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Cynthia Elliott, Licensed Massage Practitioner and Large Animal Massage Practitioner, has had a lifelong love of horses. She began caring for horses at the age of ten when neighbors and friends asked her to watch after their horses and assist with their daily care and feeding. Nothing delighted her more than spending time with her four legged friends.
Years later, after raising her twin sons, she decided it was time to find her own horse companion, which she found where she lives, on San Juan Island; her dear friend Cash, a Palomino Quarter Horse.
A Licensed Massage Practitioner since 1987, Cynthia received her certification as a Large Animal Massage Practitioner from Northwest School of Animal Massage in 2005. Cash was very willing to let her practice on him to refine her skills and he thinks all horses deserve a regular massage, especially him.
In Spring of 2006, after boarding Cash at several island locations, Cynthia and her husband Gordon moved to beautiful Briarwood Farm care-taking the land in exchange for a remarkable place to live and have her horse. She immediately looked for pasture mates for Cash and found Aman, a lively two year old Arabian, and Brownie, a 26 year old retired Trakehner who had moved from California to be in a cooler climate. They all became fast friends.
The following Winter, due to health challenges that Brownie experienced after a long history of top level national competition, Cynthia had the opportunity to utilize numerous natural healing methods including massage, energy work, meridian therapy, herbal treatments, and lots of love and attention to assist Brownie to return to a state of health and vigor.
As a result of spending time with Brownie and watching him heal and thrive, Cynthia realized her desire to offer a haven for horses that perhaps were no longer being ridden, allowing them to spend their retirement years in a happy, healthy herd. This includes setting up the pastures in a way that mimics a natural setting, as close as possible to what they would experience if they were living in the wild, yet offers the safety, shelter, healthy meals and the loving attention that they had earned after years of loyal and dedicated service.
In December 2009, together with Briarwood Farm's owner, Michal Pickett, Cynthia opened Crescent Moon Equine Sanctuary. It is a dream come true for Cynthia, and for the horses that live here.
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