Marian wanted to prevent other horse owners from going through what she did during an EHV outbreak, so she wrote a book that makes biosecurity steps easier to remember.
My name is Marian Ehlers (people call me Mare), and I’m 18 years old. I live in Oregon. My parents have always encouraged me to use my voice, strengths and resources to help others. Because of this, I have grown to become an independent and emotionally strong person who embraces opportunities as they arise.
JWI Ambassador
I travel a lot for horse shows and am lucky to have met so many incredible people in the horse show world. Molly McDougal, however, was among one of the most impactful people I have had the pleasure of meeting, and our introduction changed my life.
Molly worked for a nonprofit called JustWorld International (JWI). She allowed me to help her at the World Cup Qualifier in Thunderbird, Canada, when I was only 10 years old. Molly invited me to join her team of ambassadors, and I used my ambassador status to find ways to impact my own community.
My first big JWI event was a silent auction that I was able to host with the help of friends, including junior equestrians Mosely Maxwell, and Emerson and Grace Whitcomb. Together, we raised money and awareness for not only JustWorld, but numerous other local charities. I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back, we made an impact when we were just kids.
A Kid-Run Fundraiser
I was proud of what we accomplished for JustWorld, and hoped to make the same impact for our local therapeutic riding center, Healing Reins. At 11 years old, I was too young to attend their annual benefit, Diamonds and Dust, so I asked my mom to host a benefit at our home for kids.
She agreed, but she had one big rule: It had to be completely organized and staffed by kids. She also wanted all the donors of the event to be kids, too. It was a great event. While supporting Healing Reins, I was also helping my friends to realize that they can help their community with their own talents and resources.
The Healing Reins and JWI events continued on for years, and my identity shifted from being just an equestrian to being an equestrian who is an active member of the community.
EHV Outbreak
In 2022, when I was 14 years old, my equestrian community was faced with a traumatic EHV-1 viral outbreak, and it motivated me to help in a new way. My own horse tested positive and became neurological. It was awful to witness sick horses hurting.
This difficult, sad and exhausting situation changed me significantly. After caring for my horse and witnessing my friend’s horse, S’more, pass away during the outbreak, I created an acronym in honor of S’more, calling it S’MORES CODE. The acronym stands for “Sanitize, Monitor temperature, Observe symptoms, Report sick horse, Educate, and Separate supplies.”
Dr. Katie Flynn, BVMS, senior veterinarian for equine health and biosecurity for the U.S. Equestrian Federation, approved the protocol, and it was soon posted at horse show grounds to educate the public on equine biosecurity.
Fergus and S’Mores Code
You can learn more about it by going to smorescode.com. Most recently, S’MORES CODE is reaching new audiences in my children’s book called Fergus Learns S’Mores Code. I used this opportunity to teach kids about equine virus prevention with the help of the beloved Fergus the Horse, who has starred in many cartoons and books over the years—and now in every issue of Young Rider magazine.
My parents’ encouragement allowed me to believe in myself and my ability to use my skills and resources to make positive changes in the lives of others. I hope that everyone can see the power that their gifts and talents can have. We can all make an impact on our communities at any age. You just have to believe in yourself and go for it!
This article appeared in the March/April 2025 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!
