Sam’s Story: The Horse That Led to ActivateQi REDEMPTION Formula 

When I first purchased Sam, I thought I knew what I was getting into. The seller described him as a horse that "dropped grain, could use a few pounds, and had been treated for ulcers." No big deal, right? I figured with proper care and nutrition; I could fix these issues easily. Little did I know, I was about to face one of the most challenging journeys of my life.

A Shocking Arrival

I purchased Sam sight unseen in the dead of winter. He traveled north from Texas, and when he arrived, my heart sank. He was thin—far thinner than I expected—and looked nothing like the pictures I had based my decision on. It was dark, so I settled him into a stall for the night, trying to stay optimistic.

The next morning, dressed for work and not the cold, I ran out to check on him before leaving. What I found stopped me in my tracks. Sam was colicing and had his leg stuck through the stall bars from kicking. Panic set in. My husband and neighbors weren’t home, and I had to figure this out on my own. Somehow, I managed to unlatch the stalls, free him, administer Banamine, and turn him out once he was stable again.

That was only the beginning of what would become a nightmare of colic episodes.

A Frustrating Cycle

Determined to help Sam, I started him on grain and every gastrointestinal supplement I could find. Slowly, he gained some weight, but every time I hauled him, he dropped weight, refused to eat or drink, and became even more of a picky eater.

Frustrated, I decided to scope him. The results were horrific—his ulcers were so severe that my vet described his stomach as looking like cottage cheese. We treated aggressively with prescription medication, and after 30 days, his stomach was clear. I was hopeful.

But then it happened again. And again.

Every few months, the ulcers returned. Each time, the cycle repeated—medication, temporary improvement, then another severe relapse. He had multiple hospitalizations from colic, and even small triggers like Lasix use would send him into another downward spiral. Meanwhile, his allergies and respiratory issues were getting worse, making competition increasingly difficult (but that’s a whole other story).

Something wasn’t adding up.

Searching for Answers

Desperate for a real solution, I sought out more specialists. After scoping his glandular region and pylorus, we made a shocking discovery:

His pylorus was covered in bleeding ulcers, so inflamed that it barely functioned.

At this point, I’d earned an unfortunate title— “the worst-looking stomach I’ve ever seen”—from multiple veterinarians. The general consensus? Stress.

But I knew my horse—this wasn’t stress-related. Sam loved his job. He was winning. There had to be another explanation.

I refused to accept “stress” as an answer. Instead, I dove deep into research, consulting with nutritionists, gastro specialists, and eventually a university team. That’s when we finally got a real diagnosis:

Irritable Bowel Disease.

With this new information, we started a treatment plan involving four different medications in hopes of salvaging his career. But despite our best efforts, his stomach remained inflamed, and the side effects from the drugs left him drowsy and sluggish. I hated what I was seeing, and my continued research on these medications’ side effects only made me more uncomfortable.

I was torn. I wanted to do what was best for Sam, but I felt stuck in a cycle that wasn’t working.

I had tried everything—spoken to countless professionals, spent thousands of dollars—yet I still had a horse that was suffering. I reached a breaking point where I was ready to put him down because I couldn’t bear to watch him struggle any longer.

A New Path: The Birth of ActivateQi

At the time, my family and I had been using acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbs with great success for ourselves. This sparked an idea:

Could these same principles help horses?

I started researching TCM for equine health and worked with a Certified Chinese Herbalist to develop ActivateQi. With my background in performance horses and my firsthand experience with Sam’s struggles, I created a formula tailored to his exact needs.

I pulled him off all grain and medications and started him on the formula.

The transformation was unbelievable.

• He gained 200 pounds.
• His eating and drinking habits improved.
• His coat looked healthier than ever.
• And most importantly, he was happy.

Honestly, I was terrified to scope him again. I had seen him look strong before, only to find his stomach in shreds. But after an entire competition season, he scoped clean.

More Than Just One Horse

Sam’s journey made me realize just how common—but overlooked—these issues are in horses. So many owners are struggling with ulcers, colic, IBD, and compromised immune systems without real answers.

Creating ActivateQi wasn’t just about helping Sam. It was about using everything I had learned—through blood, sweat, and tears—to help other horses, too. Today, that same formula has gone on to change the lives of so many horses.

Most people don’t realize how much went into creating this company, but every single success story makes it all worth it.

Because I’ve been there. And now, I get to help other owners, and their horses find the solution I was desperately searching for.