Draper Therapies Welcomes Linda Caddel and Caddel Equine Therapy Center LLC to the Advisory Board

We are very happy to welcome Linda Caddel and Caddel Equine Therapy to our Advisory Board. Linda and her husband Steve own and operate Caddel Equine Therapy Center, established in 1996, located 10 miles north of the Kentucky Horse Park. Linda grew up on her family’s grain and livestock farm in Iowa, the same farm established in 1860 by her great, great grandfather; she graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Agricultural Journalism and a minor in Animal Science. As a youth, Linda was very active with her horses through the 4-H and youth Quarter Horse programs. Linda describes, “in my previous lifetime, I worked for a variety of horse and cattle magazines; my favorite experiences were during my time as Associate Editor and later Editor of Horseman magazine in Houston. It was as Editor that Linda met her future husband Steve Caddel, then Broodmare Manager of Granada Equine Services near College Station. While at Horseman Linda traveled the United States writing about, photographing, and even riding with the country’s top horsemen.

When the Caddels moved to Kentucky in 1988, Linda continued working in journalism and marketing. Clients included major Thoroughbred farms and organizations including the American Association of Equine Practitioners. In 1996, Linda and her husband, who works for Farmers Feed Mill, put their technical skills in equine management and nutrition to use to fill a void in Kentucky’s horse industry. The business focused on post surgical and post-hospital care but it quickly evolved into long-term recovery and rehabilitation of equine athletes. Steve and Linda’s daughters actively participate in the horse industry. Oldest daughter Katey currently works with Bill Mott’s racing stable and Jessica continues to work in the family business though she is now a sophomore at Bellarmine University.

Caddel Equine Therapy Center is a 54-acre facility that specializes in high-maintenance horses of all disciplines and classes. Professional staff includes the Equine Therapy Supervisor, full-time barn and maintenance personnel, horsemen who specialize in therapeutic riding, and specialized Physical Therapists. It is a privilege to work with the country’s top veterinarians and associated professionals in caring for all types of horses, from elite athletes to the back-yard horse.

When we asked Linda about her favorite products, top accomplishments, and her role models, this is what she had to say!

Top Accomplishments: “The bar has risen dramatically since 1996. I take great pride that we have maintained the trust of a very elite group of veterinarians, trainers and owners. Not only have we had great success in being a part of the successful recovery of our patients but we have protected the privacy of our residents. This is a business which depends on a “leap of faith,” and Steve and I do everything in our power to be completely honest and candid with our clients. I say Equine Rehabilitation is a Team effort and that team includes our owners, veterinarians, therapists, farriers, staff, trainers, and all of our support industry. Everything we do with a patient is under Veterinarian Prescription and our clients respect that. That said, we have a team of veterinarians that welcome open dialogue and trust us to follow our agreed-upon protocols to the letter.”

Favorite Draper Products: “I have to say it is the entire line of Draper products; The first products we tried were the Recovery Wraps that our Physical Therapist purchased at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. We used the wraps extensively on a chronic cellulitis case. We were pleased with the results and progressed to polos, the quarter sheet, the stable blanket, and into the human products. We have given the nap blankets as gifts to friends and have used the wrist, elbow and knee braces on ourselves. The relief has been absolutely remarkable. I even have some of my veterinarians prescribing the polos to their clients. Importantly, in addition to be effective, the fabric is durable enough to hold up to daily washing and drying. We continue to use the original sets of polos and Recovery wraps we purchased in 2010 and they still look new.”

Role Model: My husband Steve. Steve is the best horseman, the most honorable person and the best teacher I have met. He grew up on his family’s ranch in Uvalde, TX, and is a very creative individual in terms of managing horses. I have always been a keen observer of a horse but Steve has taught me how to safely and effectively work around even the most difficult of individuals. When we started our business, Steve was the front person because he could articulate protocols and disorders to our clients. I did the hands-on behind the scenes work. He gave me the confidence to develop the vocabulary and skill to talk to our clients and to implement complicated recovery protocols with our team of doctors and professionals.”

“My other Role Model would be my dad, Dale Blake. He instilled in me ‘Can’t Never Could’.”

Goals: “Our mission at Caddel Equine Therapy Center, LLC is to provide a healing environment for our patients, to provide a safe and stimulating working environment for our staff and to enhance the health and welfare of horses world-wide through protocols developed at our center.”

“On a personal level, my goal is to enjoy more time with my own horses, family and friends.”

“I count my blessings for being able to work with the very brave horses in our care.”

Linda’s work with top vets and hands-on experience make her able to provide Draper Therapies with unique insight into performance horse injuries and the best ways to not only heal but also help to prevent them. Welcome Linda!