Healthy as a Horse
What do physical fitness and horse rescue have in common? Aileen Sheron!
While perusing her temple’s newsletter in the Spring of 2012, Aileen Sheron happened upon an obituary for a woman who died while horseback riding without a helmet. The obituary mentioned that Red Bucket Equine Rescue was this woman’s favorite charity which touched Aileen in a karmic way; she felt compelled to find out more about this organization and to carry on for this woman that she didn’t even know.
“I rarely read those segments and I did not even know her, but I felt as though someone needed to take her place,” Aileen shares with me. “My passion for horses began at a very young age, but I haven’t really been around them for decades. It was one of those moments in life that makes you take action. I felt compelled to contact the charity right away.”
Not only did she contact Red Bucket, but she jumped in with both feet! “Soon after Red Bucket transitioned to the new location, I received an email blast calling for painters to work in Chino Hills. I just showed up and started painting the inside of the house. After my orientation, I began grooming the horses,” explains Aileen, and the rest is history.
Aileen was instrumental in our Ruby Red event, to the testament of Susan Knox. “Aileen was incredible! She was a new volunteer that I was just chatting with in the breezeway and we began taking about the Ruby Red event. She asked how she could get involved. She said she had a lot of family and friends that were really supportive of Red Bucket and our cause. I told her we needed help securing donations for the event. That’s all I had to say and she was off and running! Within a few weeks she had several cash donations as well as many gift baskets. She was a key member of the fundraising team, and I know that we can count on her for next year. She has already secured some donations and is working on new ideas. We are so lucky to have her.”
For those that don’t know Aileen, she is one of the fittest, healthiest human beings on the planet! Her resume in physical fitness is impressive, almost as much as her energy and dynamite body. Susan Peirce provides the perfect analogy: “Aileen is a firefly, the absolute epitome of the energizer bunny. She is smart, fit, compassionate, and super helpful to our organization. She is great with the horses, and was a key player in checking in and arranging donations for our silent auction items for the Ruby Red event. She is such an inspiration to us all. If there is one word to describe Aileen, it would be ‘healthy’. Whatever task we give her, she just runs with it; seriously, she really runs!”
With a physically demanding day job as a trainer and physical fitness consultant, Aileen still has energy to burn at the Ranch. Kimberly Fohrman, head trainer, explains. “Aileen absolute busts her backside at the Ranch, and she has a wonderful ‘can do’ attitude. She helps me by turning out horses, grooming and longeing. She has such great energy and strength and is a huge benefit to our horses and our team.”
Aileen shares some insight into her passion for fitness, her love of horses, and her commitment to Red Bucket. “I have dedicated my life to fitness instruction and education. A big part of that is developing exercise programs and teaching people how to be well balanced and stay injury free. There is nothing more satisfying than helping someone get fit who is injured, de-conditioned, or unable to move. It felt only natural that I would want to be able to do the same for the Red Bucket horses. When I went to the website and read about the abuse and hardships of these beautiful animals, I knew I had to figure out a way to fit volunteering into my life.”
She continues: “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t think about and love horses. My mother recognized my obsession early and enrolled me in circus training classes where you learn to stand and do tricks on the horses’ backs. When I was a teenager, I competed in western equitation with the California Rangers and hung out at the stable whenever I could. Having children and working sidetracked my time in the saddle, but now both of my kids are grown which allows me some time for the horses. I want to continue to work with horses and do anything that is asked of me to support the Red Bucket team and perhaps utilize my unique skills to help our horses.”
When asked what inspires her, Aileen speaks from her heart about those individuals that have touched her soul:
“What inspires me the most about Red Bucket is the way everyone works together toward a common goal.
If it wasn’t for Barbara taking me in so sweetly, working with me, and talking to me about the organization, before I even met any of the horses, I might have not come back.
If it wasn’t for Cathy training me to groom, walk, and treat the horses, the Red Bucket way, I would have felt unsure about what I was doing.
If it wasn’t for Kimberly, patiently answering my long list of questions, I would never have ventured into this unchartered territory; I am now taking barrel racing lessons.
If it wasn’t for Karen, helping to maintain the Ranch and equipment, I would not have such a beautiful place to volunteer with such wonderful horses.
If it wasn’t for Susan Peirce showing such resolve and focus, this place would not exist. She is truly inspiring and motivates me to help any way I can.
I hope to one day provide a forever home for one of our horses!”
Aileen can be spotted at the Ranch at least a couple of days a week, primarily grooming and helping Kimberly with longeing and preparing the horses for her to ride. She can also be found lingering around Mozart’s stall. “I have fallen in love with Mozart,” Aileen confides. “He has such a sweet disposition, such beautiful black and white markings with that one fantastic blue eye, and he truly seems to like having me around.”
And we have fallen in love with Aileen, for her energy, her strength, her compassion, and for the love she bestows on all of our precious horses. Thank you Aileen for turning your fitness addiction into an equine passion.