warehouse. Horses teach you to work hard, to be hands-on, to work as a team and not to be afraid to get dirty.”

With her focus steady on her growing business, Elizabeth quit her law career, opting to focus on Equine Elixirs full time. She still finds time to enjoy her beach lifestyle — she’s an avid scuba diver and underwater photographer. And although she and Bella have been missing from the competition ring, they’ve been keeping their skills up.

“These days, it’s more lessons, riding at home, doing some flatwork and jumping,” she said. “I’m not so focused on getting into the show ring; I have other priorities at the moment.

“It hasn’t been a hard transition,” she added. “Every kid’s dream is to work at your biggest love and passion in life. I wake up in the morning and can’t believe I get to go be with horses all day; that this is my life.”

For more information, visit www.equineelixirs.com.

Photos by Aaron Glanzberg

Double D Trailers Info

Tagged under: aaron glanzberg, elizabeth ehrelich, equine elixirs, kathryn mcmackin, ulceraser

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We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on o We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on our socials where we share some of the lovely stallions, and their breeders featured in each month's magazine. Our first feature on this #STUDSunday is...

 ✨ALVESTA OWAIN✨
Thistledown Arctic Lore x Alvesta Fairy Lustre
13.1hh, Welsh section B
Stud Fee $750 (plus collection)
AI only and EVA negative
Fairfield, VA

Contact Cheryl Maye at (703) 431-9096 for more information
https://www.mayeshowponies.com/more-info/stallions

You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

📸  SAS Equestrian
‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️ The purpose of this ‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️

The purpose of this month’s column is to help the young equestrians of our sport develop and maintain healthy friendships within the industry. Cultivating healthy relationships with other members within the industry is not as easy as one may think. As a young equestrian, it may be difficult navigating friendships at the barn and at horse shows. Typically, kids have friendships within the barn they ride at but also friendships with others from different barns in their area. 

Initially, it may seem as though making other friends in the sport would be easy and ideal; after all, there is the common interest of horses. However, because of the natural therapeutic benefits of horses, the sport has a history of attracting all types of people, with a wide range of personalities. This can be both an advantage and a drawback. We are now in an era that acknowledges the growing need to discuss and manage one’s mental health. 

One thing I have learned is that we are likely to notice mental health challenges at an age younger than most people may think. Some of the friendship dynamics I have observed over the years have caused me to pause and really think about the future of our sport. Without looking for a source to blame for the cause of this, i.e. social media, parents, school, teachers, etc., I think if all adults involved worked to encourage, affirm, love, and respect our youth, the likelihood of them developing authentic friendships with their peers may increase.

Both humans and horses were designed to have connected relationships. These relationships allow a greater sense of security when one experiences challenges in life. Cultivating the quality and authenticity of these relationships requires intentional work. 

Thank you Rob for providing your helpful insight on developing healthy relationships. Check out his tips in his column you can find in the link in our bio.
Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine🦄 

Photo by Blenheim Equisports

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #hunterjumper #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #sidelinesmagzine
Don't get caught without your green on today!🍀🍀
 
In today's featured article, we have Jessica Howington, who is dressed for the occasion in her green shirt! Jessica is the Owner/Rider at CrownView Dressage, a Realtor with Showcase Properties of Central Florida, and a Nurse Practitioner! Jessica has been involved with horses since she was a little girl. Everything from bareback to eventing she tried until she found her love for dressage.

Today, she and her family own CrownView Dressage, a 157-acre training, boarding, and breeding facility in Ocala, Florida. Jessica started training and teaching but felt as if her life was still missing something. Until Jessica focused on horses full-time, she didn’t realize how important the healthcare field was to her life. Jessica missed seeing patients and being in the medical field. Jessica is now back to working again as a nurse practitioner while also focusing on training her five competition horses, including her Grand Prix mare Cavalia. 

Jessica feels lucky 🍀 to have two amazing parents who have supported her in all of her endeavors and instilled the importance of work ethic, morals, dedication, and sacrifice. 

You can read all about Jessica and how she's finding fulfillment in her busy lifestyle in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine! Click the link in our bio for more 

✳️Tag us in your “lucky” photos for a chance to be featured on our story! Happy st. Patrick’s day everyone!🍀🍀

📸Photos by Melissa Fuller, msfullerphotography.com 

#stpatricksday #irish #stpattysday #green #ireland #luckoftheirish #stpaddysday #shamrock #happystpatricksday #lucky #saintpatricksday #leprechaun #stpatricks #stpatrick #kissmeimirish #clover #paddysday #march #potofgold #stpattys #love #beer #guinness #shopsmall #handmade #stpatricksdaydecor #stpatricksdayoutfit #fourleafclover #stpatricksdayparade #luckycharms
Like many equestrians, eventer Devon Tresan is no Like many equestrians, eventer Devon Tresan is no stranger to balancing a busy schedule. From serving as president of the Pony Club South Region Youth Board to working on her online high school courses and modeling gigs, Devon has nearly every minute of her time planned out. And with her horses right in her backyard in Ball Ground, Georgia, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Devon’s fast-paced lifestyle stems from growing up around her parents’ animal casting business, Animal Casting Atlanta, where they train and provide animals for projects in the film industry. Devon’s parents, Carol and Greg, took her on her first film job at just two weeks old; both parents pushed Devon toward acting when she was younger. While Devon didn’t want to be an actor herself, she did follow in their footsteps with her love of animals, especially horses. 

“My parents’ company has provided animals for ‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Suicide Squad,’ a majority of the Marvel TV shows, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and so many more,” Devon said.

Devon started her equestrian journey when she was 9 years old. Initially, the Tresans bought a flashy gray Welsh pony, I Am Superman, for Devon to take in the hunter ring. However, Superman lived up to his name and proved to be too speedy for the job. 

“He was super cute and just a great little ride,” Devon said, “but he was still a pony! He made me work hard for everything we accomplished together. I was lucky enough to ride with a trainer who did both hunters and eventing, so we were able to switch disciplines pretty easily. Those eventing lessons together kickstarted my love for the sport.”

Read all about Devon and her busy life in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more
@TrDevon Lane Tresan  @Devontresan

📸Photo by Carol Lane Tresan
📸Photo courtesy of Devon Tresan
📸Modeling photo by Sara Hanna, @atlphotos 

#model #fashion #photography #love #style #instagood #photooftheday #beauty #instagram #beautiful #like #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #horselover #instahorse #Sidelinesmagazine
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