Suzy is an Accredited Land Consultant and has consistently been one of the top producing land and farm agents since 2003 in the Aiken Market. A leading sales agent multiple times, she is most proud of winning Best Customer Service agent for Aiken’s Meybohm office the past 2 out of 3 years. Kathryn is licensed in both SC and GA and has achieved Presidents Club status in the company. Together they will ensure you find the perfect property in Aiken!
This 34 A parcel has a recent survey and is near Windsor. The land has mature hardwoods and longleaf pines with riding trails throughout the property. There is a 30’ ingress/egress easement off Live Oak Drive. Some areas have been cleared and an older mobile home removed but the well and septic remain and convey as-is. In area of horse farms.
Windsor Trace 6 A. farm w/access to miles of riding & carriage trails! 2 BR/2 BA home has gourmet kitchen w/subzero refrigerator & upscale SS appliances, walk-in pantry, great room w/cathedral ceiling, dining room, primary bedroom w/vaulted ceiling, walk-in closet & bath w/jacuzzi tub & tile shower. Landscaped yard, gunite salt water pool w/waterfall, 4-stall center aisle barn, 3 run-ins, 3 irrigated paddocks & large area for riding. No HOA.
2BR/3BA custom newer 2,752 sq. ft. home on 85+ acres coastal mix pasture w/20 stall barn, irrigated show ring, 60’ round pen, derby field, 5 standalone foaling/layup stalls w/attached irrigated turnout, run-in shed pastures ranging in size from 2-10 acres, & 9 additional paddocks. The new hay barn has abundant storage w/power & water. Home has downstairs primary & second floor bedroom w/seating area & fabulous views &1700 ft.² floored unfinished space for expansion. Quality kitchen with center island & brick backsplash & 500 ft.² screened porch with tongue and groove wood. The attached barn has a new office & ability for 4 stalls.
Lot in equestrian development with recent perc test and extensive trail system across from an event training farm. Watch beautiful sunsets from this level lot with pines and some hardwoods. The property lines are clearly marked. Shared community trails and dirt roads for hacking. This lot is beautiful with a low $360 HOA annual fee.
Rare opportunity to live in the heart of Olde Aiken in a charming 1920’s cottage off So. Boundary Ave. 3/3 hardiplank 1982 sq. ft. home renovated in 2007 w/new cabinetry, plumbing, electric. Heart pine floors, plantation shutters, gas fireplace, Rinnai water heater, replacement windows, 2017 metal roof, Generac generator, & encapsulated crawlspace w/dehumidifier. Kitchen w/granite counters, skylights w/shades, & Bosch gas 5 burner stove. TREX deck & landscaped fenced backyard w/storage shed.
1BR/1BA barndominium on 1.15 acres near riding & carriage driving trails. Remodeled in 2020 w/attached 2 stall barn/garage, 2 paddocks and run-in shed. Open living area & includes all appliances. Fully fenced and gated yard. High speed fiber optic available.
opportunity to own a large recreational,
or hunting tract with marketable
and water close to Aiken with over 4,000 feet of road frontage. The land has been partially and selectively cleared with interior roads and areas are accessible for future pasture. Property borders both Bridge Creek and the South Fork Edisto River. Call for your appointment.
507 A COLUMBIA HWY. $3,499,680
Thistle Cottage - Historic District 338 Fairfield Street SE in Aiken, SC
Thistle Cottage, built in 1922, presents an elegant home with exquisite gardens, privately sited behind a brick wall in Aiken, South Carolina's coveted historic district. Discover the charming atmosphere of this Winter Colony cottage and its prime location just 2 blocks from The Willcox and Aiken's Horse District, and within close proximity to Aiken's lively downtown shops & restaurants. Upon entering through the front gate, you will encounter a wellestablished garden featuring brick walkways and circular terraces. This historic home boasts architectural elements such as Hitchcock ceilings, heart pine floors, wainscoting, original transoms, built-in cabinetry, bookshelves, and restored windows, including cathedral and diamond style windows in the living room. The kitchen features a central island, a breakfast nook, ample counter and cabinet space, and modern LG appliances. The primary suite at the back of the house includes a sitting room, a renovated bath, and three closets, one of which is a room-sized walk-in. Guests will appreciate the separate spacious guest bedroom. The property includes a gated entrance to a side gravel driveway for secure off-street parking and is fully enclosed for pets. Whether as a primary or seasonal residence, Thistle Cottage at 338 Fairfield Street SE is a must-see gem. 2 BR & 2 Bath Historic Home | 2836 SF | Gardens |Off Street Parking | Studio Office Offered for $997,500
18+ Ac. New Holland Road 302 Horse Country
Robwood, circa 1837, offers an exceptionally fully restored & livable historic home amid a low country ambiance on 99.14 acres equipped with equestrian amenities. A main level primary suite with his & her baths + a thoughtfully designed kitchen is beautifully renovated. An original carriage house & smoke house, a newer 20-stall center-aisle barn, a 10-stall shed row, pastures, 2 round pens, a lighted & irrigated covered arena & a renovated historic barn for your gym, game room, & office completes the property.
99.14 Acres | Covered Arena & 2 Round Pens 20 Stall Center Aisle + 10 Stall Shed Row 5 BRs + 4.5 Baths Historic Home Offered for $2,495,000
Aiken downtown, grocery stores, tack shops & feed stores. Convenient to all of the equine training, eventing and polo venues along Aiken's sought after 302-equestrian corridor!
18+ Acres | Open Fields | Private Setting Offered for $195,000
Cissie Sullivan Tracey Turner
Section One
Our cover shows Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) winning the $100,000 Lugano Diamonds CSI2* Grand Prix at the Split Rock Jumping Tour in the Aiken Horse Park. Amanda is riding Cornwall BH, owned by Derbyshire and Gochman Sporthorse LLC.
Section Two
Audrey Delap and San Francisco compete in the November Eventing Academy Horse Trials at Stable View.
Section Three
Cynthia and Byron Crook through the water with Brikka and Bailey at the Windsor Trace Combined Driving Event.
Photography by Pam Gleason
Photography by Pam Gleason
Photography by Pam Gleason
Aiken Horse
It’s December, and we’re getting ready for another active equestrian season here in Aiken. The fall has seemed quieter than usual, possibly because everyone is still cleaning up from the effects of Hurricane Helene, which came through at the end of September and caused so much damage across the area. The Hitchcock Woods is still closed, and there are still immense broken tree trunks and branches lining many of our highways and byways. As of the end of November, the City of Aiken alone had hauled away over 46,000 cubic yards of “vegetative debris” – much of it was mulched and delivered to Humble Acres in Blackville to be turned into compost. There is still much more to dispose of, and it will probably be quite some time before everything is back to normal.
Nevertheless, equestrian activities have been going on pretty much as planned all fall, and we have been out there documenting it. By now, the warm season grasses are dormant on the polo fields, and tournaments are over. The eventers in the Northeast and MidAtlantic are getting ready for their journey south. Aiken’s local hunts have had their opening meets and are into their formal hunting season. You can read about the opening meet for one of our local hunts in section one: we went out on Thanksgiving for the blessing of the Aiken Hounds, held at Fox Nation in Windsor. It was the first time anyone can remember that the opening meet for this historic hunt was held outside of the Hitchcock Woods, and it was a beautiful
day for the hunt’s 110th opening meet.
Section one also has a special article from our writer Mary Jane Howell, who has an affinity for Sweden and for their iconic carved wooden horses called Dalahästen. Mary Jane has been planning to write about these horses for a while, and we thought the article would fit best in our December-January issue to coincide with the holiday season.
In section two, we have stories about a variety of Aiken’s horsemen, including Aiken’s newest Olympian, Alexander Parro, an event rider from Brazil who is creating his own training center in Windsor. Then, find out about the dressage rider and trainer Jeremy Steinberg’s return to competition with his new horse Henry, who won the First Level Open championship at the U.S. Dressage Finals this fall. Meet Ace, 30, a Medicine Hat Paint gelding who had a long career in lower level eventing before retiring in Aiken with his owner Merance Adams. Finally, get to know the amateur dressage rider Heather Fultz, and Sophia Segesman, the 14-year-old who was the youngest competitor in the 1.45 meter $100,000 Lugano Diamond Grand Prix at the Split Rock Horse Show.
Our third section features an interview with the renowned horseman Pat Parelli, the godfather of natural horsemanship. Parelli is moving his whole operation to Johnsonsville, South Carolina and is excited about a new teaching campus he is setting up there. Read about it here first! We also have our informative Ask the Judge column with Amy McElroy, and, finally, a profile of Buddy, one of the amazing horses of Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs. Great Oak’s horses have been getting a lot of national attention lately and we are so happy to see them in the spotlight! Read more about them elsewhere in this issue.
We hope you love our stories and images! Stay warm and have a great set of holidays!
Pam Gleason Editor & Publisher
News & Notes
By Pam Gleason
The Great Horses of Great Oak
Aiken has always been known for producing champion horses –racehorses, event horses, driving horses, any kind of horse. Now we have two new national equine champions: Arnie and Duke, both of whom reside at Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs just a few miles from downtown Aiken.
Great Oak is dedicated to providing equine assisted activities to people with disabilities and being the “catalyst for unbridled personal growth and awareness,” according to their website. Arnie and Duke were each separately honored this December.
Arnie was chosen as the winner of the inaugural 2024 United States Equestrian Foundation Heart Horse Award, which was “created to spotlight the incredible work horses are doing in Community Outreach Organizations throughout the nation.”
Duke earned his honors from the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.). Earlier, Duke was named the PATH Intl. Region 3 Horse of the Year, which made him eligible for the national Horse of the Year award. This December, he won that award, chosen over 10 other regional winners.
Duke, registered name Duke of Oil, is an unassuming chestnut Quarter Horse gelding from championship cutting, performance and
halter lines. Duke spent most of his life in New Hampshire, but came down to Aiken with his owners for the winter. He joined the Great Oak team a few years ago and instantly endeared himself to everyone with his gentle and unflappable nature. Duke is one of two horses at Great Oak that is calm enough to accept the mechanical lift which is used for riders in wheelchairs, or others who can’t mount a horse without its assistance. For some of his students, riding Duke is the only time they leave their wheelchairs and get to walk.
“We thank Duke for that,” said Eva Finnan, who is the program director at Great Oak. “Out of 800 facilities, he has been chosen as the PATH International horse of the year. And that is a tremendous, tremendous accomplishment. We’re very proud of it.”
Arnie, registered as Kilcarna French Fancy is a 17-hand imported Irish Sporthorse gelding, who competed under two Olympic riders: gold-medal-winner Phillip Dutton in eventing and Doug Payne in showjumping. He came to Great Oak two years ago after retiring from competition and has proven himself to be kind, patient and attentive with an empathetic nature that enables him to form deep bonds with his riders and handlers. His size is imposing but not intimidating, and he impresses everyone with his noble carriage and beauty.
Arnie was one of four finalists for the Heart Horse award, and he won the most votes from USEF members. He will be honored during the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Lexington, Kentucky on January 23, 2025.
“The Community Outreach Program’s horses are truly outstanding,” said the U.S. Equestrian Board President Tom Mara in a press release. “We gather each year to celebrate the success and achievements of our competition horses. What better way to highlight our Community Outreach horses’ community impact than with an award designed specifically for them! Even better, to celebrate these awards together on the same stage.”
Duke of Oil: PATH International Horse of the Year
Kilcarna French Fancy: USEF Heart Horse of the Year
Still Saving Whitney Barns
The historic Whitney Barns, built by William Collins Whitney for his racehorses, sustained quite a bit of tree damage during Hurricane Helene. Although insurance was in place to repair the structures themselves, it does not cover tree removal. The Whitney Barns Group, which manages the property as a 501c3 charitable institution, is looking for donations from Aiken’s horse-loving public to help with the cleanup and other related expenses.
The barns, located in the historic downtown horse district between Whitney Polo Field and the Aiken Training Track, are owned by the Whitney Trust. In 2015, they were in such poor repair, the trust applied for a demolition permit to tear them down. In response, concerned horsemen formed the Whitney Barns Group, which entered into a 75year lease agreement with the trust. The WBG raised and spent over a million dollars to renovate and repair the barns. Today, they are used for racehorses that come to train in Aiken for the winter. Stalls may also be rented on a daily basis by people coming to town for a horse show or visiting to ride in the Hitchcock Woods.
William Collins Whitney was a prominent financier and horseman as well as the Secretary of the Navy in the Grover Cleveland administration. He was good friends with Thomas Hitchcock, and with Hitchcock’s encouragement, he started spending his winters in Aiken in the 1890s. He and Thomas Hitchcock purchased vast acreage, setting up sporting venues for themselves and their friends. This included the land that is now the Hitchcock Woods, the Whitney Polo Field, the Whitney Barns and the Palmetto Golf Club. In 1901, just three years before his death, he placed much of his Aiken property into a trust “for the institution and promotion of all kinds of sports and pastimes in the City of Aiken.” His foresight helped ensure the survival of many of Aiken’s most iconic equestrian activities into the modern day. Today, in addition to the Whitney Barns, the Whitney Trust owns Whitney Polo Field, the Powderhouse Road polo fields, the Palmetto Golf Club and the Aiken Tennis Club downtown.
To donate, visit the Whitney Barns Group pages on Facebook, or mail a check: Whitney Barns Group, 423 Mead Ave, Aiken, SC 29801.
Heart of the Turf
If you have not been to the Aiken Thoroughbred Hall of Fame and Museum lately, this December and January would be a good time to go. Not only will you find regular exhibits dedicated to the 40 champion racehorses that have been inducted into Aiken’s Hall of Fame, you will also have the chance to see the traveling exhibit “The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers.”
The exhibit was developed and is being shared by the Keeneland Library, a reference and research library in Kentucky which is the world’s largest public repository of the Thoroughbred industry. The Heart of the Turf exhibit draws on this extraordinary collection to
“highlight the lives and careers of 100 African American horsemen and women from the mid-1800s to the present. One-of-a-kind photographs from Keeneland Library collections capture moments across their varied careers, while biographical vignettes honor their lasting legacies,” according to a press release.
“From racetrack superstars to behind-the-scenes caretakers, The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers showcases select stories of the countless African Americans who forged their way in Kentucky and beyond from the era of slavery to the present, making the racing industry what it is today.”
The exhibit includes at least one famous Black jockey with Aiken ties, Jimmy Winkfield, who was the last African American jockey to win the Kentucky Derby, and he did it back-to-back, in 1901 and 1902 aboard His Eminence and Alan-a-Dale respectively. Winkfield came to Aiken after his riding career was over and briefly worked as a groom for Pete Bostwick.
The Hall of Fame is located inside Hopelands Gardens at 135 Dupree Place. Admission is free. Visit www.aikenracinghalloffame.com
Jimmy Winkfield on Alan-a-Dale, Kentucky Derby 1902
Tree debris on Mead Avenue at the entrance drive to the Whitney Barns.
$100,000 Lugano Diamonds CSI2* Grand Prix,
Split Rock Jumping Tour in the Aiken Horse Park
Photography by Pam Gleason & Gary Knoll
Park Place Polo II, Aiken, SC
110th Annual Opening Meet
A Tradition Continues in Windsor
Story & PhotograPhy by Pam gleaSon
The annual blessing of the hounds at Memorial Gate in the Hitchcock Woods is a beloved Aiken tradition. The blessing always takes place on Thanksgiving Day, and it coincides with the official opening meet of the Aiken Hounds, Aiken’s historic drag hunt. It is a festive affair, attracting large crowds. Riders are decked out in their formal hunting togs and their horses are prepped as though for a show: tack cleaned, white socks washed and manes braided. The hounds arrive fresh from their annual bath, provided by members of the Aiken County Pony Club and other young people in the horse community. The event normally includes throngs of spectators who make the trek down the trail to Memorial Gate to watch the blessing and see the riders off. The blessing of the hounds is a quintessential Aiken ritual, as much a part of Thanksgiving as turkey and stuffing.
This year, however, there were some major changes. When Hurricane Helene tore through South Carolina in late September, it inflicted serious damage in Aiken. It was particularly destructive to Aiken’s trees.
it is in the Hitchcock Woods; so this year the tradition did not provide quite as much general community spirit as it has in the past.
“It was very exciting for the Aiken Hounds to have a traditional blessing of the hounds for our 110th year,” said Larry Byers, the senior Master of Foxhounds and the leader of the hilltopper flight. “But it was somewhat disappointing that we couldn’t share that tradition with the folks in town because the woods is closed.”
For the riders, their friends and families, and the supporters of the hunt, there were some benefits, however. Chief among these was that Fox Nation is more accessible than the Hitchcock Woods. Cars are not allowed to drive into the woods, and Memorial Gate is a long walk down a trail that can be difficult for some people, especially older people, to navigate. Because of this, some of the most devoted hunt supporters have been unable to attend opening Meet. This year, however, they could drive their cars up to the blessing, which was held on Fox Nation’s polo field.
Heavy rains had inundated the area the day before, and when the winds arrived they snapped off branches, broke trunks in half and ripped out even massive, mature trees by the roots. The Hitchcock Woods were not spared. Thousands of trees came down, blocking trails and making the forest both impassible and dangerous. Crews from the Hitchcock Woods Foundation, in conjunction with outside contractors, have been working assiduously to make the woods usable again, and everyone had hoped to have enough trails cleared to hold the blessing at Memorial Gate as usual. But time ran out before Thanksgiving, and organizers had to make other plans.
With the woods out of commission, The Aiken Hounds spent their cubbing season hunting at Fox Nation, an expansive farm in Windsor, about 12 miles from downtown. Owned by Sarah and Jim Wildasin, Fox Nation has trails running through sandy forests, complete with coops and logs to jump and excellent footing for the horses. The decision was made to hold the blessing at Fox Nation this year.
“As far as anyone can remember this is the first time the blessing has been held off campus,” said Sarah Wildasin, one of the joint Masters of Foxhounds. “So, it was slightly different, but we did everything else pretty much the same. We got lucky: we had beautiful weather and about 50 riders came out, including some children, which was great.”
Holding the blessing of the hounds at Fox Nation had some drawbacks and some benefits. There were somewhat fewer participants than usual, since many people who hunt with The Aiken Hounds are stabled in town and are accustomed to hacking to the woods to hunt –everyone does not have a horse trailer, and although12 miles is not far to drive, it is not around the corner either. In addition, Fox Nation is a private fixture, and so the blessing was not open to the general public as
“The very best part was that so many friends and family and so many hunt supporters were able to partake – that was just wonderful,” Sarah Wildasin said. “And they were also able to follow the hunt in vehicles, and meet at the three checks. They could see the different lines coming in, and ask questions, see the hounds and the huntsman in the field, and hear the huntsman blow his horn, so that was really, really special.”
The ceremony itself started at 10:00 a.m., following a stirrup cup on the polo field. Reverend George Alexander, the rector of All Saints Anglican Church in Aiken, read the blessing, assisted by the curate, Father Lance Davis and the crucifer, Bob Sukovich. Five members of the hunt were awarded their colors, including Tara Dietrich and Jill Nangeroni who were riding that day. Three hunt members were granted their colors in absentia since they had yet to make the pilgrimage to Aiken from their winter homes up North: Fernanda Kellogg, Kirk Henckels and Olivia van Melle Kamp. A non-riding supporter, Scott Kraeuter, earned honorary colors in appreciation of his service to the hunt. Then the riders set off in four fields: walk-trot, hilltoppers, second flight, and finally first flight, the fastest moving jumping flight.
“It was a wonderful day,” said Larry Byers. “Every day is a wonderful day if you are on a horse.”
The Aiken Hounds is a drag hunt, which means that the hounds follow a scent laid down by a human “fox” and no animals are actually hunted or killed. Formally recognized by the Masters of Foxhounds Association in 1916, it is one of the oldest drag hunts in America. The hunt goes out twice a week, and the formal season lasts until early March. The Aiken Hounds are expected to stay at Fox Nation until the Hitchcock Woods are passable again, and there is, as yet, no word on when that might happen.
Horse
Aiken Hounds huntsman John Tabachka
Sweden’s Dala Horse
From Toy To Iconic Symbol
By Mary Jane Howell
Sweden is known for the pop group ABBA, for tall blondes, fabulous crime fiction, cold dark winters and endless sunlit summer days. But perhaps the most famous Swedish exports are the little red wooden horses called the “Dalahästen,” or Dala horses. The colorful horse statuettes are more than just a souvenirs for tourists to bring home, however: They have become a true symbol of Sweden, and their history is woven through the very fabric of Swedish life.
Documents from the early 1600s mention wooden horses being sold at markets, but many horses over the centuries were simply carved by family members as something to do during the long cold winters. Nearly 70% of Sweden is covered by forests, so wood has always been readily available, and many families made their living from logging. Dalarna, a region in central Sweden, is a beautiful area with a landscape filled with forests, lakes and small villages, and it is here that the wooden horses
Above: a 9-foot-tall Dala horse at the Swedish Pavilion, 1939 World's Fair, New York Opposite: Njörd, a noble blue steed, named for the god of the sea
flourished. Horses were important to the people of this area – they were not only farm animals but helped with logging and transported people and goods throughout the countryside.
Perhaps the horse statuettes might have stayed as plain wooden toys, except for the fact that Dalarna was (and still is) widely known for its
crafts and artistic traditions. Furniture and decorative items had long been carved and then painted in a style called rose-painting, or kurbits, characterized by colorful depictions of flowers and leaves. It was only natural that this style would be used on the plain horses, which in the beginning, were mostly painted red.
Why red? Falun, a town in Dalarna, was the main copper-producing center in Sweden from the 10th century until its huge mine closed in 1992. At its height, the Falun mine produced two-thirds of Europe’s copper. A by-product of the mining was a red pigment that was formed from copper-poor ore that had decomposed over the centuries. Now known as Falu Rödfärg, it is the red paint that is used on cottages throughout Sweden, and on the Dala horses.
The Dala horse first appeared on the international scene at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. It was chosen as the symbol of Sweden, and at a bit over 9-feet-tall, a giant Dala horse commanded attention,
standing outside the country’s pavilion and greeting the 45 million visitors that attended the fair between 1939 and 1940. The exhibition horse was made by Nordiska Kompaniet’s furniture workshops south of Stockholm and was decorated in the signature kurbits style by the artist Göte Hennix. Thousands of smaller Dala horses were sold, marking the beginning of the Dala horse’s diaspora.
Within Sweden itself, the Dala horses were carved and decorated throughout the Dalarna region – centering around the small villages found along the shores of Lake Siljan. Although carving continues throughout the region, the two largest manufacturers are based in the small town of Nusnäs, where over 200,000 horses are produced each year!
Grannas Anders Olsson (1896 – 1944) is the man responsible for making the village of Nusnäs the home of the Dala horse. The eldest of nine children, Anders had always been skillful and bought his first saw at a young age. He would make pattern blocks for the horses in a variety of sizes, saw and then carve the details by hand. The individual painting styles are what made each horse slightly different. He started his company in 1922 and it is still run today by the third generation of his family. Just down the street is the company founded by Anders’ younger brothers, Nils and Grannas Anders Olsson
The Dala horses are still individually carved and painted, with carvers throughout Dalarna working on the pieces at home. Once the horse has taken shape, it is returned to the workshop where it is dipped into its base color (red is still the most common) and then placed on a platform to dry. After their primer coat, the horses are dipped into their final paint bath. Once dried, each horse is decorated by a skilled artist in the kurbits style. Many of these artists have worked painting the Dala horses for most of their lives.
And while the wooden horses from Nusnäs are the most wellknown, smaller areas around Dalarna are finding that their “parish horses,” decorated with unique patterns from each village, are becoming sought-after by collectors. The small village of Rättvik is known for its gray horse that was first made in 1950 by John Gudmunds, while the Leksand horse from 1948 is painted yellow with a pattern copied from a popular wallpaper design.
Perhaps the most unique wooden horses in Sweden today are carved and painted by Johanne and Marianne Bägling, whose small company is called Jamtländaren.
“We live in Jämtland and are surrounded by forests, small lakes and many mountains. This beautiful natural world – together with our Norse heritage – is what we draw inspiration from,” explained Marianne. “The name of our business literally means “a person from Jämtland,’ and we are proud of being from here.”
The Bäglings started their business in 2000, after a chance encounter with a gentleman from Rockford, Illinois, named Richard Rolander,
who was visiting the Grannas A. Olssons Hemslöjd in Nusnäs. Marianne was painting horses there at the time and he asked her if she would paint a horse he had carved. During another visit, he brought a model of a horse that he wanted Johanne to replicate. Although Johanne was already a skilled woodworker – making small cabinets and a wide variety of bowls – there was something about carving a horse that appealed to him.
The Bäglings name each of their horse models, which vary in looks and colors. Njörd is a noble blue steed, named for the god of the sea and colored by what Marianne calls the “blue hour” –that time between night and day. All their horses are numbered and signed.
“We feel that the Dala horse is still a strong Swedish symbol since it represents a beautiful combination of tradition, craftsmanship and culture, which are all important elements of the Swedish identity,” explained Marianne.
Those same thoughts are echoed by Kicki Norlander, a Swedish horsewoman currently living in Waxhaw, North Carolina, and working at Alvie Equine Rehab Center where she is both the manager and trainer.
holds tight to its heritage, and even has the Dala horse as its symbol. Corey and Denise Peterson are the current owners of Hemslöjd, now one of North America’s leading Scandinavian gift shops, thanks in part to its mail-order catalog and website. The Petersons import Dala horses from Nusnäs, and have their own artisans on site to carve and paint Dala horse signs that are decorated with surnames or the popular “Välkommen” (welcome in Swedish).
“I think the Dala horses are a national treasure and of interest to anyone who loves and understands the history of Sweden,” she explained. “I have lived in the U.S. since 2010, and still when my dad visits, he brings so many Dala horses to me, which I then use as gifts to friends.”
Kicki grew up on a large farm in the south of Sweden where her family raised cows, chickens, pigs, sheep and of course there were horses. With her ties to the deep agricultural roots of Sweden, it is no wonder the Dala horse has a special meaning for her.
“These horses are part of our culture – a link to our past,” she said. One of the enjoyable things that Kicki has done with her interest in Dala horses is to teach her horse Quando B to pose just like the very unique (and wildly popular) sitting Dala horse. “I thought it was worth a try, and it turned out pretty good,” she laughed.
If you can’t get to Sweden to buy a Dala horse, perhaps you can take a road trip to Lindsborg, Kansas, and visit Hemslöjd (Swedish for a store that sells handcrafted gifts). Lindsborg, known as “Little Sweden USA,” is a small town north of Wichita that loves all things Swedish, including the Dala horse. Founded in 1868 by several Swedish families, the town
“We probably sell 1,000 of the Dala horses a year,” said Corey. “Which makes us one of the largest retailers outside of Sweden of the true Dala horse.”
A true Dala horse means that the carving must have a sticker on its belly stating that it was carved at one of the two Dala horse makers in Nusnäs: Grannas Anders Olsson Hemslöjd or Nils Olsson Dalahästar.
There are many Dala-type horses that are carved in other countries, but there is something about the original Swedish ones. No two are exactly alike, owing to the hand-painting of various artists. The history of these little horses makes them unique.
Maria Rundgren, a Swedish journalist based in Stockholm, loves the tradition behind today’s more modern Dala horse.
“Sweden has long produced artisans who carved objects out of wood – it is quite typical and traditional since we are a nation full of trees,” she explained. “Carving horses and other animals from wood has a long history and is gaining popularity again – slow artwork that turns the wood into something nice and/or useful.”
There is a small building in Gamla Stan, the 13th century historical center of Stockholm, that houses one of the most unique collections of Dala horses in Sweden. Simply called the Wooden Horse Museum, it has a small room filled with some of the earliest examples of horse carvings, the paint faded to a gentle patina. There are collections of Dala horses from the tiniest imaginable, growing up to 12 inches in height (think Russian nesting dolls) – all painted the same. The front of the shop is where Dala horses are offered for sale – from the traditional ones carved in Nusnäs, to a few of Marianne and Johanne Bägling’s mystical reworking of the traditional Dala form, to modern takes (unicorns!) Judging by the hundreds of people that visit each day, the Dala horse still carries an allure that captures the imagination of visitors from around the world.
Above & below: Dala horses for sale and being painted at Hemslöjd, one of North America’s leading Scandinavian gift shops, in Lindsborg, Kansas
APARTMENT AMENITIES
Dog & Cat Friendly
Pella® Windows
KitchenAid® & Whirlpool® Appliances
Toto® Toilets
Whirlpool® Washer & Dryer
Plus a variety of upgrade options!
RESIDENT AMENITIES
Outdoor Pavilion & Pool
Café & Coffee Bar
Conference Room
TV Lounge
Fitness Room
High-Speed Internet
Dog Wash Station
Indoor Bicycle Storage
VILLAGE AMENITIES
3+ Miles of Walking Trails
Parks & Picnic Areas
Bocce Ball Complex
Planned Community Events
On-Site Restaurants
Spa, Salon, & Retail
Medical Offices
Publix Grocery – Coming in 2025!
From the developer of Three Runs Plantation comes another wonderful equestrian neighborhood in Aiken, South Carolina. Bridle Creek meanders across 1,000 wooded acres, featuring ve-acre lots and larger. Amenities include a dressage arena, jump arena, X-Country Schooling area and an activity center with meeting, social and tness space. All this plus miles of scenic trails. Now selling in Phase Three. Inquire today by calling 1-888-297-8881 or email info@bridlecreekaiken.com
Andre Parro
Building a New Legacy in Aiken
By Sally Spickard, photography by Gary Knoll
Andre Parro, an international eventing competitor who has represented his native Brazil at the Olympics and World Equestrian Games, is putting down new roots in Aiken County. After spending time based in the United Kingdom and then in Massachusetts, Parro made the decision last year to settle permanently in Aiken, establishing himself at his new facility, Cedar Ridge Equestrian.
For Parro, Cedar Ridge represents more than just a professional venture—it’s a personal dream and a fresh start. Combining his deep experience and his vision for fostering the next generation of riders, Parro’s new venture is designed to meet the needs of ambitious riders while maintaining a personalized touch that reflects his philosophy on horsemanship.
When Parro purchased the Cedar Ridge property, located just off Charleston Highway in Windsor and about 15 minutes from downtown Aiken, it was a blank canvas. “The property didn’t have anything — just cleared land,” he explained. “We’ve added small turnouts, built a GGT [Footing] jumping arena, created a crosscountry schooling area with fences for Preliminary and Intermediate levels, and installed a mile-long galloping track.”
With plans to expand the cross-country courses to accommodate all levels, Cedar Ridge is set to become a facility for riders in multiple disciplines. “It’s going to be a high-end place with everything—an excellent arena, well-maintained trails, and a beautifully cared-for property,” Parro said.
Cedar Ridge is also focused on providing a tailored experience for its clients. “I want it to be a personalized facility where people feel supported, whether they’re boarding, training, or just coming to school,” Parro added. He understands that the needs of clients can vary; one client may desire full-service care with all the amenities, while another may want to manage all aspects of their horse’s care on their own. Parro also plans to offer “daycare” type services for noncompeting horses while their owners are away showing, providing peace of mind no matter what a client’s ideal scenario entails.
Parro says his move to Aiken wasn’t part of a master plan. Initially, he came to escape the harsh winters of Massachusetts. “I kind of fell into it,” he admitted. “It was never my plan to settle here permanently—I just needed a place to go in the winter.” He’d spent time in Ocala previously, but he didn’t like the distances he’d need to travel to compete outside of Florida. When he first came to Aiken in 2023, he rented facilities at Stable View for his horses and himself while he got the lay of the land. He liked the area so much, he opted to stay year-round instead of going back to Massachusetts.
The move coincided with another significant life change: Parro sold his farm in Brazil, which he had kept and previously used to host events and train riders. “It all happened at the same time,” he said. “Selling the property in Brazil allowed me to fully invest in building Cedar Ridge. It just made sense to make the move permanent.”
For Parro, Aiken’s strategic advantages as a central location, full of its own competition and training opportunities and also within a few hours of multiple other competitive outlets, sealed the deal. “With so many international competitions within a three-hour drive, it’s one of the best spots in the U.S. for eventing,” he explained. “Florida is great, but you end up spending so much time on the road. Aiken offers the perfect balance.”
Beyond its equestrian appeal, Aiken also provides a welcoming community and a rich quality of life for Parro and his family. “The equestrian community here is so friendly and supportive,” he
said. “Plus, for my family, it’s a great location—close to the beach, Savannah, and Charleston. There’s so much to explore beyond horses, which I think is very healthy.”
Parro’s family includes five children ranging in age from 2 to 18. Four of his children now live with him in Aiken, while his youngest remains in Brazil with his wife, Nanda Castro Parro, who is waiting for a work transfer to the U.S.
“The kids being here was a big factor in deciding to settle down and build the farm,” Parro said. “This gives them access to great schools, the chance to apply for college, and opportunities they wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
His children are already embracing the equestrian lifestyle, with his two sons actively riding and preparing to compete. “It’s exciting to see them get involved,” Parro said. “I hope they enjoy it as much as I do.”
Having represented Brazil internationally and worked with some of the biggest names in the sport, Parro adds his world-class expertise to Cedar Ridge. “I’ve been fortunate to work with legends like Mark Todd, Ian Stark, Christopher Bartle, and William Fox-Pitt,” he said. “That experience is something I want to share.”
Parro’s plans include hosting clinics to support the development of riders in Aiken and beyond. His first major clinic, featuring Laura Collett, who is a Paris Olympic team gold medalist, is already scheduled for January 2025. Collett, who rides for Great Britain, is the FEI World #7 ranked eventing athlete and is highly sought after for her clinics. Opportunities to ride with Collett in the United States are rare, and Parro looks forward to hosting her at Cedar Ridge. Riding and auditing spots are still available for this clinic, scheduled for January 23-26.
“Hosting clinics is a big part of my vision,” Parro explained. “It’s a way to help the community grow and give riders access to top-level instruction.”
A long-time advocate for equestrian sport in Brazil, Parro also sees Cedar Ridge as a gateway for South American riders aiming to compete on the world stage. “In January, we’ll host a Brazilian Federation clinic with four riders coming to train,” he said. “It can be overwhelming to navigate international competition without guidance, and I want Cedar Ridge to be a place where riders can learn and feel supported as they take that next step.”
For the future, Parro says he envisions Cedar Ridge as a home base for international riders seeking to compete in the U.S., offering them not only world-class facilities but also the mentorship of someone who understands the challenges of international competition..
Parro says he is grateful for the opportunities Aiken has provided. “Every morning, I wake up to a sunrise over the arena and a sunset over the barn. It’s beautiful,” he said. “The views here are incredible, and the property is surrounded by trees, which makes it feel so peaceful.”
Cedar Ridge is as much a personal haven as it is a professional endeavor. With a thoughtfully designed facility, a commitment to fostering talent, and a strong connection to the community, Parro is building more than a farm—he’s building a legacy.
Cedar Ridge Equestrian is set to open its doors to the public in early 2025.
For future updates and to inquire about Cedar Ridge, please look up Cedar Ridge Equestrian on Facebook. A website for the facility will be forthcoming. Those interested in auditing or getting on the waitlist to ride in the Laura Collett clinic can contact Parro at andre_parro@
ULTRASOUND & SPORTS MEDICINE
Carol Gillis DVM, PhD
Diplomate American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation
Dr. Carol Gillis is one of the world’s leading veterinarians in the diagnosis and treatment of tendon, ligament, and muscle injuries.
Our practice offers in depth ultrasound examinations and individualized rehabilitation programs for both equine and canine athletes.
Dr. Gillis is also available for remote consultations, including diagnostics and rehabilitation plans for patients all over the world.
December we will be preparing Cross-Country with Noll Smith, our designer and looking forward to our first 2025 Horse Trials Check www.sportingdaysfarm.com for info and prize lists
Secret Lives of Horses
Ace: A Prized Medicine Hat
By Mary Jane Howell, photography by Gary Knoll
At 30 years old, Ace, officially known as JBS Last Image, is a stunning example of a Medicine Hat, which is a primarily white, paint-colored horse, with a “hat” of darker hair over his crown. In Ace’s case he has brown hair covering his ears and the top of his head like a winter cap, otherwise known as a war bonnet. His stunning blue eyes and mostly white body make him quite striking, but his athleticism and personality are what his owner Merance Adams loves most about him. Today he lives a life of leisure in Aiken, but he can look back at a long career competing in Canada and the United States.
Medicine Hat horses were considered sacred by Native Americans and were only ridden by tribal chiefs, medicine men and the bravest of warriors. These horses were believed to carry magic, which gave them the ability to protect their riders from injury or death in battle. Ace has never gone into combat, but he has been that “one in a million” special horse for the two women who have been fortunate to share at least part of their lives with him.
Ace was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, in May 1994. He came from a long line of colorful horses, but his unusual markings made him special from an early age. He was originally trained to be a reining horse, then won a championship in team penning. Along the way his owners bred him to a few mares, but he didn’t “throw color” so he was gelded. As fortune would have it, Ace was living in a barn that offered both English and western training, so he was tried over fences and he proved a natural jumper. When he was offered for sale, he was purchased by the Ziehlke family in Alberta for their young daughter Danielle, otherwise known as Dani. Ace was a month shy of 5 and stood 14.2 hands. He was the perfect size for a young rider.
Dani started showing Ace in hunter classes and then began working with a trainer who specialized in eventing. Within two seasons the pair had moved up to Training level and Ace was bravely jumping everything in front of him, galloping exuberantly around the cross-country course, and doing well in stadium and dressage.
In 2002, Ace and Dani added barrel racing to their resume so that they could join the “Paint Team” and compete at Spruce Meadows, in Calgary, in the Telus Battle of the Breeds. Ace proved that he could run barrels, notch clean rounds in the jumping competition and do well in other classes such as trail obstacles.
At about this same time, Merance Adams, an amateur rider, was at home in Monmouth, Maine, where she had a few horses but was looking for one that could be her eventing horse, a discipline that she was interested in trying.
“The dollar was particularly strong in Canada in the early 2000s, so I knew many people who were purchasing horses from there,” recalled Merance. “Those were the days when you were sent a VHS tape of a horse – not like now when you can watch a video on your phone!”
Dani was outgrowing Ace, and with reluctance her family offered him for sale. Merance found out about him and made an offer.
“It was such a hard sale – Dani was heartbroken,” Merance said. “I made sure that the family knew they could still be a part of his life. It took four days for him to arrive at my farm – I had no idea that Alberta was clear on the other side of the country!”
Ace arrived in Maine on a snowy night in November, with a Canadian maple leaf design clipped in the hair on his haunches. At 8 years old, the showy little gelding was about to turn the page and begin a new chapter of his life.
“He was such a fancy mover and absolutely loved to jump – such a wonderful combination for eventing,” remembered Merance. “Maine did not have recognized shows, but we were happy competing at Snowfields and then traveling to Vermont for Hitching Post and GMHA [Green Mountain Horse Association]. We also would go
to Florida for a few months each winter, and there we would do the Rocking Horse event.”
Merance recalled attending a clinic taught by the renowned eventing rider and coach Denny Emerson early on in her partnership with Ace. Perhaps because of his unusual looks, or his small size, Ace was not taken seriously – but that changed when the pair started jumping.
“Everyone always underestimated him, but it turned out that he was the star of that clinic,” said Merance. “He was a fancy mover and a lovely jumper and people didn’t expect that from him. At the end of the clinic Denny Emerson likened Ace to a Jack Russell Terrier.”
Life in Maine was not just about the competitions – Merance and Ace had plenty of adventures with like-minded friends. There were trips to Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island for days of leisurely trail riding, gallops along Popham Beach in Phippsburg, Maine, and quite a few hunter paces.
“Ace was always the babysitter of the more hesitant horses during our trail rides. He would just take the lead as if to say, “’follow me – I won’t let anything happen to you.’”
There were times, however, that Ace could be a handful. “When we were in the start box for cross-country he could hardly contain his enthusiasm,” Merance recalled. “He would do these half rears very politely, but it was his way of letting me know that he was ready to go.”
Ace has been a part of Merance’s life for the past 22 years, and for the last seven he has been here in Aiken. He has a 2-acre pasture with access to his stall, goes barefoot, doesn’t get clipped and gets a good senior feed (soaked of course) and a high-quality timothy hay. Merance just lets him be a horse.
She also stays in contact with Dani, who has made several trips to South Carolina to see Ace. “I think sometimes there is a horse that is just so special that you will cross a continent just to throw your arms around his neck for comfort in difficult times. These two have a bond that remains unbroken even though decades have passed. I have always wanted to honor that relationship.”
Merance started and owned her own business, Adams Horse and Pet Supplies, which grew to be a major online and then retail store, first in Maine and then in Aiken. For her logo, she used a favorite photo of Ace jumping. With his knees tucked and ears signaling alertness, Ace was just being the horse who loved every moment of the competition.
Today, he still loves life – being the boss of the younger horses on the farm, glorying in rolling around in his pasture so that his beautiful coat is perhaps no longer white. Even with a recent diagnosis of cancer, Ace is beating the odds. Perhaps the legend of the Medicine Hat is true after all… Dani and Merance understand that they have had a truly magical horse in their lives.
This picture of Ace became the original Adams Horse Supplies logo
Secret Lives of Horses is sponsored by Triple Crown Nutrition: Providing nutrition beyond compare.
Rhino and Rambo blankets! Plus a large variety of coolers, scrim sheets, quarter sheets & liners for all your
best-selling
as Back on Track, Ariat, EcoGold, EA Mattes, Kask, Thinline, Weatherbeeta, Herm Sprenger, Correct Connect, Hit-Air, Tipperary, Mountain Horse, Equinavia, Veredus and many more!
Horse Trials, Stable View Photography by Pam Gleason & Gary Knoll
Jumping High
Sophia Segesman Aims Higher
Story and Photography By Pam Gleason
Sophia Segesman, 14, is jumping high, and aiming even higher. She and her family moved to Aiken from California a little more than a year ago, and since that time she has been making her mark in the junior ranks of equitation and showjumping. This November, she was the youngest rider to compete in the 1.45 meter $100,000 Lugano Diamonds FEI CSI** Grand Prix at the Split Rock Horse Show in the Aiken Horse Park. She and her mount, Quitana 11, finished in the top 20, dropping two rails for eight faults, but turning in one of the fastest times of the day. It was an impressive performance for a 14-year-old in her very first FEI Grand Prix, and it augurs well for her future in the sport. For Sophia, that future is all about horses.
“I want to do this my whole life,” she said. “I want to go to the top of the sport, and I could not imagine being without horses.”
Sophia is the daughter of Georgy Maskrey-Segesman, the owner and trainer at Whitethorne, a stable that she established in California and moved to Aiken. Maskrey-Segesman imports, sells and leases show horses, and trains riders for the hunter/jumper and equitation circuits. She is her daughter’s coach, and the owner of two of her top horses, the seasoned international jumper Quitana 11 and the up-and-coming equitation horse Delano.
Quitana 11 is a 2006 Holsteiner mare that competed up to the fivestar level in Europe and the Middle East before Georgy bought her for a young professional to campaign in the United States and Canada. A few years later, Georgy sold her, but then purchased her back again in 2023 to be Sophia’s jumper. Delano is a 2016 imported warmblood gelding
who had a career in dressage in Europe, but now Sophia is producing as a quality equitation horse. Sophia’s third main horse is another jumper, Opium du Soufflet, owned by Rocking D Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to these three horses, she also competes aboard various horses in training, and those that are being offered for sale.
Sophia says she rides between five and eight horses a day, and also makes time to work out at the gym or on the Peloton for about an hour a day. She is home-schooled, and although she says her best subject is math (taking after her father, a math teacher), for the moment at least, horses are the education that she cares most about. She grew up with exceptional access to the horse world, but says she did not really start taking horsemanship seriously until 2020, when in-person school went virtual because of COVID-19.
“When school went online, they gave out all the work on Mondays, and nothing else for the rest of the week. So I literally did all my work in one day and then just spent the whole rest of the week in the barn,” she said. “It really grew on me. I really loved being able to ride all day, and just spending time with the horses.”
Moving from ponies to horses was another big motivator for her, especially because of her relationship with her first horse, Caro, who is 20 and now retired in one of the manicured pastures at Whitethorne. Sophia soon started showing in the jumpers and the “Big Eq.” She began her partnership with Quitana 11 in 2023. That year at Split Rock Aiken, she and Quitana were competing in the 1.20 meter Low Junior/ Amateur division. They did well in that division, but Quitana wanted more, and it was the horse as much as her rider who dictated a move up in class.
“She loves going fast,” said Sophia. “I call her my fire breathing dragon – I have a little dragon necklace for her. Once you turn on dragon mode, there is no turning it off.”
Sophia and Quitana took on their first national level Grand Prix at Tryon International in April, where they finished third. In the summer, they had a successful season in Michigan, where they won the team and individual silver medals in the Children’s division of the FEI North American Youth Championships. They followed that with the Prix de States junior jumper competition at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, where Sophia competed as an individual. In addition to riding Quitana, Sophia has also stepped up to the Grand Prix with Opium de Soufflet (Opie), the horse she rode in the $25,000 American Standard Grand Prix at Bruce’s Field in October.
“Opie has taught me a lot,” said Sophia. “He is more of the slow, scopey type, where Quitana is the fast careful type.”
There is a big difference between the 1.20 meter Low Juniors and the 1.45 meters of a Grand Prix. Did facing the higher fences and difficult courses presented by this level make her nervous? Sophia says not really. She admits to some worries the first time she competed at 1.30 meters in Florida last winter, but she knows she can trust her horse.
“Quitana will do anything for me, and I will do anything for her,” she said. “After that 1.30 meter, I knew she had my back. I knew she would take care of me no matter what. So now, once I get in the zone, nothing fazes me much.”
“She walks into the ring, and she is cool, she is collected and she is ready. She just tunes everything out,” said Georgy, who is with her day and night as both her mother and her coach. “It’s unbelievable. For me, as a parent, I am just so proud of who she is as a young woman. I think one thing this sport teaches is the ability to be fearless, and to work hard at something and not give up. I am proud that she has that fortitude, along with a softness, an intuitive and kind part of her personality, and that patience that you have to have to let the horses speak to you. I believe in my soul that she can go as far as she wants to in the sport.”
Sophia and Quitana 11, at the Split Rock CSI** Grand Prix and at home.
Jeremy Steinberg Returns to Showing But Finds Fulfillment Outside the Arena
By Sally Spickard, photography by Gary Knoll
When Jeremy Steinberg entered the ring at the 2024 United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Finals in Lexington, Kentucky on November 9, it marked a significant milestone. It was not just a potential winning ride, it was also the capstone to a year that has seen the former USEF Youth Dressage coach return to competition for the first time in over a decade. His journey back to the arena was highlighted that day when he won the Open First Level Championship aboard the 5-year-old Dutch Warmblood, Henry.
Steinberg, who relocated to Aiken from the West Coast in 2018, is something of a household name in dressage. As a competitor, Steinberg showed to the top levels of FEI high performance dressage, benefitting from the classical teachings of his longtime mentor, the Germanborn trainer Dietrich von Hopffgarten. He then served as the USEF Youth Dressage coach from 2011 until 2014. Eventually, he became disillusioned with high performance and stopped competing himself, but stayed involved by cultivating an active calendar of clinics all over the country and maintaining a small string of personal horses.
Steinberg says that competing was stressful and often kept him from his ultimate goal of connecting with his horses. Today, he works with his students to instill the value of foundational training and connection, gaining fulfillment from passing these core values along to the next generation of riders.
Jeremy’s path to USDF Finals was not smooth. When he aggravated a lingering groin injury just two weeks before the event, he doubted whether he could even compete. During the lead-up, he struggled to canter in one direction, let alone execute the kind of harmonious test that would earn him a championship title. In addition, he would be riding a young, relatively unproven horse.
After he reinjured himself he said he was despondent. “I kind of got off the horse right away and went inside and, you know, did a bunch of crying, moping around,” he said. “I didn’t ride for a couple of days, and then gingerly started again, and it was really weak and bothersome, and I couldn’t do much. But I was going to end up with two weeks off after the show because of my clinic schedule and because of the holiday, so I just thought we could do it. I told the team the day before we left that we would go!”
Still, he tempered his expectations.
“I just didn’t put a lot of pressure on him,” he said of Henry, a horse he co-owns with Carolyn and Jon McMullen. “I just didn’t think Henry would be that competitive. And it was just one of those – I had this terrible two weeks leading up to [Finals], and again, I kind of just went, ‘Forget it, whatever. It’s not a big deal.’ And it kind of turns out Henry is stealing the show everywhere we go.”
For Steinberg, the decision to start competing again this year was not taken lightly. His last foray into showing more than a decade ago had left him feeling disheartened, facing mounting pressures from horse owners, clients, and the industry at large.
“I didn’t like the rider I was becoming with those pressures,” he reflected. “I felt like I had accomplished as much as I could in my showing career without making a massive jump with sponsors and horse flesh — and I didn’t want to make that jump. I wanted to focus on horses I owned, on their well-being, and on training in a way that felt right to me.”
This shift in focus, combined with the move to Aiken, allowed Steinberg to rediscover his passion for the sport.
“I just kind of made this decision to step away and own my own horses from now on and not have anybody own horses that I ride,” he elaborated. “So I could completely be in control of their care and management and they couldn’t get taken away from me, or if I wanted
to sell one or didn’t believe in one, I wasn’t under this burden and stress of somebody else also having an opinion.”
Before moving to Aiken, Steinberg kept his horses at a small hunter/ jumper facility in southern California, maintaining a low profile and focusing primarily on his busy clinic travel schedule. Over time, he found he didn’t miss competing.
“I’m kind of horse crazy, you know?” he said. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I’d never do anything else. I dropped out of high school to do this, and created [what I think of as] my own little empire and niche in the world with the teaching. And, you know, I’m really passionate about it. I study it. I work pretty hard at keeping myself good and current and needed in the industry, but not in that way with horse shows, because I found early on, as I was getting more and more into the teaching, that there were so many times where what we needed to do with the horses did not line up with showing the horses, and selling the horses did not line up with good training.”
Steinberg’s teaching philosophy reflects his commitment to prioritizing the horse and rider’s long-term development. In clinics across the country, he emphasizes the importance of foundational skills and classical principles rather than chasing scores or accolades. “My goal is not to get you to a good feeling today. It’s to give you the tools to create that feeling on your own, even when I’m not there.”
This approach has garnered a loyal following among his students. One of them, Allison Cyprus (a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist who lives and trains in Aiken), demonstrated the success of Steinberg’s methods this year by finishing as the reserve champion in the Open First Level Championship at the USDF Finals on her own 5-year-old, Oceana ISF. Steinberg has coached Cyprus since she was a pony rider, and their continued collaboration is a testament to his belief in building enduring relationships.
Steinberg credits some of his recent success to his move to Aiken. Although he had a thriving career in California, the rising costs, grueling travel logistics, and lack of space for multiple horses prompted him to seek a change
“It wasn’t a life for horses, and it wasn’t one I could see myself maintaining long term,” he explained. San Diego, where he lived before moving, offered a vibrant social life, but it lacked the infrastructure to support a horse-focused lifestyle. The limited acreage and costly boarding options made it difficult to keep multiple horses, and the logistics of traveling for clinics added another layer of stress. “I was constantly getting stranded in airports, especially Dallas, and it was exhausting. I knew I needed a lifestyle that would support both my work and my horses.”
Aiken presented the perfect solution. After visiting friends who had already made the move, Steinberg was drawn to the area’s horse-friendly environment. He and his wife, Chanda Harris Steinberg, purchased a five-acre property in Aiken’s Three Runs Plantation. The move allowed Steinberg to establish a quieter life centered around horses and teaching.
“We built an arena on the property, which quickly paid for itself because of the influx of clients who wanted to train in Aiken during the winter. It was the best decision we could have made.”
Jeremy Steinberg’s dressage journey embodies his love for horses. By stepping away from the pressures of competition and focusing on teaching, he has found a deeper sense of fulfillment — one that prioritizes the horse and celebrates the process of learning. Perhaps ironically, shifting his focus away from competitive success had brought that success back to him.Steinberg says he is grateful for his experience at the USDF finals, but remains committed to his philosophy. “I’ve had my time in the spotlight. Now, it’s about the horses and the riders I work with. That’s where I find joy — and that’s what matters most.”
December-January 2024-2025
Heather Fultz and Liz Hammond
Music and Horses
Heather Fultz Combines her Passions
By Amber Heintzberger
Growing up in a musical family, Heather Fultz, now 37, had to beg her parents for riding lessons. When they finally relented, it just so happened that her riding instructor was also a piano teacher, and they would watch videos of dressage musical freestyles together. Today, she blends her passion for music with her love of horses to create musical freestyles for herself and for others.
In 2023, Fultz and her husband, Ryan Cianciolo, relocated to Aiken from Tampa, Florida, where she was a band teacher in the public school. Now Fultz teaches music virtually with the South Carolina charter school system, which leaves her time to ride her mare, do some photography to help pay for her horse habit, and compose music for dressage freestyles. A freestyle is a dressage test set to music designed by the rider herself.
“In 2015 I did my first freestyle and ended up winning at dressage finals,” she said. “I kept playing around and started making freestyles for other people. Anyone who hasn’t done it, I tell them it’s just the coolest feeling ever, riding to music with your horse.”
Fultz, who grew up in Florida, started riding when she was about 10 years old, beginning with Western and barrel racing. In college she competed in Western and Dressage on the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association teams, and finally was able to afford her own horse after she graduated from college in 2010. She bought her first horse as a yearling and trained her herself. That horse, Seraphina, now 15, is a black and white pinto Oldenburg mare on whom Heather recently competed at the U.S. Dressage nationals at Fourth Level.
“She’s been a fun horse to start with,” said Fultz, who trains with Amy McElroy in Aiken. “We’re getting into Prix St. Georges now. We’re very excited to get back at it and work up to the FEI levels.”
Heather photographs some local hunter/jumper shows to help pay for show fees. “It was a little stressful going to dressage finals, and holding down a full-time job – I tapped out my paid time off to go to regionals and finals this year!” she said.
Fultz’s mother-in-law, Lauri Hays, is a dressage rider based in Aiken. Heather and her husband Ryan had originally met in college, where they became friends. They ran into one another again at the dressage regionals in 2016. Florida and South Carolina are in the same region, and both Heather and Lauri Hays were competing. Ryan went to the regionals to watch his mother.
“Out of 700 competitors, his mom and I were stabled in back-to-back stalls,” said Heather. “We stayed in touch after that and ended up getting married – he grew up around horses, and knew what he was getting into!” she laughed.
Riding to Music
One of the reasons that Fultz enjoys composing musical freestyles is that most people can connect to music in some way, and she feels that this makes dressage more accessible to the average person.
“Freestyles bring the emotion of why we ride to non-horsey people, too,” she said. “Your average human feels things when they listen to music, but they may not get the same feeling when they watch normal dressage. Freestyles allow us to share the intense feelings and emotions that riding gives us through the universal language of music. I’ve seen people teary-eyed after a freestyle ride, who have never ridden a horse. Freestyles could help our sport survive; dressage alone is not easy to do and is often boring for spectators.”
As a rider, Fultz feels that musical freestyles are also the most fun to perform. “It’s a chance to dance with your horse,” she said. “You can’t just pick any music, because it won’t necessarily fit with your choreography. But, for example, if you do half-pass in eight steps, or go down the long side in 24 steps, it’s easy to take a phrase of music and match it to that movement.”
“Personally”, she said, “My mare is pretty dainty, so I’ve used a lot
of Disney music: we’ve used Harry Potter, Beauty and the Beast and Frozen. I did one with the Barbie soundtrack … Judges don’t like to hear too many vocals, but just a little bit of music with vocals right at the beginning or ending of the test will help ring a bell so people recognize where the music came from.”
When Fultz puts together a freestyle for other people, she starts by watching videos of the horse. Often the rider will have an idea of what they want, and she may or may not be able to work with that. “One person wanted hard rock but had a very gentle, soft-moving horse, and I suggested soft rock as a compromise,” she said. “Someone else came to me and wanted to use Coldplay; I used different splices of music that suited their horse.”
Fultz uses a metronome to figure out the horse’s natural tempo, and then she can adjust the soundtrack to fit. “I use a program called Audacity,” she said. “And I also still use Garage Band, because it’s easy to add little flairs here and there – for example wind chimes during a canter pirouette.”
She continued, “A lot of people will send me choreography that they’ve already planned out, and I’ll give suggestions, but it has to be something they can do easily with their horse, that sets them up for success. You want something challenging that shows a level of difficulty, but they’re not going to get points for things they can’t do… You can pick things the horse is really good at and emphasize those things to show them off.”
Because most of the people she composes for are still in Florida, Heather mainly works with video. “They’ll send me lots of video and I’ll either shorten or lengthen the music, or do something like add a little four-bar so they have time to make it through the corner. It takes so much tweaking to make it right. With my own music, I’m tweaking all year long; I had a freestyle that I changed right before regionals – we were only .3 percent off first place, but I’d never ridden it in a show! You’re constantly wondering how to make it better.”
She cautioned that while a lot of people want to do a freestyle and think they can throw it together in a couple of weeks, to get the whole thing right takes a lot of practice.
“You should know your music really well . . the judge doesn’t know where you’re going, since you created the choreography, but it’s really obvious if you’re not in time with your music. If you know the music inside and out, and your timing is off, you can find ways to get back on track.”
For example, she said, “Once at regionals my horse spooked and I ended up in the wrong spot and threw in a 10-meter circle; the judge didn’t know it wasn’t supposed to be there, so I didn’t get points off. But to do something like that successfully, you need to know your music inside and out.”
She says she also needs time to develop and perfect any freestyle she creates. “I’m working full time and also doing photography on the side, so it takes me a few weeks to put something together, and then a few weeks of fine-tuning. I tell people to give me at least two months before their first show so they have time to feel comfortable.”
She composed the music for five riders at Regionals this year, and all of them placed. For anyone wanting to go the DIY route, she said it is definitely possible. “There are so many programs now, it’s easy to put something together on your own. You listen to some freestyles though, and you can tell they threw it together and it doesn’t really match the horse or the choreography.”
Fultz’s passion for music gives her an advantage from the design point of view. “Why do people enjoy music for the sake of music?” she asked. “I’m a big advocate for putting together the emotion that comes up with music and the emotion that comes from riding your horse. It’s like nothing else I’ve experienced – you can have a great ride, but there’s extra emotion tied to it when it’s to music that you really love.”
2025 CALENDAR DATES
3-5 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series 1
8 Hunter/Jumper Institute
11 Winter Combined Test
18-19 USEF/USEA “Aiken Opener” Horse Trials (ST, BN, N, T, M, P)
29 Schooling Dressage Collection
8-9
USEF/USDF “I LOVE Dressage”
14 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day
15 Eventing Academy Schooling Day
16 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials
19 Hunter/Jumper Institute
26 Schooling Dressage Collection
1-2
USEF/USDF “Southern Comfort” Dressage
7 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day
8 Eventing Academy Schooling Day
9 Eventing Academy Horse Schooling Horse Trials
12 Hunter/Jumper Institute
14-16 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series 2
21-23 Southern Belle Classic Auction
26 Schooling Dressage Collection
29 Spring Trail Race
4-6 Stable View $60,000 FEI CCI-S 2/3/4* & USEF/USEA Horse Trials (T, M, P, I, A)
16 Hunter/Jumper Institute
19-20 USEF/USDF “Spring Fever” Dressage
25-27 UKC All Breed Dog Show – Aiken Showcase Dog Show
3-4
USEF/USEA Stable View Local Charities Horse Trials and USEA Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Championships
17-18 USEF/USDF “Do Dah Day” Dressage
28 Hunter/Jumper Institute
30-June 2 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series 3
11 Schooling Dressage Collection
14-15 USEF/USDF “Summer Solstice” Dressage
20-22 USEF/USEA Summer Horse Trials (BN, N, T, M, P, I, A)
25 Hunter/Jumper Institute
27-29 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series 4
9 Schooling Dressage Collection
12-13 USEF/USDF “Only in America” Dressage
16 Hunter/Jumper Institute
18 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day
19 Eventing Academy Schooling Day
20 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials
1-3
USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series 5
6 Hunter/Jumper Institute
8 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day
9 Eventing Academy Schooling Day
10 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials
13-14 USEF/USDF ‘Too Hot To Trot I” Dressage
15-17 USEF/USDF “Too Hot To Trot II” Dressage
10 Schooling Dressage Collection 12-14 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series 6
17 Hunter/Jumper Institute 26-28 “Oktoberfest” $60,000 FEI CCI-S 2/3/4* & USEF/USEA Horse Trials (BN, N, T, M, P, I, A)
3-4 Southern Belle Classic Auction
8 Schooling Dressage Collection 10 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day 11 Eventing Academy Schooling Day 12 Eventing Academy Horse Trails
15 Hunter/Jumper Institute 31-Nov 2 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series 7
8 Aiken Trailblazer
12 Schooling Dressage Collection
14 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day 15 Eventing Academy Schooling Day 16 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials
19 Hunter/Jumper Institute 21-23 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series 8
3 Schooling Dressage Collection 6-7 USEF/USDF “Winter Wonderland” Dressage 12 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day 13 Eventing Academy Schooling Day 14 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials 17 Hunter/Jumper Institute
Ask the Judge
Questions about Dressage
With Amy McElroy
Dear Amy
This year a group of my riding friends and I were lucky enough to attend the United States Dressage Finals in Lexington, Kentucky as spectators. It was wonderful to see so many riders from the Aiken area competing. We were really excited on Saturday evening when watching the Grand Prix freestyles in the Alltech Arena to see you were judging, and we have some questions about that.
We understand there is a process to be eligible to compete at the finals and we wondered about how the judges are chosen. What protocol do you need to judge at finals? Do you pick your classes, your arenas, or the other judges you will be working with? What happens if you know the riders that are in your class?
Also, we noticed the classes have three judges, two on the short side of the arena, and one on the long side. Do you pick which letter you are at? Do you discuss your marks with the other judges? It was fascinating to see how fast all the scores were displayed and announced.
We are hoping to go again next year, hopefully as competitors!
- Dressage Dreamers
Dear Dreamers,
How exciting that you were able to attend the U.S. Dressage Finals in Kentucky. You are lucky to have been able to go this year because this was the last year the finals will be held in Kentucky, at least for a while. The Kentucky Horse Park has been the site of the prestigious show since its inception 10 years ago. Starting in 2025, the finals will take place at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio. The show dates are set for October 30 to November 2, 2025.
Let’s start by explaining what the U.S. Finals are, and how you can be eligible to compete. This is a national level championship where top U.S. horse-and-rider combinations from across the country come to vie for the championship title. It is a Level Five competition, which is the highest level of competition under United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rules. All levels are offered, Training through the Grand Prix, including freestyles. Classes for championships are split into junior/young rider, adult amateur, and open divisions.
Unfortunately, you cannot just enter a championship class at this show. In order to be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen, you must declare your intention to compete, and then you must compete and qualify in a regional championship. The U.S. is divided into nine dressage regions. Each region holds a USDF regional championship show, usually in September or October. Champion and reserve champion combinations from all the levels at these regionals are automatically invited to the finals, as long as they earn at least a 57% in their championship class, they are U.S. citizens, and, importantly, they have submitted their declaration of intent by the deadline, which is midnight on the day prior to the start of their regional championship show. There is no fee to declare your intention to compete, and declaring will not commit you to go to the finals, but it gives you an opportunity if you meet all the other requirements.
Even if you are not champion or reserve at the regionals it is possible to qualify, as long as you have met the other restrictions. If the top two horseand-rider combinations decline an invitation or are otherwise ineligible, the next highest-placed combinations are invited, all the way down through the fifth place (as long as the score is at least 57%). In addition, there is wild card eligibility. Receiving a wild card spot is based on the score of your
Amy McElroy is an FEI competitor, and a USEF S judge. She is qualified to officiate at any USEF recognized national show at all dressage levels. She rides, trains and teaches at Fair Lane Farm in Aiken and judges between 15 and 20 dressage and eventing shows each year. In her popular Ask the Judge column, she answers readers’ questions about dressage.
Do you have a question for Amy? Send her an email at McElroyDRM@aol.com, or visit her website: www.amymcelroy.com.
championship ride at the regionals, and does not take into account how you place in the competition. Horse-and-rider combinations that earn a minimum score or above earn a wild card spot. The minimums vary by level, and Open and Adult Amateur riders have different required scores. For instance, at Training Level, an Open rider needs to earn a 72%, while for an Adult Amateur, the minimum score is 68%. At Intermediaire I through Grand Prix, Open riders need a 66%, while AA riders need a 64%.
Now that we know how you can be a competitor, let’s get to your questions about judging. I did have the opportunity to be one of the many dressage officials at the 2024 finals. This is actually the second finals I have judged, but the Saturday night Grand Prix freestyles in the Alltech indoor arena were an exciting first for me.
For any dressage show, including regionals and finals, a judge will receive an invitation to officiate. A judge may accept the invitation or decline it. It is a great honor to receive any invite, especially for the more prestigious competitions. All licensed judges have ratings – r, R ,S, or FEI – which limit what levels and at what shows they are qualified to judge. At the finals most judges hold an S or an FEI license.
The show management decides which judges to assign to the various classes and arenas at the show – the judge does not make a request. However, judges do tell the management about any rider conflicts they might have, such as if they have a student competing in a specific class. It is also helpful if the rider makes a note in their entry that they may not compete in front of a specific judge if there is a known conflict. There is a USEF rule that prohibits judges from officiating in a class that includes their students, clients, family, coaches and others with similar relationships, unless the relationship has been terminated at least 30 days before the show. To answer your question, it is acceptable to know the rider you are judging, as long as you observe the USEF rule.
The U.S. Dressage Finals present an opportunity to compete in front of three judges. When there are three judges, the chief judge is placed at C on the short side of the arena. Another judge sits either at H or M, also on the short side, and the third judge is placed at B or E on the long side opposite X. If there is a judge placed at H, the side judge is on the other side of the arena at B, and vice versa: if there is a judge at M, the side judge is at E. This configuration enables each judge to have a good view of the performance and to evaluate different aspects of the ride: These combined views can really tell the true story of what goes on in the test.
The finals used electronic scoring, and you are correct that the final percentages were available very quickly, as they generally are in shows with electronic scoring. Judges are encouraged to submit their marks as the competitor is leaving the arena. It is really great for the competitor, spectators and judges to see results quickly. In answer to your other question, judges arrive at their marks independently. Each judge has their own electronic board and each has a code we put in that displays our signature. When you have completed your final marks, you place your code, push “submit” and your score is final. You do not consult with the other judges before you submit your marks, and you cannot see the other judges’ scores until they have all pressed the submit button. All three scores are averaged together for your final score and placing.
I hope that answers your questions about finals. Also, congratulations to all my fellow Aikenites for all your successes. I do hope you, your friends, and all dressage riders get an opportunity to experience the U.S. Dressage Finals at least once in their lifetime, as a spectator, or better yet as a competitor. Keep pursuing your dressage dreams!
Changing the World
Pat Parelli’s Legacy
By Pam Gleason
“There’s an old saying,” said Pat Parelli. “If you give somebody a fish, you feed them for a day. You teach them to fish, you feed them for a lifetime. But if you teach people to teach people to fish, you change the world. So that’s our goal … to teach people the wisdom that I’ve learned over the last 70 years from some of the wisest horsemen on the planet.”
Pat Parelli, the world-renowned godfather of Natural Horsemanship, tends to speak in aphorisms. But the fact that his pithy sayings are clearly well-practiced does not negate the fact that he says what he means, and means what he says. After developing a system of horse training that he has promulgated (and monetized) all over the world, Parelli has an ambitious venture centered in his new home base: Parelli Landing, a 185-acre plantation in Johnsonville, South Carolina between Myrtle Beach and Charleston.
Parelli purchased the property last summer, began moving in this fall, and will start offering teaching and training in January. He envisions Parelli Landing, The Horsemanship Academy, as the “Harvard of Horsemanship.” His goal is to offer programs to teach people how to become professional instructors, competitors and horse trainers. Although he will continue to offer short courses, problem solving and horse training, the heart of Parelli Landing will be residential student programs with courses lasting from three months (to accommodate students from overseas who have standard three-month visas) to six years. The complete education that Parelli designed includes everything necessary to become a successful horse trainer and teacher, from handson horse training through facilities maintenance and design, business management and marketing. Academy courses are available to students who have already gone through the basic Parelli training and they must audition for their spots, just as a high school student needs to apply to a prestigious college.
A main impetus behind the creation of Parelli Landing was Pat’s desire to establish a year round teaching and training facility. Until recently, he had two home bases: one in Colorado where he spent the summer months and the other in Florida where he lived the remainder of the year. This meant packing everything up, including a herd of 40 horses, and moving them across the country twice a year. In addition, he has maintained a grueling clinic schedule for which he has racked up hundreds of thousands of frequent flier miles.
“I went to Europe three times this year,” he said. “I’ve been to Australia 41 times. I used to live in a motor home. What I want to do is to go less places and have more people come to me.” Whereas in the past, he spent 80% of his time out on the road and 20% teaching at home, in the future he hopes to flip those percentages.
Parelli chose South Carolina for his new home base for a number of reasons. “I’m from California, and Carolina starts with a C so everything matched up,” he said. More seriously, he looked at the map and saw that Myrtle Beach and Laguna Beach are on the same latitude, and that the new location, conveniently situated on the East Coast between the Northeast and Florida, would make his campus especially accessible. The South Carolina climate works year round, and real estate is relatively affordable. It also didn’t hurt that his wife, Kat Chrysostom, is originally from Columbia or that her sister is a realtor in North Carolina who found them their new property.
“I want to live out my life’s work in a place that’s beautiful and has the right temperature and weather,” he said. The new property is certainly beautiful. It features woods, pastures and its own three ponds, one of them stocked for bass fishing. Most recently used as an eventing training farm, it already included trails, arenas, pastures and various equestrian facilities, as well as a spectacular custom home and two cottages. Parelli and his crews have been spending the fall months moving in and
readying the campus for use as a teaching facility.
“We’re so excited to have found this wonderful place,” he said. “We’re just tickled to death. It’s a whole new adventure for me.”
Pat Parelli, who turns 71 in 2025, got his start in horsemanship at the age of 3. His father, Jack Parelli, was a professional boxer and salesman, but not a horse person. Jack’s manager, best friend and neighbor, Joe Keirsey, had horses, and he took Pat under his wing and started him on his riding career. Pat got his own first horse, a buckskin named Kelly, when he was about 10. Around that time, he also got his first horse job, saddle breaking Shetland ponies at nearby Wilmar Ranch for the grand sum of 50 cents per week. In his teens, he started another horse job working for a champion cutting and reining trainer.
“He was the cruelest guy I ever saw with horses. His ideas were crazy and stupid and all the horses got hurt and everybody got hurt, including him,” said Parelli. “And he was a World Champion.”
Later, Parelli became a rodeo cowboy. “I rode bucking horses for 14 years, ‘til my brains came in,” he said. Then he met Troy Henry, a horse trainer based in Clovis, California who emphasized the psychological over the mechanical aspects of horse training. Parelli apprenticed with Henry for five years until his death in 1981. Two months later, Parelli was asked to give a seminar in North Hollywood, California, about what he had learned. It was his first horsemanship presentation and he was so nervous, he practiced what he was going to say for two weeks.
“I walked out and I said: Horsemanship can be obtained naturally through communication, understanding and psychology versus mechanics, fear and intimidation. And then I was off. That’s my whole thesis. Don’t make them do things. I used to be able to make horses do things, but I wasn’t happy. The horses weren’t happy. And I woke up one morning, and I was broken and the horses had all the bucks.”
Parelli refined his methods over the years, constantly learning as much as he could from trainers of all types, from the handlers of zoo animals such as giraffes, to the renowned German dressage trainer Walter Zettl. He developed his own system of training based on the horse’s natural drive to play, creating what he considers to be the Montessori school of horse training. In his 40-plus years in business, he has helped world class horsemen such as the combined driving champion Chester Webber and the showjumping rider Candice King, and he has given seminars to everyone from Hollywood royalty to actual royalty.
“I’ve presented my seminars in front of over two million people, including the Queen of England, President Reagan, Tom Selleck, Tony Robbins and all kinds of celebrities,” he said. “I’ve had probably 4000 to 5000 people ride with me … my goal is to help them learn some really highly functional habits. … So getting good with horses on the ground is step one, and then getting good in the saddle is step two.”
Parelli describes himself as a learn-aholic and a share-aholic. “Every time I share something with somebody, I’m learning it better. So that’s one of the greatest things about sharing is that you actually learn what you already know even better,” he said. For him, the greatest moments in teaching are when he sees the “light go on” in his students’ heads, when they suddenly begin to understand things in a different way. “I call it the blinding flash of the obvious,” he said.
“I’ve always studied with the very, very best people,” he continued.
“And I saw they had certain ingredients … for example, they really showed horses how much they loved them, really showed them that they understood them. I started being able to explain to people what was naturally coming to me so that regular people could get extraordinary results. You’ve really got to break things down and make it simple. You’ve got to have a pedagogical approach … You have to do it slow and right, or you will do it fast and wrong.”
Although he does not talk about it much, Parelli’s dedication to making his teaching highly accessible is at least partially inspired by his son, Caton. Caton was born in 1984 with hydrocephalus, a condition
right? But there’s no skimming over it in this situation. .. I had to figure out how do I get a horse to behave so he can mount it, bridle it, to do all the different, things. I gotta make sure that is it safe and fun and that the horses behave…. I think it’s probably one of my greatest accomplishments, my life with my son.”
Caton will be making the move to South Carolina with Pat and Kat, and Parelli says he is looking forward to having his own house on the property, as well as a swimming pool, hot tub, and, of course, his horses.
Parelli describes himself as a registered horse hugger and says his methods are informed by a deep love for horses. “A horse doesn’t care
that caused fluid to build up in his brain. When he was three months old, he slipped into a coma, and doctors said that if he survived, he was unlikely to learn to walk. Caton did survive, and eventually did a lot of things he was never expected to do.
“I started putting him on my horse when he was 4 and had a seat belt organized. I had a really nice horse that was really smooth, and I trained him to voice cues. If I said, whoa, that horse would stop 100 yards away from me. I would do a whistle and he’d run back to me. I used to lead him around a course off another horse.”
Eventually, Caton learned to ride on his own, and then he was able to walk, ski and ride a bicycle. But at 12, he had a stroke, losing much of the control of the right side of his body, and it was back to square one.
“He’s got 20-30 percent of that back now,” said Parelli who describes himself as a forever dad. “He’s 41, and he not only rides, he rides and slides, spins and wins, turns and burns, and drives everything on the ranch -- including his dad crazy.” Caton rides five to six hours a day and competes in cutting and reining competitions, winning championship belt buckles in adaptive reining as well as in competitions against ablebodied people.
“In some sense, he was he kind of an inspiration,” said Parelli. “I think if I would have had a son that was a lot like me – you know, athletic and handy – I probably would have skimmed right over a lot of stuff,
how much you know until he knows how much you care,” is one of his most repeated mottoes. And Parelli definitely cares.
“I love the way they look, the way they smell, the way they ride. I’m just eat up with horses – that’s all there is to it. They are just everything in my life,” he said. With all that, he does not believe in being soft with a horse: rather he establishes firm boundaries, and allows them to learn. “We don’t make them do anything. We just cause and allow. You cause your idea to become their idea, and pretty soon, if you have a good blueprint, you can follow it and become better and better at it. … It’s love, language and leadership in equal doses.”
“Equus to me means equal to us,” he continued. “Horses, no doubt, complete humans. But if we become the horsemen that our horse needs us to be, we can complete them.”
As far as the future goes, Parelli is looking at his legacy and he is hoping that his new venture in Johnsonville will be more than just the next chapter in his own life. He sees it as the beginning of a new future in horse training, a step forward in a world that he sees becoming kinder all around us.
“Perpetuity is the number one lens we look through,” he said. “Because I found out, you know, that nobody gets out of here alive. But what we leave behind in our life is what the important thing is. And that’s what I’m doing right now.”
Directory of Services
BOARDING/TURNOUT/TRAINING/SALES
Chime Ridge Stables. 803-508-3760
Katie Erpel Dressage offers training of young horses to FEI, boarding, sales, and lessons with USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist Katie Erpel at her quaint, boutique style facility conveniently located off of Charleston Highway on the Windsor/Williston line. Haul-in lessons are welcome to her newly renovated GGT arena or travel to your farm is available as well. www.katieerpeldressage.com (305) 778 5336
Dry Stalls, Barn Rental and Self-Care Pasture Rental w/ shelter. Short term or long term. RV hookups available on-premises. Route 302 Equestrian Corridor. Call or Text 703-203-0180
Sporting Days Farm. 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken, SC 29801. 5.5 miles from Aiken byoass. Offers year round, seasonal or short term board as well as dry stalls. 150 acres with trails and practice areas. USEF/USEA Horse Trials in the winter, schooling shows. Visit our website to see all we offer in 2023. www.sportingdaysfarm.com
The Stable On The Woods: Elite boarding & training facility and home to trainers Darrell and Melissa Vaughn. With access to Hitchcock Woods, our barn sits on 70 acres and boasts a full size dressage arena with mirrors, show jumping arena and highquality grass pastures making this the ideal place for you and your horse. Training program to meet your needs, whether your discipline is Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers or Foxhunting. thestableonthewoods.com 603.785.0435
Vaughn Equestrian: offering training, sales, and boarding. Professionalism is the guiding principle of owners Darrell and Melissa Vaughn in shaping every component of Vaughn Equestrian. Dressage, Jumpers, Eventing & Young Horses. training and sales. vaughnequestrian.com (603) 785-0435
COMPANION ANIMALS
Trinity Farms Terriers: Irish Russell Terriers. Old World, Healthy 100 year old Bloodlines with proven calmer dispositions. Health & Dispositions guaranteed. Preservation breeders for 48 years. Donna Fitzpatrick 803-648-3137 easyjacks.com, trinityfarmskennel.com
CONSTRUCTION & GRADING & FARM SERVICES
G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 54 years. Specializing in hauling, grading, clearing, property maintenance, and excavation. We provide everything from several types of fill dirt, top soil, compost, mortar sands, crushed asphalt/concrete, to screenings and a variety of rocks. Roll-off containers and manure removal available. (803) 663-3715. Certified DBE. WOSB. www. glwdtrucking.com
EQUINE MASSAGE &
FARRIER
SERVICES
2 Hearts Equine Massage. Emily Engelhardt is a certified equine massage therapist who tailors each session to your horse’s needs using a combination of myofascial release, triggerpoint, sports massage, and core exercises/stretching techniques to help them feel fantastic and give you their best performance. MAGNAWAVE PEMF therapy and rentals also available. Contact 727-851-7107 to schedule your horse’s next bodywork session. www.2heartsequinemassage.net
HAY
Round and Square Bales. Oakwood Farms: 3593 Silver Bluff Road, Aiken SC 29803. $60 per bale round hay bales. $70 per bale round bales kept inside. Square bales at $7.00 per bale. Will deliver for a small fee. Please call 803-645-8960
LB Performance Hay. From Farm to Stable. Local and imported hay; large or small quantities. Hay delivery and unloading. Lou Berizzi: 803-640-5484.
Hoss Luva Hay. Exceptional quality local Coastal Bermuda, Alfalfa mix & Canadian Timothy. Competitively priced. Will deliver state-wide. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Jim McClain: 803.247.4803
INSURANCE
Betsy Minton, Sterling Thompson Equine, 803-617-8353. Now writing homeowners insurance for private residences. No horses required but certainly welcomed. Access to top-notch underwriters offering customized, affordable coverage. Still delivering excellent competitive insurance options for your horses and farms. betsyminton@sterlingthompson.com. Sterling Thompson Equine: 800 942 4258
INSTRUCTION/LESSONS
Amy McElroy. USDF Gold Medalist and USEF S judge. Instruction and training at all levels. Visit amymcelroy.com or call 803.6404207.
Aiken Horsemanship Academy. Your naturally inspired adult learning resource! Offering Clinics, Courses, Starting young horses, Evaluations, and Lessons. JulieRobins.com 803-220-1768.
Jodi Hemry Eventing. Three-Star Eventer offering professional training, sales, boarding, instruction, horse shows, located in the heart of Aiken. 803-640-6691 JodiHemryEventing@gmail.com JodiHemryEventing.com
REAL ESTATE/ RENTALS
Aiken Luxury Rentals. Fully furnished cottages; walk to downtown. Perfect for temporary assignments, or housing while you build. Work-from-home ready; high speed internet. Antique finishes & modern convenience. info@aikenluxuryrentals.com. aikenluxuryrentals.com. 803-648-2804.
Aiken Vacation Rentals. Comfortable, clean furnished homes. Downtown, Pet Friendly, Fast WiFi. info@aikenvacationrentals. com Call/Text (803) 216-5414 Locally owned small business. AirBnB Superhost.
Carolina Real Estate Company. Fine homes, estates and horse properties in Aiken, South Carolina. Let us welcome you home to AIKEN, Home of Horses, History & Hospitality! carolinahorseproperties.com. (803) 648-8660
Sharer Dale, Keller Williams Realty Aiken Partners. “Where town meets country.” sharerdale@gmail.com. 803.522.3648
Suzy Haslup, Meybohm. “Your Aiken Horse Real Estate Specialist.” Buying or selling in the most celebrated equine community in the South. ww.aikenhorserealty.com; 803-215-0153
Sullivan-Turner Team, Meybohm. Specializing in marketing & selling Aiken’s horse country properties. southernhorsefarms.com. 803-215-4734.
Whisper Farm: Lodging for riders & horses. Every bedroom has stall & paddock! Close to foxhunting, eventing & polo in the 302 equestrian corridor east of Aiken. 410-924-1790. thewhisperfarm. com.
SADDLES/SADDLE FITTING
Melodie McGowan Saddle Fitting. Servicing all makes and models of English saddles. New and used saddles also available. 585-6135000; melodie@mysaddle.com.
BOARDING/TURNOUT/ TRAINING
Dry stalls and full care available at Sporting Days Farm 150 acres with practice areas. Great for green horses. 803-226-2024 text preferred.
Chime Ridge Stables 803.508.3760
FARM SERVICES
G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 54 years. Hauling, grading, clearing, property maintenance, excavation. Roll-off containers & manure removal 803) 663-3715. DBE. WOSB. www.glwdtrucking.com
Classifieds
“Gotta Hug”
Coming 4 year old 15.3 hand TB that has a really quiet temperament & loads of potential. He is currently jumping 2-ft verticles, practicing bending lines and gymnastics, and can comfortably canter out on the trail. Would make a fabulous event horse, first teen horse, or lesson horse for the right hunter jumper program. Unraced; comes with papers.
Located in Troutman, NC.
$8500. Text 607-743-1309
Thoroughbred Mare
15.2 hands, very sound. Started for polo but not her game! Nice on flat goes in light frame. Good on trails , not spooky. Call for more info & working on videos.
Asking $3500 Wagener SC 803-295-8687
Registered Arabian Mare
14.3 hand, 10 y.o. registered Arabian. Marwan/Bey Shah granddaughter She is well trained to ride saddle, smooth & comfortable in gaits. Bred for halter and western pleasure but she could easily excel in dressage, sport horse, western dressage, and ranch rail classes as well.
LB Performance Hay. From Farmto Stable. Local and imported hay; large or small quantities. Hay delivery and unloading. Lou Berizzi: 803-640-5484. Round and Square Bales. Oakwood Farms: 3593 Silver Bluff Road, Aiken. Will deliver for a small fee. Please call 803-645-8960.
“Tarragon”
Beautiful PRE Andalusian gelding bred by Royal Horse Farm PREs in Texas. He is super comfortable and has a very easy walk trot and canter. He has competed at local dressage schooling shows would be very suitable for an amateur rider. He is great on the trail and has a temperament that you will fall in love with. In your pocket type! He is 15.2 hands and located in Troutman, NC.
$30,000. Text 607-743-1309
Danziano “Zee”
9 year old registered Hanoverian. He loves to jump and is currently schooling 3’6’ and has room to go higher. Zee would make a fantastic jumper or equitation hunter. He has local show miles. He is 16.3 hands and located in Troutman, NC.
$30,000.
Text: 607-743-1309
Quarter Horse Mare
16 hands, 8 years old. Good on trails, not spooky, doing some flat work , responsive to leg. Hopped over a few logs and goes to it willingly. Needs to continue in program. Nice quiet mare.
Asking $5,000 803-295-8687
LAND FOR SALE
Aiken Land For Sale: Just Off 302 Corridor. Close to Polo, Hunting, Eventing. 20 direct minutes into town LOTS UP TO 40 acres. 410924-1790 thewhisperfarm.com. Brokers protected
RENTALS/HOME
SHARES
Aiken Luxury Rentals. Fully furnished cottages; walk to downtown. High speed internet. Antique finishes & modern convenience. 803-648-2804. info@aikenluxuryrentals.com. aikenluxuryrentals.com.
Aiken Vacation Rentals. Comfortable, clean furnished homes. Downtown, Pet Friendly, Fast WiFi. info@ aikenvacationrentals.com Call/Text (803) 216-5414 AirBnB Superhost. Camper for Rent for the season. 302 corridor near eventing, foxhunting venues. $650/mo. electric included. 803-29508687. Whisper Farm: Lodging for riders and their horses. Every bedroom comes with a stall & paddock! Close to foxhunting, eventing & polo in the 302 Equestrian corridor 410-924-1790. thewhisperfarm.com
Advertising in The Aiken Horse
visit our website: TheAikenHorse.com
MAILING ADDRESS: The Aiken Horse, P.O. Box 332, Montmorenci, SC 29839 EMAIL: theAikenHorse@gmail.com We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. Pay for classifieds and business cards online: TheAikenHorse.com Pay a Bill or call us: 803.643.9960
Advertise in the February-March issue! Contact us for more details.
Subscribe: $36 per year. Check out on our website or send your check to Subscriptions, 705 Flowing Well Road. Wagener, SC 29164
The Horses of Great Oak
Buddy: The Golden Ticket
By Pam Gleason
Buddy is the senior horse at Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs. Not only is he the oldest at 24, he is also the longest resident of the program, joining the organization in 2016, even before its facility was completed. He takes his position seriously. Not only is he the boss of the small herd in his paddock, he is also keenly aware of what is going on at the stable and interested in any new developments.
“He’ll watch when a new horse comes in. He’s always the first one to notice and to ask, who are you? What are you doing?” said Deborah McWhirter, who is the manager of equine and barn services at Great Oak. “He’s like our guard dog.”
Today, Great Oak is an Aiken institution. Located on a manicured 40acre farm just a few miles from downtown, it offers equestrian activities for people with special needs as well as educational opportunities and programs for members of the community to interact with horses. It takes an exceptional horse to excel at Great Oak, and among all the extraordinary horses in the stable, Buddy stands out for his ability to connect with people, his emotional intelligence, his curiosity and his kindness.
In addition, Buddy is so calm and wise, he is one of just two horses at the facility that is trained to be ridden by people who are in wheelchairs and need to use an automated lift to get on a horse. The lift consists of a mechanical arm attached to a sling. Riders are raised up in the sling, swung over the horse’s back, and then lowered onto the saddle or bareback pad. A horse that can happily accept the lift is rare, but for Buddy it is all part of a job that he loves.
A Quarter Horse cross gelding, Buddy came to Great Oak from Carolyn Murray through her trainer Shary Groat. Carolyn, formerly the editor of the Sun News in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had always wanted to ride when she was growing up, but her mother wouldn’t let her and she ultimately didn’t start riding until she was in her late 40s. When she and her husband Tom, also a novice rider, decided to buy a horse, they wanted one that would be very quiet and safe. They were already riding with Shary Groat at Hardee Stables in Conway, South Carolina. At the time Buddy was living in a stable in Augusta, and Shary found him through her connections in Aiken.
“We walked into the barn, and there was a head hanging over the stall door, and I thought Oh my gosh, what a beautiful horse, but that would be wishful thinking, it wouldn’t be the one we’re here to see,” said Shary. “But yes, indeed, it was Buddy. . . I just fell in love with him.”
Back in Conway, Buddy proved himself to be the ideal horse, both for Shary’s lesson program and for the Murrays. They rode him and took him to schooling shows, jumping cross rails and low fences. He did lessons and shows with other people as well, winning friends and ribbons along the way.
“He was the perfect horse for me,” said Carolyn Murray. “I got to do lots of things on him that I would never have been able to do. He allowed me to fulfill my childhood dream of riding, and I always felt safe on him. The only way I can describe him, he was just such a lovable gentleman. My husband and I referred to him as our equine Golden Retriever.”
Carolyn and Tom retired from their jobs, and thought they would have more time to ride, but it did not turn out that way. “He needed more than we could give him,” said Carolyn. Knowing how much he loves people and attention, they thought he might be a good fit at an equestrian program for people with disabilities, and Shary knew just the one. Her sister-in-law, Jeannie Groat who lives in Aiken, has been connected to Great Oak since its inception. Shary introduced Buddy to
Great Oak, and they accepted him as one of their first horses.
Today, Buddy has a number of regular riders, and he has not let his age slow him down. He has a special way of connecting with people, where he puts his forehead right up against them and seems to transmit his kind and calming spirit directly into their souls. Not long after they donated him, the Murrays came to watch Buddy competing in the South Carolina Special Olympics at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park. One of the people who was riding him was a young man with autism who was nonverbal.
“When he got off of his ride with Buddy, he stood in front of him, and the two of them just sort of put their heads together, like a Vulcan mind meld,” said Carolyn. “And it was just validation that we absolutely had done the right thing. And it felt really good to see what an impact Buddy had. He was clearly within his element.”
“He’s the best horse I’ve ever had,” said Brett Holtzclaw, who rides him every Monday. Brett, 32, has been riding since he was 6 (“It started out as therapy, but now it’s a hobby,” he said.) He uses a wheelchair to get around and the lift to mount Buddy. He loves the horse so much that he and his mother have a dedicated carrot patch at their home so that they can bring him homegrown carrots every week. Brett and Buddy have a special bond. “Well you see, they say a horse chooses you,” said Brett. “And it’s a miracle, but Buddy chose me.”
Eva Finnan, who is a PATH certified instructor and the program director at Great Oak, remembers another time when Buddy was at the Special Olympics. One of the young riders from another program learned that the horse she was intended to ride would be unavailable for her class. Eve offered her Buddy instead. She rode him, and won a blue ribbon.
“She came out of the class with a huge smile on her face,” said Eva. “And she just said: He’s my golden ticket.”
Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs is a 501c3 charitable institution. Sponsor Buddy or another horse, donate or volunteer: www.greatoakeap.org; Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Greatoakeap
Brett Holtzclaw rides Buddy every week and says he is the best horse he has ever ridden
4-17 Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers Exhibit. Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum. Hopelands Gardens at 135 Dupree Place, Aiken. aikenracinghalloffame.com
5-8 Aiken December Classics I. Bruce’s Field Aiken Horse Park. 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. Equus Events, J. P. Godard. equusevents.com. equusevents@aol.com, 803-646-6961
6-8 SCHJA Palmetto Finals. South Carolina Equine Park, 443 Cleveland School Rd, Camden, SC 29020.scequinepark.com
7 Holiday Horse Show. Great Oak Equine Assisted Progams. 1123 Edgefield Hwy Aiken. www.greatoakeap.org
7 December Dressage Tests of Choice. Full Gallop Farm. 3828 Wagener, Rd., Aiken, 29805. fullgallopfarm.com. Lara Anderson, fullgallopfarm@gmail.com. 803-215-6590.
7-8 USEF-USDF Winter Dressage Series I & II. Poplar Place Farm. 457 Kingsboro Road, Hamilton, GA 31811. poplarplacefarm. com. show@poplarplacefarm.com. 706-681-8748
7-8 Sedgefield at the Park Winter Classic Hunter/Jumper Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Rd. Raeford, NC. carolinahorsepark.org. 910-875-2074.
8 December USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm. 3828 Wagener, Rd., Aiken, 29805. fullgallopfarm.com. Lara Anderson, fullgallopfarm@gmail.com. 803-215-6590.
12-15 Aiken December Classics II. Bruce’s Field Aiken Horse Park. 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. Equus Events, J. P. Godard. equusevents.com. equusevents@aol.com, 803-646-6961
14 Open Horse Show at FENCE. 3381 Hunting Country Rd. Tryon, NC. 828-859-9021. fence.org. 828-859-9021.
14 Five Star Hunters Holiday Classic IEA Show. Georgia Int. Horse Park. Charles Walker Covered Arena. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770-860-4190. georgiahorsepark.com
14-15 Elite Hunter/Jumper Show. Boukaert Farm, 10045 Cedar Grove Road, 2Fairburn, GA. Boukaertfarm.com. 770-892-2117.
15 Aiken Hoofbeats Christmas Parade. 2-4:30 pm. 142 Laurens Street SW, Aiken. Registration for horses and dog walkers required: limited number of spots available. Follow on Facebook: @HorseParadeAiken/. Purchase tickets: eventbrite.com/e/ aiken-hoofbeats-christmas-parade-tickets-1060921577999
10-16 Augusta Cutting Horse Futurity in Perry, GA. Georgia National Fairgrounds, 401 Larry Walker Parkway. 706-823-3417. email: augusta.futurity@augustafuturity.com; augustafuturity.com
10-12 USEF Winter Classic II. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com.
28 Tuesdays in the Park: Jumper schooling. Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park. 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. aikenhorsepark.org; 803-830-7077.
31-Feb 2 Winter Encore Horse Show. Bruce’s Field, Aiken Horse Park. 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. Equus Events, J. P. Godard. equusevents.com. equusevents@aol.com, 803-646-6961
February
1 Just For Fun Series. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com
1-2 NC/SC High School Rodeo. FENCE. 3381 Hunting Country Rd. Tryon, NC. 828-859-9021. fence.org
1-2 Sporting Days Farm USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Sporting Days Farm,3549 Charleston Highway, Aiken 29801. Sportingdaysfarm.com; Text Joannah Hall Glass: 803-226-2024.
4 Tuesdays in the Park: Jumper schooling. Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park. 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. aikenhorsepark.org; 803-830-7077.
5 February Schooling HT, CT, Dressage. Full Gallop Farm. 3828 Wagener, Rd., Aiken, 29805. fullgallopfarm.com. Lara Anderson, fullgallopfarm@gmail.com. 803-215-6590.
6-7 Apple Days at Sporting Days Farm. ,3549 Charleston Highway, Aiken 29801. Sportingdaysfarm.com; Text Joannah Hall Glass: 803-226-2024.
21-23 PSJ Winter II. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com.
21-22 Barrel Racing at FENCE. 3381 Hunting Country Rd. Tryon, NC. 828-859-9021. fence.org
22 Country Springs Horse Show at Red Bank Arena. 1159 Nazareth Road, Lexington, SC. Dawn Poole. 803-466-7134. sc-cec.com
22 Interscholastic Equestrian Association Region 4 Finals. South Carolina Equine Park. 443 Cleveland School Rd, Camden, SC 29020.scequinepark.com
23-26 Pine Top Advanced Horse Trials. Pine Top Farm, 1432 Augusta Highway, Thomson, GA. pinetopeventing@gmail.com. pinetopfarm.com.
25 Spring Audubon Drive. Silver Bluff Audubon Sanctuary. 4542 Silver Bluff Road, Jackson, SC. aikendrivingclub.org. Drive starts at 10:30; potluck lunch starts at noon.
25 Late February Dressage Tests of Choice. Full Gallop Farm. 3828 Wagener, Rd., Aiken, 29805. fullgallopfarm.com. Lara Anderson, fullgallopfarm@gmail.com. 803-215-6590.
28-March 1 Grand Prix Eventing. Eventing Showcase. Tickets sold online. Aiken Horse Park. 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. aikenhorsepark.org; 803-830-7077.
28-Mar 2 USEF March Madness. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com
28-Mar 2 South Carolina Quarter Horse Association Show. South Carolina Equine Park. 443 Cleveland School Rd, Camden, SC 29020.scequinepark.com
