It didn’t take long for Tracy Adams Kooman to fall in love with Tucker, a buckskin quarter horse.

“He was going to be my forever horse,” says Kooman, who runs Elysium Farms in Independence, Minn.

Four years ago, Kooman discovered a spot on Tucker’s eye. At first, the veterinarians at West Metro Equine Practice (WMEP), part of the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center, thought it was a minor issue and treated it. But a year later, the spot came back, this time bigger. More tests revealed Tucker had lymphoma.

“Dr. Kaitlin Mielnicki was there with me through diagnosis and treatment,” says Kooman, about the former resident at the University of Minnesota Piper Equine Hospital. “Dr. Brady Bergin and team from West Metro came to the barn to treat Tucker and to teach me how to treat his illness with injections and medications.”

Unfortunately, the lymphoma progressed quickly, and Tucker was euthanized.

“I remember [Dr. Mielnicki] kissing Tucker on the nose, saying, ‘I got you, I’m here,’” Kooman says. “These aren’t just doctors; they love them like we do.”

Kooman donated Tucker’s body to the University to be studied and used to help teach students.

“As horrific as it all was, I am so glad that I donated him so that I had peace of mind and they were able to learn from him as well,” she says.

In times like these, Kooman and her husband, Peter, are thankful to have developed a strong relationship with the doctors and staff at WMEP. For nearly two decades, they’ve turned to WMEP for horse care for their own animals and those who used their boarding facilities. Kooman has come to depend on the WMEP team—from the receptionists to the doctors—for regular checkups and emergency ambulatory treatment.

In 2014, a young trainer who boarded horses at Elysium got the chance to take back Filly, her first horse. When she picked up the mare, it was immediately apparent Filly was emaciated and in poor health. Once Filly arrived at Elysium Farms, Kooman and the owner quickly enlisted WMEP's help and worked with doctors to build the horse’s strength by feeding her small, frequent meals and giving her plenty of rest. Filly, who is now 29, made a full recovery.

“It’s such a great testament to West Metro and her owner,” Kooman says.

Since she was a little girl growing up in Wadena, Minn., Kooman has loved horses and once planned to become a veterinarian. Kooman opened Elysium Farms in 2007 and sold that land in 2021. She has since bought a new space nearby.

Kooman is passionate about animal welfare. She spent a decade as president of the Wadena County Humane Society, where she helped raise nearly $1 million for a new building. The Koomans have started including WMEP in their yearly giving.

“My passion is horses and care for horses,” she says. “I believe West Metro is top-notch in this lane, supporting me through many old and new challenges along the way. Dr. Bergin and his team have consistently been there with me through many emergencies and general care. I am so deeply grateful for their commitment and generous giving of their time and talents to the entire equine community. So many of us rely on their kindness and skills.”