“I had this amazing life I was building—show-jumping dreams, a promising future, full of plans and possibilities—and suddenly, it was like someone pressed pause,” Lilian Schaffer reflects, her words so real and heartfelt.
Sometimes life has a way of turning everything upside down when you least expect it. In 2017, Lilian was living her dream—her horses, her show-jumping career, and her senior year all seemed so full of promise. But then, in an instant, everything changed.
By fall, after months of symptoms that didn’t make sense, she was diagnosed with stage IIb bulky Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“The first thing I asked the doctors was, ‘Can I still ride?’” she shares with a small laugh, as if even she can’t believe that was her focus.
“I think they thought I was nuts, but for me, the barn was my safe place. It was home. I wasn’t going to let cancer take that away from me.”
The Healing Power of Horses
Lilian’s relationship with her horses—Trey, Neptune, and Especial (aka Special)—became her lifeline. On days when everything felt impossible, they gave her a reason to keep going.
“The smell of hay, the rhythm of their hooves—it was grounding,” she reflects. “Even when I felt terrible, just being in their presence brought me peace. It was like they knew exactly what I needed, like they were carrying me through it.”
Horses, for Lilian, weren’t just animals. They were her teachers, her healers, her constant. They helped her stay physically strong, emotionally grounded, and mentally sharp, even as she underwent grueling chemotherapy and radiation.
“Chemo drains you,” she admits. “It’s like you’re floating aimlessly, completely untethered. But the barn—it anchored me. Riding kept me connected to the person I wanted to be, even when I didn’t feel like her.”
The Saddle as Sanctuary
Even while undergoing treatment, Lilian competed. Yes, you read that right. She was in the show ring during her radiation therapy.
“I wasn’t jumping the big stuff, but I was out there,” she said. “I probably pushed myself too hard sometimes, but riding gave me purpose. It reminded me that I was still me, even on the hard days.”
Her determination inspired not just her family, but also her medical team. Doctors shared videos of her riding with other young patients to show them that cancer doesn’t mean putting your life on pause.
“This experience shifted something in me,” Lilian says, her voice reflective. “It taught me that healing isn’t linear. Some days you feel like you’re on top of the world, and other days it’s hard to get out of bed. But that’s okay. The important thing is to keep moving forward, even if it’s just a little.”
The Journey Beyond the Ride
Now, as an E1 Equestrian ambassador, Lilian wants to share what she’s learned with others.
“My horses taught me so much about connection,” she said. “They don’t judge you. They don’t care if you’re sick or scared. They’re just there, offering this quiet strength. It’s magic, really. They helped me heal on a deeper level than I ever expected.”
For Lilian, equestrianism isn’t just about the ribbons or the competitions. It’s about the way horses reflect the best parts of us, even when we can’t see them ourselves.
“At the end of the day, they brought me back to me, and that’s a gift I’ll carry with me forever,” she says.
But healing has come with its own share of heartbreak. In reflecting on her own journey, Lilian shared the devastating loss of her close friend and fellow equestrian, Quincy Rohrbach, who recently passed away at just 20 years old after her own battle with cancer.
“Quincy was this radiant soul—beautiful inside and out. Losing her was heartbreaking,” Lilian shares. “We bonded over our love for horses, and I admired her strength so much. It’s hard to put into words how much her loss has affected me. I ride for her now, too.”
Quincy’s passing is a powerful reminder of the fragile and precious nature of life, deepening Lilian’s purpose both in and out of the arena.
Beyond the Arena: Art and New Beginnings
Lilian’s passion extends far beyond the saddle. She is a Denver-based abstract expressionist painter and a resident artist at D'art Gallery and Studios at Grace. Her work explores self-awareness and the human experience through large-scale, intuitive paintings—an escape from perfectionism and a reflection of raw emotion.
And that’s not all. Lilian is now channeling her love for horses into a new venture: Big City Nights Equestrian, a premier horse care, therapy, and retirement boarding center. Her mission is to create a sanctuary for horses to heal and thrive, much like how her horses helped her heal.
Lilian Schaffer’s story is one of strength, healing, and the profound impact of connection—both human and equine. Whether through the art she creates or the sanctuary she’s building, Lilian continues to inspire by showing that even in life’s hardest moments, there is room for purpose, beauty, and compassion.
