In late 2018, Mollie Himes of Aliquippa, Pa., purchased a horse as a gift for her teenage sister, Kristen. Their father had just died, and Mollie could think of no better way to help her sister grieve than by giving her the one thing she’d always wanted – a horse. Mollie and her husband, Chris, already owned a small farm and horses of their own, so Kristen’s new horse, Arrow, fit right in with the Himes herd.

After a few weeks of stall rest, when it was clear that Arrow wasn’t improving, a worried Mollie called the vet back out again. This time, he diagnosed the filly with a deep digital flexor tendon injury and recommended more stall rest and wrapping. Mollie started researching everything she could find about leg injuries, determined to save her sister’s horse.

“I wanted to try everything, because I couldn’t put my sister through losing this horse when she’d just lost our dad,” Mollie said. “Then the vet said he didn’t think she’d ever be comfortable even as a pasture pet, and I just started doing everything I could think of to try to save this horse.”

Mollie spent months soaking the filly’s leg, hand-walking her through a Pennsylvania winter, using liniments and red-light therapy and trying every remedy she could think of. Some days, the little bay filly could only walk on three legs; other days, she managed to walk on all four.

“I tried all these different products and liniments, but everything burned her. I started to see white hairs developing on her leg,” Mollie remembered. “I couldn’t figure out what else I could use. Then I saw someone post on Facebook about Draw It Out and they said that it didn’t burn. I decided that I’d give it a try. That was going to be my last resort.”

By then, it was March 2019, and Mollie was desperate. She ordered a bottle of Draw It Out Horse Liniment Gel and lathered the filly’s leg with it, hoping to provide her with some relief.

“She didn’t have any adverse reactions and it didn’t burn,” Mollie said. “I loved that. It also didn’t burn my hands and my hands didn’t smell like mint the rest of the day, either. I started using the liniment along with red-light therapy and hand-walking. Within a three-month span, Arrow went from walking on three legs to being able to walk, trot and canter.”

Amazed and grateful, Mollie put the liniment aside and focused on continuing to rehab Arrow for her sister. Then one day, her own horse, Remington, got kicked in the pasture, and a lump developed on his leg. Mollie didn’t hesitate. She grabbed her bottle of leftover Draw It Out and applied the gel to the lump.

“I went back in the house, then when I came out, the lump was gone,” Mollie said. “I was kicking myself for not taking a ‘before’ photo because I thought no one was going to believe me that this lump went away so fast.”

After that, Mollie was hooked. She became an official member of #TeamDiO in August 2020, and these days, her barn is always fully stocked with Draw It Out products for use on her horses. While her sister, Kristen, enjoys riding English, Mollie and Chris love to ride in mounted shooting competitions.

“I just love mounted shooting because it’s not only the horse who has to be good at it,” Mollie said. “You have to be good at it, too. You have to be accurate and plan your shots. You could buy the best mounted shooting horse in the world, but if you can’t shoot, you’re not going to win. I love the combination of skills that it takes to win.”

Mollie’s horse, Remington, is a 17-year-old Quarter Horse gelding. Although Mollie and “Remmy” only began competing in mounted shooting in late 2019, the pair quickly became proficient. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to take a break from mounted shooting competitions during the first half of 2020. But when July 2020 came, Chris told Mollie there was a mounted shooting competition taking place in nearby Jefferson, Ohio. On a whim, Mollie dusted off her guns and loaded Remmy up and headed to the Guns-N-Roses I&II in Jefferson, Ohio – where they won their class. The rest, as they say, is history. Now, Mollie and Chris both hold leadership positions in their local mounted shooting club, the Steeltown Gunslingers, and compete in mounted shooting events together.

“Remmy is getting older now, and he’s not as fast as the young horses, but we’re still doing great in the mounted shooting,” Mollie said. “This is a sport that I can continue with him because I love the adrenaline rush of shooting and being a real team with him.”

Part of Mollie’s competition routine includes using Draw It Out Liniment Gel and Liniment Concentrate on Remmy to help prevent and soothe sore muscles and tendons. 

“I’ll religiously use the liniment before, during and after every competition,” Mollie said. “Before saddling, I’ll spray the concentrate under Remmy’s pad and on his shoulders and his neck. I’ll also use the gel on his legs and tendons and underneath his boots. After we ride, if it’s warm enough, he’ll get a bath with Draw It Out Soothing Horse Shampoo with Lavender. That stuff is my favorite – just the smell alone!”

Draw It Out products are a staple in the Himes stable, but they’re also a staple in the Himes home. Both Mollie and Chris use ReJüv Gel to soothe their own aches and pains. In addition, the Himes own two Australian shepherds named Bow and Gunner, who play an active part in the family’s riding expeditions. 

“They go on our trail rides with us. After every ride, we’ll bathe them with the Draw It Out Soothing Dog Shampoo with Lavender and then I’ll spray their legs down with the Draw It Out Dog Liniment Spray and rub it into their joints. That’s their little spa treat,” Mollie said.

For the Himes household, Draw It Out is a part of life – and there’s nothing Mollie loves more than spreading the word about her favorite products wherever she goes.

“I can’t imagine not using it. Whenever we go to competitions, I hang my Draw It Out banner on my stall and I keep a spray bottle of the liniment concentrate hanging in my stall. If a competitor’s horse comes up lame or someone pulls up and their horse is off, I say, feel free to go grab my bottle of Draw It Out and use it on your horse. As soon as they try it, they want to know where to get some for themselves,” Mollie said.