Calm Through Recovery: Sarah Mills and Charley’s Journey with StressLess®
When you put years of dedication into a horse, setbacks can be heartbreaking. For Sarah Mills, founder of Iron Star Equestrian in Florida, and her beloved homebred gelding, Charley (Ojos de Fuego), that reality hit hard this year when a soft tissue injury sidelined their plans for the upcoming USDF Regionals. Instead of competing, Sarah and Charley are now focused on the long road to recovery, and StressLess® is playing a key role in helping Charley stay calm, focused, and on track.
Sarah has spent her life around horses, starting in the hunters, competing in IHSA Hunt Seat and Western, and eventually falling in love with dressage. In 2018, she bred her Trakehner mare, Nachi, to Fuego, a half Swedish Warmblood, half Trakehner stallion, producing Charley, the 17-hand gelding who has been her partner ever since. Together, they’ve worked patiently through the levels, with Sarah doing every ounce of his training herself. Their proudest milestone came in 2024 when they qualified and competed at Regionals for the first time, a moment that Sarah describes as “ugly crying tears of joy” at the end of their test.
Heading into 2025, Sarah had her sights set on First Level Freestyle success with Charley, until a lingering lameness revealed itself as a soft tissue injury in his hoof. Their dreams of competing at the USDF Regionals were suddenly put on hold.
“Charley is on stall rest for 30 days and then tack walking for another 30,” Sarah explains. “He’s allowed some hand-grazing and hand-walking as long as he’s well behaved. StressLess® is helping him stay calm during this downtime, so he doesn’t lose his marbles in the stall.”
While Charley is known for his easygoing nature (Sarah lovingly says that he is “about as spicy as a potato”), he does get spooky and loses focus when something unexpected happens. “Once, I was getting on him when a neighbor shot a gun off. For the next month, every single time we rode past that spot, he was convinced it would happen again.” That tendency to hold onto stressful memories was what first led Sarah to try StressLess®. “I wanted him to be able to focus on me and the work, instead of worrying about his surroundings. StressLess® gave him that extra support to settle and concentrate.” She recalls one particularly dramatic moment at the Florida Horse Park when the entire dressage arena blew over with them inside it, and he didn’t even bat an eye. The next day, he went on to score in the 70s. Ever since, Sarah incorporates it into their routine for hauling, clinics, and competitions where distractions abound.
That same calm and focus is now helping him through recovery, where patience and composure are just as important as talent and training. For active horses, stall rest can be just as challenging mentally as it is physically. Charley, while famously chill, still needs support to manage his energy and focus while sidelined.
While it’s easy to feel crushed by a setback, Sarah is keeping her eyes on the future. “Horses are so humbling. You’re on top of the world one minute and then flat on your back the next,” she says. “Success isn’t linear, and setbacks are completely normal. Hopefully Charley and I will be back to dancing to Britney Spears next year. We can’t wait!” Sarah also points out that the basics she’s built with Charley including solid nutrition, regular farrier and vet care, and a foundation of trust will serve them well when he returns to work. With patience and consistency, she believes their best days are still ahead. For now, Sarah is taking it one day at a time. With the support of her team, her family, and StressLess®, she’s hopeful for a full recovery.
“Charley will always be my baby, even at 17 hands tall,” Sarah says. “This is just another chapter in our story together.”
StressLess® is available in 30-day and 60-day tubs on Amazon and at www.centerlinedistribution.net.
