Episode 247: Cheryl Erpelding from Bethany's Gait Ranch

Episode 247: Cheryl Erpelding from Bethany's Gait Ranch

Author: Dr. Brian Lenzkes April 23, 2025 Duration: 31:21

Thank you for tuning in for another episode of Life's Best Medicine.

Cheryl Erpelding is the Horsemanship Director at Bethany's Gait Ranch—a non profit ranch that pairs rescue horses with active duty, veterans, first responders, and their families to help both heal and grow.

Cheryl has years of experience in horsemanship, riding, training, teaching, and showing. Before leaving California in 2023, she was a wrangler and volunteer at the Saddles in Service non-profit that helped veterans, first responders, and others with PTSD. She helped them learn how to work with horses and taught them how to ride. She continues to work with military/first responders at Bethany's Gait in the same fashion.

 

In this episode, Dr. Brian and Cheryl talk about…

  • (00:00) Intro
  • (04:43) What Bethany's Gait Ranch is and how Cheryl got involved with them
  • (05:44) Why being and working with horses can help veterans struggling with PTSD
  • (12:34) How horses are able to sense humans' emotional states
  • (14:16) Success stories of veterans who have improved their PTSD and quality of life at Bethany's Gait
  • (17:32) Some interesting facts about horses that non-horse-people probably don't know
  • (21:14) Family events and activities at Bethany's Gait Ranch
  • (22:06) Fundraiser events coming up at Bethany's Gait
  • (24:26) How veterans can get in touch with Bethany's Gait
  • (25:57) Other services and resources offered by Bethany's Gait
  • (27:13) Outro

 

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

 

Links:

 

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

 

Cheryl Erpelding:

 

Dr. Brian Lenzkes: 

 

HLTH Code:

  • HLTH Code Promo Code: METHEALTH

• • HLTH Code Website: https://gethlth.com


What does it truly mean to be well? For Dr. Brian Lenzkes, the answer stretches far beyond a chart of lab results. On the Life's Best Medicine Podcast, he explores the interconnected layers of a whole life, where physical health is deeply woven into the fabric of our relationships, our sense of purpose, and our spiritual grounding. Each conversation moves past simplistic advice to consider how family, community, and personal faith shape our daily resilience. You’ll hear from a variety of guests who share candid stories-not just of medical recovery, but of profound human connection, unexpected compassion, and quiet heroism found in everyday challenges. Dr. Lenzkes brings his perspective as a practicing physician who believes healing is a multifaceted endeavor. This isn't a lecture series; it's a collection of genuine dialogues that remind us our wellbeing is a holistic story still being written. Tune into this podcast for thoughtful reflections that might just change how you view your own health, relationships, and place in the world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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