Dark Horse Adventures

05/20/2026

A new study out of South Carolina has found that the EPA found in fish oil may actually be harmful to brain recovery rather than beneficial.

This doesn’t mean you should stop taking fish oil supplementation, but it’s definitely worth taking a deeper dive.

I found this interesting because we’ve always been told fish oil was always a good thing.

This study was specifically on repeated head trauma, not on a single major traumatic event so it will be interesting to see what they find as they continue to study the effects.

05/01/2026

Let’s talk about Lion’s Mane!

We tried it a few years ago, but there were only powders available at the time. A scoop of which was quite difficult to get into Weston.

Now there are capsules and tinctures available, much easier to get a kiddo to ingest.

It is a wonder mushroom for brain health and has no known side effects.

Look for H. Erinaceus or Yamabush*take (Japanese) extracts.

Daily dosage is 500-1,000 mg taken 1-3 times per day.

As with everything, talk with your doc before starting a new supplement.

03/19/2026

I have been using essential amino acids (EAA’s) for years to help with exercise recovery and sleep.

It just dawned on me about six weeks ago to look into the benefits of supplementing with them for TBI recovery.

Turns out, there are a ton of benefits, many of which I’ve already seen in Weston since he started supplementing.

If you decide to try them, make sure to find a reputable brand with quality ingredients.

Personally, I like Comeback from Fueled Supplements. (Total Nutrution & Tanning sells it here in Great Falls)

03/08/2026

What is Dark Horse Adventures?

Dark Horse Adventures is a nonprofit born out of love, necessity, and the deep desire to give back.

Our family was always active. We were always outside—hiking, exploring, moving, living. Being outdoors was simply part of who we were.

Then in March of 2021, our world turned upside down.

We lost Tyler. We lost Wyatt. And everything changed for the three of us who remained. Weston was severely injured, and for a long time we couldn’t do the things we loved. The mountains, the trails, the adventures that had always been part of our lives suddenly felt out of reach.

But slowly, step by step, we began finding our way back outside.

Back into the mountains.
Back onto the trails.
Back into the healing that nature provides.

The healing power of being outdoors is incredible. As Weston has regained pieces of his independence, we have regained pieces of our freedom alongside him.

Dark Horse Adventures exists because I want other families to experience that same freedom and healing.

Every child—no matter their physical abilities—deserves the chance to get outside, explore, and truly live their life.

And that is what Dark Horse Adventures is all about.

03/04/2026

For years, we were told lactate (a byproduct of high-intensity exercise) was just a “waste product.”

Turns out… it’s anything but.

Emerging research shows that lactate can serve as an alternative fuel for the brain — especially when the brain is injured and struggling to use glucose efficiently.

After a traumatic brain injury, energy is everything.

Neurons need fuel. Blood flow matters. Inflammation has to be regulated. Repair requires resources.

Lactate may:
• Provide backup energy to brain cells
• Support blood flow
• Influence neurotrophic factors (the things that help the brain repair and adapt)
• Play a role in reducing inflammatory signaling

This doesn’t mean lactate is a magic fix.
But it does mean the story is bigger than we once thought.

At Dark Horse Adventures, we believe in sharing information that empowers families. When you’re walking the long road of brain injury recovery, knowledge matters. Hope matters. And understanding how the body supports healing matters.

The brain is resilient.
And sometimes, even what we once labeled as “waste” turns out to be part of the comeback.

02/27/2026

This information was very exciting for me — high doses of creatine was shown to be safe and effective for improving cognition and communication in children who suffered TBI’s.

Talk with your doc first, but creatine supplementation is easy and affordable especially with all of the options available now.

I’ve used creatine off and on for years in fitness terms and then for cognition (new info coming out for adult benefits all the time). It was great to know a well-studied (and one that our bodies already make) substance has shown promise for TBI recovery in kids.

02/26/2026

There are approximately nine thousand kiddos with a traumatic brain injury living in Montana.

Until we joined the club, I had no idea the number was this high.

02/03/2026

01/26/2026

2nd Annual Weir Memorial Ruck is coming up!!