Janelle is a licensed Physical Therapist who has been practicing for many years. She has worked in a variety of settings including neurological rehabilitation, acute hospital care, home health, sports medicine and now focuses her treatment expertise in hippotherapy (using the horse’s movement as a treatment tool). She has been an avid horseperson since the age of 10 when she started riding hunters until she went to college. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1990 with a degree in physical therapy.

After graduation she started riding again and got into eventing for a short time. She then decided to completely focus on dressage training. Judy Westlake was her greatest early mentor and influence in getting a great foundation for riding. In 1995 she met Jill Hassler-Scoop who was her next biggest influence in riding. Jill inspired her to begin teaching as well as get involved with the Integrated Approach to Teaching and Learning Program (evolved into EES).

When visiting the International Academy for Equestrian Studies in 2001 with Jill Hassler-Scoop, she was introduced to Eckart Meyners and his body of work. Since 2005 she has been actively involved with the Balimo™ program as a graduate instructor. Janelle's role is in teaching the instructors the exercise portion of the Balimo™ workshops. She brings her understanding of kinesiology and physiology from her Physical Therapy background and is able to make it understandable for the riding instructor to integrate into their current body of knowledge.

Janelle is currently the Director of Physical Therapy at the JF Shea Therapeutic Riding Center. Here, she is able to combine her passion of horses and love for the profession of physical therapy. She utilizes the horse's movement as a treatment tool when working with various children and adults with disabilities.

"My goal is to incorporate the EM work with able bodied riders as well as disabled riders".