At 16 years old, Lauren Mullins has been battling cancer since she was 14. Her dad bought her some riding lessons for her birthday just before her diagnosis and she instantly fell in love. “My favourite thing about horses is probably how they know when you’re in pain or if you’re sad and they know how to help you through those hard times.” 

With a lifelong dream of owning her own horse, her trainer Clarissa Czyprynski Laughlin wanted to make sure that dream would be fulfilled. She was talking to friend and fellow trainer, Cathy Hanson, about starting a fundraiser to do so, when Cathy said she had a horse she could just give to Lauren. A week later Smokin ARoan, aka Leo, joined the Mullins family. Leo has twice qualified for the AQHA World Championships with previous owners and is now ready to start his journey with Lauren. 

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