As a veterinarian, I have observed many people work with animals both diagnostically and therapeutically, but Alexis Ells is in a class all of her own. Alexis is not only a wonderful and intuitive friend of all animals, she is a gifted healer as well.

I have witnessed first hand her unique Body Balance Awareness Training, which has achieved amazing results in both the performance, behavior, and health of many horses, dogs and cats.

I know that Alexis Ells' Nutritional and Body Balance Awareness Training Technique will continue to have a positive and powerful impact on the animal care world.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ted Weiner, DVM


Well, there he was. Bags, a big handsome Thoroughbred, who could do a bit of hunting and a little dressage. But when ever he was pushed in his training, something would go wrong. The vets helped to fix the immediate problems such as bows or splints and time off sometimes helped to fix the occasional lameness behind, but he continued to hitch and brush boots were a must. Bags is a big horse but he never filled out no matter how much he ate. The different trainers that worked with us were not able to get his neck to develop or to get him to use his hind end properly. Actually his hind end was very under-developed compared to his front end. We clearly needed help. I took Bags to a chiropractor/acupuncture vet, but that only helped for a very temporary period of time.

The Body Balance Awareness Training was a treat beyond expectation! Alexis tailored and re-tailored a system that brought about dramatic changes. Bags' shoulder and neck filled out and slowly but surely his back and hind end have completely developed. He no longer hitches and no longer wears the back ankle brush boots! What a joy to watch him in his pasture prancing around with suspension and engaging behind. He's now calm and comfortable with himself and his body. Finally, Bags is a happy, healthy, horse . . . doing his best and looking and feeling great!

In the horse industry there are as many ideas on how to fix a horse as there are owners, trainers and experts. Working with Alexis brings things closest to what Mother Nature intended. It is truly refreshing.
Thanks Alexis,
Lou Ann Fox-Bender, President EQUINE SPORTS FOUNDATION


We here at Two Boot Farms have used the services of Alexis Ells on our own horses as well as those of our boarders for many of the problems horses are subject to. By and large, the results we have seen have been extraordinary. Had we not seen these results ourselves, we would have great difficulty in believing that they were possible.

Horses that could not clear a jump previously are now winning championships. Horses that could not function properly, such as one who could not canter to the right, now do everything with ease. The list could go on and on relating to the way the horses have responded to the work of Alexis Ells, which to the unobservant eye seem to be nothing more than magic; but magically they work, which after all is what counts.

We therefore recommend the work of Alexis Ells unconditionally for almost any kind of equine problem.
Sincerely,
Jack Miller, Two Boot Farms, Advanced Equine Products


Snow Flurry 6 yr. Thoroughbred Gelding

Alexis Ells has successfully achieved some very impressive results with my Thoroughbred gelding after the veterinarian who had been treating him for a year finally gave up on him.

Snow Flurry or "Snowy" as we call him, was trained for the track, but did not go. I purchased him from Flags Is Up Farm in Santa Ynez, California, and put him in training as a hunter. In September 1985 he was diagnosed as having pulled the right front suspensory ligament and was told by the vet to lay him up for 6 months. After that we rode him only on the trails and he would come up lame after any medium to hard work. The vet could not account for the lameness because the leg was shown to be sound after being blocked all the way up to the shoulder. There was however, severe soreness in the right shoulder. Upon longing to the right, the trot was very lame and the canter impossible. The trot to the left was also very irregular and the canter very stiff.

After 3 sessions of the Body Balance Awareness Training, Snowy was trotting sound in both directions and could canter to the right. He continued to progress, build muscle and body tone through the nutrition program Alexis suggested, through exercise and the Body Balance prevention program. He is presently sound and doing very well. He is in dressage training and ridden on the trails 3 times a week.

I also have a 2 year old Polish Arabian stallion who was moving very poorly and had a very sore back. Alexis has successfully worked with him and he is now sound and back in training.
Sincerely,
Bernadette Miller


My four year old Thoroughbred mare had many physical problems and was spending about 70% of her time lame and in lay-ups. Even though I suspected some nutritional deficiencies and was supplementing her with numerous vitamins and minerals, I achieved only marginal results. Consultation and treatment with several veterinarians included acupuncture, homeopathy, polarity therapy and more traditional methods but these achieved only temporary improvement. In fact, she was getting progressively worse, to the point where she was unrideable and unsafe.

When I came to Alexis for help, I had a horse that had no future in performance or breeding. She was a candidate for pasture retirement at the age of four! After one month's time on Alexis' program, there was visible improvement. After two months she was sound and after three months we put her back to work. I am thrilled beyond words. To watch Alexis ride this mare, who I thought would never be able to be ridden again, is almost beyond belief. This mare still has a long life ahead of her. Now I believe it will be a sound one and a successful one as a performance horse.

The Nutritional and Body Balance Awareness Training program that Alexis offers has solved my mare's physical and behavioral problems in a few months, where conventional and alternative veterinary treatments failed repeatedly over a two year period. My endorsement of Alexis and her program could not be stronger.
Respectfully,
Kathie Reginato


December 28,1986

In December 1985, one of our potential race horses ran into the pasture fence and seriously injured her shoulder. Muscle atrophy set in and the vet diagnosed a pinched nerve. A long lay up was recommended. The filly was in such pain and so lame that we decided to call Alexis Ells.

While Alexis was working with this filly, I decided to have her look at my 2 thoroughbred-trakaner show horses. This was pre-show season and they both were being worked hard. I thought that they could use a bit of help as both of them were always pulling or straining something or other. Within 3 of the Body Balance Awareness sessions, both the horses moved so good and so sound I decided to discontinue the body program and just keep them on the Nutritional program.

Then one day my show mare also ran into a fence. This accident left her with a lot of cuts and bruises as well as emotionally traumatized. After a 3 month lay-up "Virlet" was 100% totally lame. I took her to the Almo Pintado Clinic where a total physical exam was performed. They blocked both hind legs and hocks thinking it was bone spavins, x-rayed both legs and hips, but could not diagnose the cause of this dramatic lameness. I had noticed that some lumbar vertebras had formed a noticeable ridge in her back. They had gradually appeared one by one during the lay up. The surrounding area of her back was very tender, so I mentioned this problem to the vet. He assured me that these protruding vertebras could not possibly have anything to do with the lameness. Finally he decided that it was a pulled muscle. He said she needed complete stall rest with no turn out for 6 weeks and then a 6 to 8 month lay up. Total stall rest for this mare would have been disastrous as she is extremely sensitive, hyper and claustrophobic. Needless to say, the situation looked very bleak. I refused to accept that this was the only option. I love this mare. She was born and raised on our ranch. Besides her sentimental value, she was a great show horse and I was really looking forward to the show season. So, I again decided to ask Alexis for help. Alexis agreed to work with 'Virlet" on one condition, that I would not discontinue the Body Balance Awareness Training work until she said it was time and to then keep her on the prevention schedule. I gladly agreed.

Within one month "Virlet" was almost sound. She would start out stiff, but after an hour of turn-out she was moving pretty freely. Her back became much less sore and those lumbar vertebras visibly began to change and eventually settled down to their natural position. Dr. Herthel did inquire as to how "Virlet" was doing and after hearing her progress he recommended that I follow Alexis' program since it obviously was working. So daily turn out, gradual longing and riding all happened within 3 months.

I am pleased to say that today 'Virlet" is still 100% sound. I have started her over fences again and I'm very excited about the coming show season. I thank Alexis from the bottom of my heart for giving me back my wonderful mare!

While Alexis was again working with "Virlet", her half brother, also a Virgil, pulled a loin muscle and began to have stifle problems as well After a short lay up and Alexis' Body Balance sessions, we went to the November Santa Barbara Amateur National Horse Show. I am very pleased and proud to say that thanks to Alexis and her work, we won The Grand Championship!

I have kept both my show horses on the prevention program and they have remained healthy, happy and sound. With the great results on these horses, we decided to put most of our yearlings, two year olds in race training and the brood mares on the Nutrition and Body Balance Awareness Training prevention programs. They all are looking, feeling and moving better than ever. All of the brood mares seem to be having more comfortable pregnancies too.

By the way, the first horse Flame, we called Alexis about, the potential race filly, has won at Hollywood Park and is continuing to pay her way at Santa Anita. I think that's pretty good for a filly who was totally lame!
We are very grateful to Alexis Ells for all her help.
Shawnna Sorenson, Rancho Rosado


TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I am delighted to write this letter to share my experience regarding the fine work of Alexis Ells. Since August of 1987 Alexis has been involved with my four Thoroughbred horses, to their and my great benefit. All are on the Nutritional program, and they are visibly in excellent health and spirits. Even the 21-year-old arthritic broodmare is holding a good weight and has a shine to her coat. Three of my horses have also been in Alexis' care for Body Balance Awareness Training.

Ace was the first to go on the Body Balance system, and has had almost unbelievable improvement. He had raced as a 2 & 3-year-old, and came home from the track with a pronounced ewe-neck, a very narrow chest, high head carriage, quite head-shy, with blatant soreness in his whole back, and a "dropped" right hip. At the walk his left hind leg tracked diagonally across behind his right front. It was difficult to keep his weight up, and he seemed to lack appetite no matter what he was fed. Of course, some of these problems had been with him, in varying degrees, since birth, but the stresses of race training certainly aggravated every mental and/or conformational weakness.

After only 3 sessions with Alexis most of these faults were visibly and significantly improved, if not gone. After 5 sessions Ace's narrow chest had filled out to the point where one could no longer say he had both front legs coming out of the same hole. He now tracks true, has a lovely crest to his neck, cleans up his grain and maintains a good weight, and has a smooth topline with no tenderness to be found. Ace loves to have his face rubbed. He's ready to go into training as a riding horse, with jumper or dressage potential, and he seems to be a much happier horse.

The results on Erin, a 9-year-old mare, are also good though not quite as vast or spectacular. She has had a life-long history of "cinchyness", kicking, bucking, and temper fits. It was virtually impossible to clean her udder, and she pinned her ears and snapped at even such a simple maneuver as putting her blanket on. Her back had become noticeably swayed, with visibly pronounced spinal ridges and bumps, where it looked to me as though her vertebrae were about to poke through the skin. Though she was by no means underweight, her rump looked underdeveloped and sloped sharply. We had previously tried veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic treatments with little or no success.

Under the caring hands of Alexis, Erin has improved and is continuing to improve at each session. Her back is much less swayed, and the spinal bumps are non-apparent. She moves more freely, using her hind end more strongly, she shows more energy, and her mental attitude and tempers seem improved. The development of her rump now balances with her strong front end. It is possible to touch her belly and udder without fear of getting bitten or kicked. She has not been under saddle yet, but we're looking forward to going back into work.

My young mare Snickers, now 5, had been head-shy since birth. She has been treated all her life with gentleness and care, yet acted as though she had been regularly "eared down." It was obviously painful for her to have a halter put on, and she would flinch away from any touching of her ears and poll. She also had trouble with the shoer - it seemed very difficult for her to have her hind feet worked on, to the point where sometimes the shoer could not get her hind feet trimmed because she couldn't balance or stand on three legs. She had a tendency to pull back when tied. She is intelligent and loving, but occasionally had periods of irrational panic. Snickers responded very well to Alexis, and trusted her right from the start. She has greatly improved about haltering and having her feet worked on, and settles back down much faster when something startles her. She does need more of Alexis' Body Balancing, but it now seems possible that she can accept being ridden someday.

In general, Alexis Ells demonstrates a true professional attitude combined with a warm concern for each being with whom she is involved. My horses respond to her friendly, competent, knowledgeable manner, as well as to her tangible skills. I trust her methods and her judgment, and I rely on her abilities. She provides a service that is unique in my experience, for the betterment of horse-kind. Her work is a valuable contribution to the all-around well-being of my four Thoroughbred companions.
Sincerely,
Marnie B. Blake


Griselda was diagnosed at age four with myositis, then blood lameness in the right iliac artery (ultrasound showed it). This did get cleared up somewhat, then some evidence (x-rays) of degenerative joint disease of the medial condyle of the right femur, three hock spavins all on the right hind, damage in the hip and other evidence indicated wobbler syndrome. Her right front foot is dished, she has changes in the navicular and had a mild case of laminitis which caused both coffin bones to rotate somewhat. I think her knees hurt too, and what about her right shoulder? Obviously we had serious problems. I tried everything. One thing I knew, keep going. So we went out every day, hills trails, flat, handwalks swims in the sea and doing tricks. I have a great shoesmith who knew about all our problems and one day he suggested contacting Alexis. I decided to phone.

My first encounter with Alexis seems, in retrospect, a very important day! When she arrived, I saw a very special, vibrant and beautiful woman and my mind shouted too young! She must be inexperienced! I approached her in a very hostile way. Not just anyone can walk over to my horse and do something with her. I have my private screening process and I wasn't so sure Alexis would pass. Alexis sensed my hostility, ignored it completely, and took command. I absolutely crumpled and I followed her to the corral and Griselda. I decided to let Griselda tell me if this woman knew anything at all. Alexis was very professional and almost too sure of herself and her abilities, but Griselda told me YES!!! So yes it was. So I got the vitamins and all the other feeding components and gave her exactly what Alexis suggested. Griselda's reactions was Ha! finally somebody who understands me. She was very sore at the beginning of the Body Balance sessions but she obviously knew that although it hurt, she was being helped, because every time Griselda heard the sound of Alexis' car she would whinny in her most communicative manner.

So, I said O.K., Alexis truly wants to help. Griselda in the meantime was totally ecstatic about her new feed. I always felt that I should give her supplements, but I did not know what and I did not trust the available products. Griselda obviously was craving something, that's for sure (dirt, stones, etc., ask Dr. Mansmann, she floated her teeth by chewing on the stones). All of that stopped and instead of becoming "hyper" from all the added feed - vitamins, trace minerals, amino acids, etc. ? she became calmer, more at ease, relaxed and sweeter than ever. She did not even gain one pound, which was good as she tended to be on the stocky side. Her body glowed and her mind relaxed and both grew more subtle. She said thank you, thank you!

Griselda and I have spent nearly six years together, at least five hours a day. We are our mutual creation over the years. I am tuned into her changes and there are definite changes. I hate to admit that in a way because I always felt I was her best "doctor" until Alexis came along. Alexis has not only taught and retrained Griselda a lot, but me as well. What is more important, horse or owner? In our case it was both. We are out of our black hole that has lasted the past four years and Griselda can perform again in all three gaits with ease and relaxed.

A miracle! As it turned out, after four months of the Body Balance Awareness Training, I discovered that Alexis is definitely not inexperienced, she is a master! She is not young in mind, she has a huge experience and a remarkable ability with animals. She helped us, all her suggestions made and make sense. She worked with Griselda, taught us and she saved us. Nobody else did, and we were crying out for help. Alexis is a person who is not afraid of telling the truth, standing for it, fighting for it and winning!!! She did exactly what she said she could do the first day she saw us. "I can help Griselda, I can help her canter again," and she did. Others tried, criticized, put us down, insulted my horse and me, but she did it. Thank you Alexis!!!
-Lilia Aaron