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C H R O N O F H O R S E . C O M JA N UA R Y/ F E B R UA R Y 2 018 5 5 what we were thinking," she says, before adding seriously, "Both boys have been great gifts in our lives." Both are now successful adults. Fillmore, 27, lives in Iowa, and Tibben, 27, lives locally. Tibben and his partner, Walnetta Senoj, recently made Charlotte and Baker grandparents. "Last year at Christmas they very seriously pulled me aside, and they said they really wanted me to be the official Nanna because neither of them have biological mothers in their lives at all. Her name is Tyleiyah," Charlotte says proudly, showing a photograph of a darling 2-year-old. As for what she learned from parenting two boys? "I think you learn to be on some level a lot more tolerant about a lot of things," she says. "I think that is probably what the horses teach you too. A lot of patience." Looking through their family photos, the boys growing a bit bigger in each, arms around their foster parents, the love they have for each other is apparent, and it's a lesson Fillmore carries with him as an adult. When asked what he takes away from having Charlotte and Baker as his parents, he thinks a moment before answering. "Love no matter what, regardless of whether anyone loves you or not," he finally says. "Do not give up hope. If I'm feeling down, I will call her, and she will make me feel better. My life changed from just sitting around and waiting, and then the world opened for me. Anything I thought was possible, or anything I may have possibly wanted to do, was now open." Although attempts for his foster parents to legally adopt him were thwarted by his biological mother, it changes nothing for Fillmore. "She is my only mom," he says. If he decides to become a parent one day, Fillmore also prefers fostering a child rather than having his own. "ey really opened up that world to me," he says. "I was one of those kids in need, and I got lucky. How many kids aren't as lucky as I was?" But helping children in need did not end when Fillmore and Tibben left home. ough her busy travel schedule no longer allows Charlotte to take foster children, she and Baker act as mentors to Though competition isn't her main focus anymore, Charlotte Bredahl still enjoys training horses up to the Grand Prix level, including Westpoint CB (left) and Chanel. KATHRYN BURKE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

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