Massachusetts Horse February/March 2016

M A S S AC H U S E T T S

February/March 2016 mahorse.com $4

HORSE

MANURE HAPPENS

BREATHE

FOSTER HOMES WANTED

MOUNT WARNER

HERE’S WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT page 8

LEND A HOOF page 18

AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT page 22

TRAIL GUIDE page 26

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February/March 2016

contents

February/March 2016

columns 20 Leo

and Colleen Gary

Stable Devotion

22 Breathe

8

Mindful Connections

Christina Andersen

Emilie Goddard

An Opportunity to Connect

16

24 Taniel Hood

NEECA’s Youth Award Winner Youth Spotlight

26 Mount Warner Hadley

14

35 Massachusetts Economic Impact and Land-Use Study

Abigail Powell

Karen Morang Photography

Trail Guide

18

in every issue

features 8

Manure Happens

Participate!

5 From the Editor

16

Here’s What to Do About It

Bob Burrelli Bringing the West to the East Horseperson Feature

7 Your Letters 21 This Olde Horse 28 Overherd: News in Our Community

14 Spring Willow Farm

18

Foster Homes Wanted

Listening and Learning

MSPCA

Farm Feature

Lend a Hoof

32 Partners 36 Massachusetts Events Calendar 39 The Neighborhood 40 Is This Your Horse?

40 Advertiser Index 41 Massachusetts Marketplace

Massachusetts Horse

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February/March 2016

from the editor

T

houghts of spring bring to mind manure, big piles of

manure. In this issue, Alessandra Mele gives us the

how-to of managing it.

Here at Pocketful of Ponies Farm, I’ve had great luck using

my herd’s manure in the gardens. Manure picked up from the

Nancy Ronan

paddock and pasture is put directly in the gardens in the fall,

Miniature horse Peanut and Haflinger mare Cat at Pocketful of Ponies Farm.

about six to eight inches in depth. Then the earthworms work their magic: they oxygenate it and break it down just in time for my June 1 planting. Last year, a 16' by 24' patch yielded more than 80 heirloom pumpkins! My perennial beds also thrive with this manure.

For years I dreaded spring, as mud would mix with a winter’s worth of manure. The horses’ hooves and fetlocks would be covered in mud/manure for weeks on end, and that provided the perfect habitat for fungi and bacteria — ringworm, scratches, white line disease. Ten years ago I had the topsoil removed from the paddock and replaced with stone dust. It was the best manure-management decision I’ve made. No more mud, and the manure is easy to pick up. And hooves have never been healthier.

Happy horse keeping,

Stephanie Massachusetts Horse

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M ASSAC HUS ETTS

HORSE vol. 14, no. 5 February/March 2016

ISSN 1945-1393

99 Bissell Road, Williamsburg, MA 01096 phone: (413) 268-3302 • fax: (413) 268-0050 • mahorse.com Massachusetts Horse magazine is an independently owned and -operated all-breed, all-discipline equestrian publication for the Bay State. © 2016 Massachusetts Horse All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this magazine or portions thereof in any form without prior written permission.

publisher/editor Stephanie Sanders • steph@mahorse.com • (413) 268-3302 copy editor Doris Troy feature writers Christina Andersen, Andrea Bugbee, Alessandra Mele Karen Morang, Abigail Powell, Whitney Sanderson, Stacey Stearns contributors Susan Goldfischer, Holly Jacobson, Melissa Lowe Cestaro, Suzy Lucine Diane Merritt, Karen Morang, Jennifer Moreau Laurie Neely, Liz Russell county desk liaisons Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties Alessandra Mele • (413) 949-1972 • alessandra@mahorse.com Bristol County Melissa Root • (508) 863-0467 • melissa@mahorse.com Essex County Holly Jacobson • (978) 356-5842 • holly@mahorse.com Norfolk and Plymouth Counties Laura Solod • (617) 699-7299 • laura@mahorse.com Worcester County Karen Morang • (508) 797-2828 • karen@mahorse.com

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advertising main office • (413) 268-3302 • ads@mahorse.com

Expert Tack Repair

Advertising deadline for the April/May issue is March 5.

Gently Used Blankets and Tack for Sale Brass Name Plates Engraved

© Karen Morang Photography Craig McCoskery, of Westboro, and Mya at the 2014 Granby Regional Horse Council Winter Wonderland Sleigh Rally, in South Hadley.

Established 1980 Jennifer Safron www.jennstackandblanket.com JennsTackRepair@comcast.net 114 Coburn Ave., Gardner, MA (978) 340-5576 Please call for hours 6

February/March 2016

Massachusetts Horse is printed with soy-based ink on recycled paper.

the fine print The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Massachusetts Horse staff or independent contractors, nor can they be held accountable. Massachusetts Horse will not be held responsible for any misrepresentations or any copyright infringement on the part of advertisers. Massachusetts Horse will not be held responsible for typing errors other than a correction in the following issue. All letters addressed to Massachusetts Horse, its publisher, editor, and staff are assumed for publication. Photos, stories (verbal or printed), notifications, news items, and all other material that is submitted, including all materials and photos not specifically solicited by Massachusetts Horse, are assumed to be legally released by the submitter for publication. Massachusetts Horse assumes no responsibility for damage to or loss of material submitted for publication. Reasonable care will be taken to ensure the safety and return of all materials.

your letters To the editor:

To the editor:

Thank you for doing such a great job keeping our horse community informed and delighted in all the profiles and endless information included in the pages of Massachusetts Horse.

Linda Klay, Monson

Thank you so much for the opportunity for Harmony Hill to be featured in the December/January issue of Massachusetts Horse. I really love Whitney Sanderson’s writing style and she did a wonderful job capturing the spirit of the barn.

Aimee Boyer, Harmony Hill Farm, Great Barrington

To the editor: The Youth Spotlight article on my daughter Tessa Holloran turned out really great. Thank you to Faith Wang for doing such a professional job.

Kristine Holloran, Pepperell

Let us know your thoughts . . .

and we’ll enter you to win a $25 Cheshire Horse gift card. All letters received by March 5 will have a chance in the drawing.

Send your letters to: steph@mahorse.com or Massachusetts Horse 99 Bissell Rd., Williamsburg, MA 01096

To the editor: I love your stories!

Judy LaFleche, West Springfield

Massachusetts Horse

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Here’s What to Do About It

Emilie Goddard

Manure Happens

by Alessandra Mele

M

elting snow and ice in early March is one of the most glorious sights a horse owner can gaze on. Glorious indeed: that is, until a winter’s worth of manure slowly begins to surface. You thought you were diligent, scouting frozen buns with your metal pitchfork as yet another fresh coat of snow magically absolved the barnyard of all impurities — but no.

Soggy pile after soggy pile cruelly reveals your manure-management shortcomings. Hibernating horse poo can be a big springtime letdown, leaving many of us knee-deep in you know what.

Although it’s particularly potent in spring, manure is a year-round side effect of horse ownership, and managing the mess is a constant responsibility.

Consistent mucking and a good disposal plan are essential for the health, wellness, and happiness of everyone in and around your barn and should be a daily priority.

There are a few ways to approach the poop problem, and understanding what will work best for your barn will help prevent manure mayhem.

Daily Management The average horse produces 40 pounds of manure a day. That’s 280 pounds a 8

February/March 2016

week, 1,200 pounds month, and 14,600 pounds a year. That’s a lot of manure — and what if you have more than one horse! If that output is neglected for just one day, the consequences literally start to pile up.

A reliable pitchfork and a hardy wheelbarrow are the weapons of choice heading into the daily manure battle:

Hibernating horse poo can be a big springtime letdown, leaving many of us knee-deep in you know what. they’re the essentials for routine stall and paddock cleaning.

The number of horses and the available space will determine how often you should be mucking, but horses that live in stalls and small paddocks must have their quarters cleaned at least once a day; twice is better. The daily muck should address all manure in a horse’s area, as well as urine-soaked shavings. This is particularly important because buildup of urine releases ammonia fumes, which are harmful to a horse’s lungs.

Bedding can make or break the ease of the mucking process, so consider it carefully. Starting with goodquality stall mats will significantly cut down on the number of times you need to strip the stalls, and will prevent you having to dig to China when you must accomplish a big cleanout. (Plus, they create a stable, comfortable surface on which your horse stands and snoozes.)

There are a few options for the bedding you spread on top of the mats, each with its own costs and benefits.

Perhaps the most common is pine shavings, which provide excellent absorption, high comfort, and a lovely fragrance. Dust can be a drawback here, and becomes a greater issue as the shavings get finer.

Straw is fairly inexpensive and also comfortable, but is less absorbent and typically requires more maintenance.

Wood pellets specifically made for horse bedding, a newer option, cut down a manure pile but require some additional preparation and maintenance. The pellets are broken down into sawdust by a horse’s hooves and the moisture they absorb. They are super absorbent; often people will spray them with water before putting them in the stall in order to facilitate the breaking-

down process. Removing manure and urine is easy, and the amount of bedding going into your manure pile will be significantly less.

Footing in the paddocks also has a big impact on your mucking process, particularly because it will either add to or help control the mud factor. Mud and manure go hand in hand, building off each other. Whenever you cut down on mud, you’re improving your horse’s living conditions and making the manure situation more manageable.

Footing is key; high-traffic areas and small paddocks need the support of mud-averse materials.

Stone dust makes a particularly good footing because it drains moisture

There are a few ways to approach the poop problem, and understanding what will work best for your barn will help prevent manure mayhem. well. It doesn’t mix with manure and remains sturdy underfoot. Sand and woodchips also handle moisture well and reduce mud.

Laying down a geotextile fabric below whatever footing you choose is a good idea, as it prevents the formation of mud by keeping soil out of the mix.

One more crucial item to consider in your daily manure-management practice is placement of the pile. Pay attention to regulations that indicate how far manure must be from your neighbor’s land and from a water source. Creating runoff, foul odor, or contamination that goes beyond your property line is an offense you don’t want to commit, for the sake of being a good neighbor, a steward of the earth, and a responsible horse owner. Finding an isolated and well-contained but accessible area is of the utmost importance for the workflow of your farm, and for the health and happiness of everyone around it.

Composting You may not realize it yet, but the manure that’s piling up all around you has value. “Black gold,” as you may hear an old farmer call it, composted horse manure is some of the best fertilizer nature has to offer. There are many farmers and gardeners out there who

will pay good money for the stuff, or, if you keep it for yourself, you’ll harvest the benefits in the form of exquisite homegrown veggies.

Composting is a simple, time-honored practice that turns manure piles into usable fertilizer. “Based on the number of phone calls and emails I receive from people who want to learn more about composting, I believe it’s becoming quite popular,” says Masoud Hashemi, Extension associate professor at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Masoud focuses on sustainable farming and specializes in plant and soil sciences. He has published various studies on composting, and regards raw horse manure as some of the best fertilizer there is. “The problem with using horse manure as a fertilizer isn’t the manure itself; it’s the bedding that’s mixed in with it,” he says.

“Horse manure mixed with bedding must be composted before it’s added to a garden or field.”

Carbon-based bedding materials, usually wood shavings and sawdust, upset the formula microorganisms need to break down the organic matter.

“Microorganisms require carbon as a source of energy and nitrogen as a source of protein. It’s important to maintain a balanced ration of carbon and nitrogen, ideally about twenty carbons to one nitrogen,” Masoud says.

“Manure mixed with bedding contains too much carbon: a ratio of about five hundred to one. This causes the microorganisms to draw far too much nitrogen from the soil in an effort to balance — and they’re very competitive! They’ll leave no nitrogen behind for plants, which will likely die from the deficiency, so we need to compost as a means of balancing the ratio of carbon to nitrogen.”

The ingredients essential for successful composting are food, water, air, and proper temperature. “There’s plenty of food; don’t worry about that,” Masoud says. The microorganisms are eating all the abundant organic matter you’ve provided. “Moisture is usually easy to manage,” he says, “but important to monitor. If you take a handful of your material and squeeze it, it should dampen your hand but no water should come out. Temperature should also be monitored”: microorganisms operate best in temperatures between 130 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit, he says.

“Oxygen is what makes the process

We asked our Facebook followers: How do you dispose of manure?

We use ours for compost for our gardens and our neighbors use it for theirs as well. I continue to pick my paddocks in the winter, which prevents a huge buildup in the spring. Any excess manure is brought to the town compost pile. Horse manure is fantastic for growing a green lawn!

—Shannon O’Neill, Hanover Our manure is taken away once a month. We also start a smallish pile in early spring for friends’ gardens. We clean all turnouts daily and have worked hard on footing, packed stone dust and sand added.

—Jennifer Knox Kruzel, Whitman Because we had to use so much fill to make the pad for our barn and track to be built on, I take our manure and dump it over the slope, which is reinforced with heavy industrial felt strips. The combination keeps the fill in place and gives us a good base to grow grass to give us even more holding power.

—Jo Ann Bush, Belchertown I pick my stalls and paddocks daily, using a muck bucket. I pour the manure from the bucket into trash barrels. I fill one barrel a day. Once I have six barrels filled, I walk them up a car ramp into the back of my old pickup. Then I drive a few miles down the road to a composting site and dump each barrel out the back of the truck.

—Kathy Dion Mercurio, Pepperell Because we don’t use shavings and don’t feed grain that can sprout, people love our manure for landscaping, gardens, and compost. We have a list of people who want it, and we deliver.

—Laurie Neely, Orange Years ago barns were built with consideration for manure disposal. There were floor openings where it could be dumped or swept [into a truck or spreader parked below]. I was amazed visiting a distant cousin in Italy a few years ago to find that his new barn had the same setup. So easy to drop it into a spreader today!

—Sylvia Zalla, Andover We have so much that we have a large cement pit that holds it for composting, then is taken away in fall and spring for more composting. Paddocks get picked twice weekly and we drag the pasture as often as possible to spread it out. Metal pitchforks are a big plus for frozen manure!

—Joanne Huff, Hadley I pick paddocks daily and the manure is composted. Makes for a wonderful vegetable garden.

I also grow winter squash in the composted pile directly. They love it!

—Angela Kazanovicz, Sutton We use sleds to pick the paddocks in winter — so much easier to maneuver through the snow than a wheelbarrow. We sometimes get strange looks when someone new sees our method but everyone is sold after even a quick cleaning session.

—Erica Damon, Northampton

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sonabley simple to install and energy efficient — and save a lot of grunt work.

Masoud recommends organizing compost into a system of either piles or bins. Each system can be tailored to the space and equipment available and the number of horses you have. “Piles about ten feet long, four feet wide, and three feet high are an ideal size,” he says.

“One pile works fine for someone with one or two horses; the pile grows as material is continuously added to the tops and sides.”

she realized could make her operation even better. “When I read about O2Compost Systems, I thought, ‘Wow, this is brilliant!’ It’s a totally new approach to an old system,” she says.

An environmental consulting firm out of Washington state, O2Compost specializes in designing aerated compost systems, similar to the static-aeration method Masoud described. “The system we had installed is basically four stalls, with concrete floors and roofs that cover the piles. Aerated chutes run

courtesy of Meghan Hamilton

a little bit difficult,” Masoud says.

Compost must be consistently aerated to accelerate the decomposition process, typically by turning over the pile with a shovel or a tractor. “The more frequently you turn, the quicker the process goes and the better the results,” he says. “However, not many people have time to physically turn the pile upwards of two times a week. An alternative method is to install a perforated PVC pipe below the composting matter, which is attached to a small air

Meghan Hamilton, of Sleepy Hollow Farm in North Dartmouth, recently updated her composting system.

pump. It’s only necessary for the pump to run one minute of each hour to properly aerate.” The pipe and pump, for what’s called static aeration, are rea-

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A continuous three-pile system — one pile for adding fresh manure, a second that’s in the process of composting, and a third that contains the finished product — is also a good solution. Over time, material shifts as part of the turning process.

Trash bins can be employed similarly for a system that’s more contained and mobile. “Bins with wheels on the bottom can easily be taken to the barn to collect manure and then wheeled out,” Masoud says. “For aeration, put holes in the bottom of the bins through which a PVC pipe and air pump can be utilized, as with the piles.”

There’s certainly a host of ways to create compost, as long as the moisture, oxygen, temperature, and carbon-tonitrogen ratio are maintained.

Meghan Hamilton, owner of Sleepy Hollow Farm in North Dartmouth and a longtime proponent of composting, recently gave her pile system a face-lift.

“I’ve been composting since I was a kid growing up on the family dairy farm, and I’ve even taken classes in composting,” she says. “I’m very conscious of how we manage our property because space is limited; we have just under five acres of land with thirteen to fifteen horses at any time.”

Meghan kept a three-pile system active for years and was producing highquality compost, but a few years ago she came across a system in a magazine that

through the concrete and forced air regulated by a cycle timer blows out,” Meghan says. “It enables us to control moisture and air, and ultimately makes the compost cook faster. We just got it up and running in November, and are very impressed!”

Meghan was able to install the system with the help of a federal grant, and she encourages other farm owners to explore this possibility. “The grant we got was through the Agricultural Environmental Enhancement Program [AEEP],” she says. “We received twentyfive thousand dollars to fund this project. There are a lot of resources out there for equestrian farmers that most people don’t really know about. It’s always worth doing some research and learning what your options are.”

Spreading Another way to recycle all that manure is to spread it directly over your land.

Investing in a manure spreader can be a great solution for horse owners with a lot of pastureland. Millcreek Manufacturing, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has been producing quality compact spreaders for horse people since 1985.

“In the late eighteen hundreds, farmers realized that the traditional method of standing on a wagon and pitching manure from it into fields was woefully inefficient, not to mention

backbreaking,” says Tracie Noel, a representative of Millcreek. “The original manure spreaders developed to address this problem were made of wood, but today’s far more durable models are metal, ranging from galvanized to stainless steel. Spreaders can be ground-driven, with the motion of a spreader’s wheels engaging the gears, or PTO-driven from a tractor.”

Tracie describes spreading as a solution that brings efficiency and purpose to manure management, as it removes the pile from the picture.

“Piles are often breeding grounds for vermin and flies,” she says, “both of which can spread disease. Runoff can contaminate water sources, and local regulations may actually prohibit manure piles or strictly regulate their construction and maintenance. If you situate your manure pile far away from the barn, you’re faced with trundling a wheelbarrow or carrying muck buckets a great distance from the stalls.

“Bringing a manure spreader into the barn makes stall cleaning much faster and easier. It ends the wheelbarrow battle,” she says, “and ends the manure pile problem, too.”

Convenience is a benefit here, but what

spreading will do for your land is its ultimate reward.

“The second advantage of manure spreading is the immediate source of free fertilizer,” says Tracie. “When properly spread on fields and pastures, horse manure is an excellent source of nutrients, such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, for soil and plants. The action of a manure spreader breaks the material into small pieces, which dry out quickly, are more easily incorporated into vegetation, and are less hospitable to parasites. Increasing organic matter improves the soil structure and water-holding capacity as well.”

Although manure is a breeding zone for harmful parasites, such as strongyles and ascarids, spreading it raw where your horses graze can be done safely, but only at the right time of year and in the right climate.

Professor Martin Nielson, DVM, of the University of Kentucky, who specializes in equine parasitology, cautions against spreading manure in moist, warm weather, especially on pasture that’s being actively grazed: distributing it all over the grass would leave horses unable to avoid the manure, as they’re naturally inclined to do.

Ideal manure-spreading conditions are hot and dry, on fields that are at rest for a few weeks. Larvae won't thrive in the heat, and will likely die before horses can ingest them and thus perpetuate the life cycle.

Spreading is a great way to fertilize your pastures, but be sure to time it carefully.

The amount of spreadable land you have is key. “A good rule of thumb is that one acre of land will handle the manure from one or two horses, depending on their size,” Tracie says, but avoid spreading too thickly if wood shavings are in the mix: remember the magic ratio? Nitrogen depletion from the wood can damage the pasture.

Selecting the right spreader for your operation is also critical. Tracie says bigger is usually better. “No one ever says, ‘Gee, I wish I’d bought a smaller spreader,’ ” she says, laughing.

“Spreader manufacturers should have a table outlining the capacity of their machines, by wheelbarrow load or bushels. You can’t go wrong sizing up, as a larger spreader just means faster loading and a shorter trip around the field to spread.” But, she says, “don’t forget to take into consideration the

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width of your barn doors, aisles, and possibly stall doors if you plan to bring the spreader directly to stalls.”

Size affects cost but, says Tracie, “it’s important to think long term. One type of spreader might be less expensive up front, but if it’s difficult to use, can’t do what you need it to, or doesn’t last long, your initial savings will disappear when you have to buy a new one in just a few years. Quality design, materials, and construction are worth the investment.” Ease of use, maintenance requirements, and additional features are other aspects to weigh as you choose your spreader.

Removal Service Another way to say good-bye to horse poop is to hire a removal company that will haul manure regularly. A manureremoval service is a great resource any for anyone with horses; it takes a lot of the work — and the stress — out of dealing with the ever-growing pile.

Mitrano Removal, in Shirley, is a solid-waste and recycling company that offers complete manure removal to local horse farms of any size. Says owner and president Matt Mitrano, “Removal is neat and clean, and is handled on a

te Whi e r e t e Win ith Fr g w in Sale ing Go p Ship n Now! o 12

February/March 2016

frequent basis. We can provide both large and small horse farms with a program that suits individual needs.”

He emphasizes that it can be a particular boon for farms that are tight on space: “We’ve found that a lot of the barns in the areas we service don’t have the fields or the extra room to handle a lot of manure,” he says, “so removal has become a great option for them.”

It also eliminates some of the concerns these farms have about local ordinances. “Because manure-storage regulations have become stricter and stricter,” Matt says, “whether it’s regarding location or how long you can store it, having the container service is a solution that takes away a lot of that worry.”

Mitrano Removal offers two plans for manure removal. “We can provide roll-off containers that are placed on a permanent basis and are emptied as needed,” says Matt. “For some of the larger barns, we’ll be there every week to empty the containers, or sometimes even twice a week. Smaller barns may go as long as three or four months with a smaller container, or call as they need service.”

Alternatively, barns can store the manure without a container and still

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receive full-service removal. “The other option is pile removal,” Matt says. “For barns that have the room to store three to six months’ worth of manure, we can come in with a machine and haul the material off for them.”

It then goes to be turned into that black gold. “We have our own composting facility,” says Matt. “We bring all the manure to it, then create a straight compost — we mix the manure with other organic waste — and we make a landscape mulch with some of it as well.”

Manure isn’t what we’d call a fun part of horse ownership, but why not embrace the challenge? Whether you want to create compost to improve your garden’s bounty, fertilize the pasture to provide your horses the greenest graze, or support a local business that values and recycles the stuff, productive solutions for horse manure abound. So this spring, don’t just manage manure — celebrate its possibilities!

Alessandra Mele, who lives in Wilbraham, works in marketing at W. F. Young/Absorbine. She enjoys spending time with the horses on her family’s farm, especially riding her Quarter Horse, JoJo.

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Farm Feature

Mendon

Spring Willow Farm Listening and Learning

by Karen Morang

T

manner, students learn to use their muscles in an isometric way to create a balanced seat so that the horse can carry the rider more efficiently. Lorna describes it in this way: “Imagine wearing a twenty-pound, very loosely packed backpack and attempting to climb up a hill. You’d feel very unbalanced, shifting and adjusting in an attempt to center yourself as the contents in the backpack shift. Now imagine wearing a tightly packed, balanced backpack of the same weight. You no longer have to

Karen Morang Photography

ucked away in the quiet town of Mendon is 27-acre Spring Willow Farm, owned by Lorna Palmer and her husband, David, and operated by the couple as well as their children and grandchildren.

The farm has an indoor arena, an outdoor arena (large enough for carriage-driving lessons), and a number of turnout paddocks. The wooded part of the property boasts several trails. The farm has been offering instruction for more than two decades.

Lorna, a licensed riding instructor, has been there, done that. With more than 30 years of professional experience, she’s been a teacher and a trainer in eventing, dressage, and horsemanship.

Lorna and Esperanza.

She’s been a member of and managed shows for several horsemen’s associations and presently sits on the board of the Charles River Dressage Association. She has even rescued a few horses.

Over the years, as her business grew, Lorna had trainers help teach classes and coach. In 2014, Lorna decided to make some changes. She modified her indoor arena by removing stalls to make it larger and made the decision to be the only trainer on the property.

“By being the only trainer,” Lorna says, “I could concentrate more on teaching students to learn the horse’s language and incorporate biomechanical balanced riding and horsemanship.”

Now, what makes Spring Willow Farm stand out is its concentration on teaching students how to read cues from the horse’s body language and the importance of correct body positioning.

“I’m striving to teach the rider how to biomechanically align her body with that of the horse,” says Lorna. In this 14

February/March 2016

shift your body as much, which means less strain.” The former is what the horse experiences when a loose rider is on board; the latter is the improvement when a rider is in control of her weight.

Lorna calls her teaching style “progressive horsemanship” — that is, she says, “being with the horse while riding rather than just being on the horse.” To that end, she incorporates the fundamentals taught by internationally recognized clinicians Mary Wanless and Wendy Murdoch, with whom she trained, in addition to what her own years of experience have taught her.

Lorna breaks down concepts into simple, easy-to-understand exercises.

Terminology is explained so that even novice riders can understand the vocabulary. Training is individualized and ranges from groundwork to riding. She finds ways to communicate with students by working with their own learning styles to achieve their goals.

Spring Willow offers an introductory series of three 45-minute lessons to

people interested in Lorna’s program.

In the first session, students learn the innate laws of horse language and how to use intent through thoughts, eye contact, and indirect pressure, as well as physical pressure. The next session is about how to incorporate what they learned in the first lesson into handling the horse: how to safely move around the horse, getting the horse from its stall or paddock, and tacking and grooming. In the final session, students begin the mounting and moving phase.

They learn how to sit properly and use their body to give signals. The lessons are designed not only for novice riders but also for those riders who would like to strengthen their horsemanship and riding skills.

In the indoor arena, Kevin Hadfield is training his eight-month-old colt, Cedrick, a registered Holsteiner, to be unafraid of the dreaded tarp. During a break, Cedrick puts on a show: he zooms around the arena, kicking up his heels and snorting for the people watching, always pausing at the entrance to see if they’re appreciating his antics and, perhaps, waiting for a scratch on his soft little nose.

Kevin began his lessons with Lorna at the age of seven. “I came back to Spring Willow after returning from college,” Kevin says. “Before I bought Cedrick, I had expressed interest in getting a large horse. Lorna then jokingly sent me an ad for a Hanoverian/ Belgian cross located in Canada, which I bought. I named him Preston.”

“Preston was a frightened, misunderstood horse,” says Lorna. “Kevin saw something in him and, with his tenacious work ethic, I saw an amazing transformation within thirty days.

Preston realized that Kevin wasn’t there to hurt him and he became very willing

to please Kevin. They’ve developed a very close bond and it’s been a joy to see how far they’ve come, and I know they’ll go even further.”

Mary Creasia, a student of Lorna’s for 20 years, says coming to the barn is a great stress reliever. “Lorna has the ability to reach into her students and draw out their full potential, even though they may have some doubts,” Mary says. “Although I don’t own my own horse, with Lorna’s help and encouragement, I’ve been able to lease horses on the farm, and that has enabled me to participate in dressage events, competitions, and drill-team performances.”

Simon, a Haflinger gelding, is waiting patiently in the barn aisle. “He’s a bit of a character but very talented,” says his owner, Karen Laude. In his earlier days, says Lorna, Simon was testing Karen. She suggested to Karen that she try clicker training as well as trick training to strengthen their bond and keep his mind from wandering.

Karen took Lorna’s advice and now Simon has a small repertoire of tricks to lure you into falling for him. On the main barn aisle wall is a sample of his artwork — yes, Simon can paint. He’ll

also pick up a feed dish from the floor and hand it to you, or catch a swatch of fabric tossed to him. He shakes a handmade maraca, too.

Karen Noble, who owns Precious Gem, has been a student, a boarder, and a friend for close to 20 years. Lorna had rescued Precious Gem, a Paint mare, brought her back to health, and started using her in the riding program.

“At first I wasn’t sure I wanted another horse,” says Karen. Lorna says she could see that Gem was just what Karen needed. Now Karen boards Gem at Spring Willow, along with her mini mule, Maxwell, whom she adopted from Greener Pastures Rescue, in Connecticut.

Lorna herself has two horses: Niña Viernes (Girl Friday) and her daughter, Esperanza. Niña is a 27-year-old retired Andalusian who in the 1990s was a Northeast Classical Breed Show champion and was the horse she pleasure-drove in local sleigh rallies. Esperanza, 16, is a natural jumper and excels in liberty work.

Lorna demonstrates how she can move Esperanza with just body and hand cues.

Esperanza loves to twirl in either direction, and keeps her eyes on Lorna.

It’s late afternoon and Lorna is

bringing in the horses for the night.

There’s a collage of photos — former and current students and their horses — on the wall in the barn aisle. She names every horse and rider and points out which horses have left the farm or have crossed the rainbow bridge.

“I want to create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable and not judged and where the horses feel safe and understood,” Lorna says. “I want my students to understand the language of the horse so that they can bridge that gap, enjoy a mutual relationship with their horse, and work in harmony with that horse. I enjoy helping the students who are frightened learn how to replace fear and anxiety with knowledge. I teach my students the how and why a horse behaves so that they have a better understanding and can have a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Karen Morang, who lives in Charlton, is a regional branch administrator for North East Electrical Distributors. She enjoys photographing people and their pets, especially horses and dogs. Her favorite pastime is transforming everyday images into digital art.

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Dealer

Dealer Massachusetts Horse

15

Horseperson Feature Plymouth

by Christina Andersen

Bob Burrelli Bringing the West to the East

W

and says he admires the style of Ray Hunt, as well as those of Bill and Tom Dorrance. Since he moved to the East Coast, in the ’90s, Bob’s been teaching riders of every discipline what he considers the best way to partner with their

Christina Andersen

hen you hear “Plymouth,” it brings visions of Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and a very famous rock, doesn’t it? But tucked away off a busy road near the bustling modern-day city is a facility dedicated to natural horsemanship taught in the ways of the vaqueros of the wild, wild West.

After bumping along a dirt road flanked by pines, easing around mud puddles, the trees finally give way to sloping pastures and a beautiful new farm, the Double B Ranch. The sun shines bright on this unseasonably warm day, with the coastal wind whipping through the trees and bringing with it the salty air from the ocean only a few miles away.

Bob Burrelli tips up his white cowboy hat and flashes a friendly smile. He taps some dirt from his worn-in cowboy boots and stands back, admiring the farm and the beautiful day.

Clad all in denim, he walks toward the new barn. Several horses watch from a sandy paddock. Some freely munch on their hay; others lie flat out, soaking up the sunshine. He leads the way into the barn and begins to tell his story.

Bob grew up riding English and taught equitation and classical dressage for more than a decade before he met a true cowboy, who would become his mentor. After studying with him for 10 years, Bob was dedicated to teaching the traditional ways and values of the vaquero: the Mexican livestock herder of the West.

He focuses on the importance of trust between horse and rider as a crucial foundation in every discipline. In addition to the clinics, demonstrations, and expos he attends, Bob regularly has several horses in training on his farm, teaches lessons, and is a frequent contributor to New England Horse Talk. He’s also developed a comprehensive natural horsemanship certification program.

Bob has ridden with Buck Brannaman during clinics in Montana, 16

February/March 2016

horses. In fact, many refer to Bob as the “cowboy who brought the West to the East.”

Now, with more than 40 years of experience, Bob trains horses and teaches students on his ranch the same techniques the vaquero cowboys once used. Or, as Bob calls it, “the finest horsemanship in the world.”

Back inside the barn, as Bob opens the revolving tack-room door, the buckles and leather straps thump against the wall. Rope halters, snaffle bits, and leather headstalls engraved with BB hang neatly. He pushes back his cowboy hat and gathers up his tack.

“You start all horses the same,” he says. “The discipline doesn’t matter.”

He holds a simple bosal hackamore with a rawhide noseband. His hands slide down, gathering the reins and the mecate, attached at the base. He lifts

the cover from his roughback saddle and rubs his hand over the raw suede seat and the intricate tooling. The horn is much larger on these: “Better for roping cows,” he says, grinning. “It doesn’t matter the saddle you’re riding in — you’re riding the horse.”

He carries the tack to the aisle, where a bay mare quietly waits. There are no cross-ties in the barn; the horses learn to stand patiently or handlers have the option of a blocker tie ring on the wall.

Bob’s son, Bob junior, tacks up the mare for him.

The younger Bob introduces himself as a cowboy pastor and, with his wife, Christine, a co-owner of Double B Ranch.

As a young boy, the son’s asthma inhibited his ability to ride, but, he says, he always loved watching his father work. His allergies now a thing of the past, Bob junior spends his time riding and working with horses as his father taught him.

The entire Burrelli team ensures that the horses in their care live as natural a life as possible. They offer freechoice hay, full-time turnout, solar-heated water buckets, and more than six acres of pasture. The horses get vitamins and minerals in the morning, with the occasional supplement, but no grain. You won’t find any winter blankets in the barn either, and the horses are barefoot.

Jet is easily bridled, and she looks around eagerly. Her ears prick inquisitively as Bob senior begins speaking. His decades of experience presenting at clinics and demonstrations become clear. “I’m the president and she’s the vice president — not the mayor,” he says. “We’re working together here. You have to be the leader, not the predator.”

They warm up with some groundwork — lateral and vertical flexion using small amounts of pressure and release, working all six major areas before they head outside to the arena.

Christine opens the BB gates for

them, her curly blond hair glistening in the sun. She took her first riding lesson at Briggs Stable, in Hanover, at eight years old, and has been hooked on horses ever since. After marrying and moving to Dallas, she rode dressage for several years, until her father-in-law taught her a different way of being with horses. “He opened my eyes,” Christine says. “I haven’t stopped learning since.

Every horse teaches me something different. It’s humbling.”

Every month there are usually five horses in training at the ranch. Jet is a ten-year-old performance horse, boarded here by Angela Crowley.

Angela, who lives in Natick, says she always had an interest in natural horsemanship and a few years back, when she met Bob at Equine Affaire in West Springfield, the two clicked. “I was so impressed by him,” Angela says. “He spent time talking with me on the phone and showing me things to look for in a horse.” Finally, with Bob’s guidance, Angela found herself the perfect mare.

She soon began taking lessons three times a week, driving 90 minutes each way “because,” she says, “I absolutely loved it.” Since she began training with Bob, Angela and her horse now have the equine bond she always dreamed of.

Jet trots around the arena, landing gently in the soft footing as Bob has her side-pass. His body barely moves as Jet stops, backs up, then canters in both directions. She’s a willing partner, and they work in unison. The mare is soft and supple and responds swiftly with Bob’s movements. After they perform a rollback, they saunter over.

Bob looks down and, as his salt-andpepper hair blows wildly in the wind, says, “There are three main principles when it comes to working horses —” Jet side-passes from left to right, then she stops back to where she began “— love, language, leadership,” he says.

Christine and her husband bring out the youngest horses for some brief groundwork. Even at the tender age of three, not much fazes them. Together they stand quietly in their rope halters as the winter wind tears across the farm.

A red flag used for desensitizing flaps aggressively in the corner, but the fillies barely flick their ears. The Palomino and dapple-gray girls came from out west, with bloodlines from reining, cutting, and cow-horse champions. Bob looks them over. “I seek out horses for

their athleticism and their temperament,” he says. And these girls fit the bill.

The family plans to build an indoor arena with seating for future demonstrations. Right now, a mechanical cow sits sedately in the corner of the oversized outdoor arena. Bob hopes to have some real cows for roping clinics one day. He’s had some excellent mentors, he says, and wants to pass on their wisdom to his clients.

“Bob is someone who cares about the horse, but he also cares a lot about the rider,” says Angela. “He’s a phenomenal teacher, and a mentor to me.” She pauses, then, “He’s just good with everything,” she says.

Angela came to Bob as a novice rider, and she and Jet now ride together with confidence. They’ve taken roping lessons one week and classical dressage the next. Every lesson is fun, never repetitive, she says, and she always learns something new. The duo even rode in their first parade over the summer, representing the Double B Ranch in America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Day Parade in Plymouth with several other students and horses.

The admiration with which Angela regards Bob and his gentle training methods runs deep. “Bob is an excellent teacher,” she says. “My confidence has soared, and I enjoy riding again.

Now I can take my horse anywhere without fear.”

Angela reflects on the years spent learning from Bob. “He once told me something I’ll never forget,” she says.

“He said, ‘You can learn something from a good teacher, but an excellent teacher will change your life.’ ” Another longtime client is Nancy Kitchen, of Lakeville, who likes his style because, she says, “he’s quiet, with a thorough approach, and sees things from the horse’s point of view.” She first

saw him at an expo in Middleboro more than 10 year ago, and has since hired him to train a couple of her horses.

“Whether you have a problem horse or you’re just starting one out,” she says, “with Bob, you always end up with a nice horse.”

Growing up on Nantucket, Christina Andersen explored the beaches and rode the trails with her trusty pony, Whinnie. At UMass Amherst, she studied animal behavior with a concentration in equines. After graduation, she taught draft-horse husbandry to future farmers and veterinarians.

She’s now a product specialist at SmartPak, and spends her free time riding and driving her adopted draft horses, Bill and Mark.

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Massachusetts Horse

17

Methuen

by Abigail Powell

Lend a Hoof

Foster Homes Wanted MSPCA

H

ow do you shelter and care for more horses than your barn can actually hold? It’s a puzzle that the people at MSPCA at Nevins Farm, the only open-admission equine rescue in New England, have solved.

The answer: the rescue’s equine foster program.

The number of horses the MSPCA has under its care often exceeds the capacity of the farm itself.

The rescue has a 22-stall barn, two run-in sheds, and five areas for quarantine housing; however, much of that shelter has to be shared with the other farm animals — pigs, goats, sheep, llamas, and alpacas — that call Nevins Farm their temporary home. Currently, 29 horses live at the MSPCA’s property in Methuen and another 24 are in foster homes.

give us a little bit of breathing room while we figure out how to handle the situation,” Melissa says.

When Natasha retired from combined driving, space at her West Boxford farm became available and she began to foster horses more regularly.

“Somebody has to do it,” she says. “I can

Expanding Walls and Resources Abigail Powell

The MSPCA’s equine foster program has essentially existed for as long as the organization itself but became more formalized within the past 10 years, the result of the economic recession that began in 2008.

“That’s when we started to have a Kristin Logan and June. different sort of need for our sheltering afford to do it. I have help. It’s the obviprogram,” says Melissa Ghareeb, the ous thing to do, because I can.” manager of the MSPCA Equine and Farm Animal Care Center. “Many peoA Community Resource ple going through periods of financial Freeing up space at Nevins isn’t the crisis had to make surrender decisions only advantage of the fostering profor their horses. Our intakes had a very gram. Over the past five years, Patty large spike at that time, so we began to Patel has taken in some 15 horses at her reach out to the public and try to solicit farm in Sherborn. “Fostering is a great foster homes to help us expand our opportunity for the horse to get some resources.” one-on-one time with a consistent perNatasha Grigg, a lifelong equesson,” she says. “All that extra attention trian and former president of the can turn him into a more desirable American Driving Society, first became one, and it’s a great feeling to know I involved with the MSPCA, in the early helped with that.”

1990s, through acquaintances in the One can imagine how much work combined driving community. She fosit is to manage a farm bursting at the tered her first horse about five years seams with horses and other livestock, ago; since then she’s fostered seven. all from varied backgrounds and in Now hers is an emergency on-call need of various levels of assistance. The home. This means that if an emergency small but skilled staff at the MSPCA arises — if a law-enforcement officer spend the majority of their time attendmust remove horses from a property ing to the basic care of their animals, immediately, for example — and the leaving little time for training green barn in Methuen is full, Melissa can horses or working through behavioral shelter a horse with Natasha. issues.

Emergencies tend to be shorterNatasha and Patty — and others term fosters, but they’re crucial: “They like them — are much-appreciated 18

February/March 2016

resources. “The foster homes that are willing to work horses every day, get them started under saddle, or work through a training issue are indispensable,” Melissa says. “They have a huge impact on the adoptability of the horses they help.” Some foster homes specialize in training or working with green horses; others are invaluable in rehabilitating injured or malnourished animals.

When a horse is surrendered or seized through a neglect case, it usually needs downtime before becoming available for adoption.

Laurel Walsh likes to take in older, neglected horses and to give them time to rest and recover at her idyllic farm, in Ipswich. She jokingly calls her property the Fat Farm, as the foster horses she welcomes come primarily to mentally decompress and physically recover as they munch on green grass and amble through the rolling pastures, simply enjoying life as animals free from the plagues of their past.

Although experienced foster families may hold their own adoption appointments, highly adoptable animals tend to stay at Nevins Farm because there it’s easier for them to be shown to potential adopters and then placed. The staff at the MSPCA prefer for foster homes to be within a 45-minute radius of the rescue.

“The MSPCA is a community resource,” says Melissa. “We’re here to help those in our community who need our assistance, but at the same time, we need support from our community in order to fulfill our mission. The foster program is one of the ways you can see that support in action in a tangible way.

We have really generous, talented, skilled people who are stepping up to help.”

Working Together The kind souls who foster horses have a range of facilities: some foster parents, such as Laurel and Natasha, have their own farms; others have just a small backyard barn of their own; still others rent a stall at a boarding barn. What they have in common is acting on the importance of taking part in their equine community.

Foster parents are required to provide housing, feed, and bedding; the MSPCA covers veterinary and farrier costs. Kristin Logan has a two-stall backyard barn at her Lunenburg home. One stall is for her own horse and the other houses a foster horse — it’s her way to give back to a cause she’s passionate about. “I can’t completely afford two horses,” says Kristin, “but I have a little time and I have a little know-how, and every little bit helps the MSPCA so much.”

Melissa says people come together to help foster horses in a variety of ways.

At boarding barns, she’s seen friends chip in with their experience, donate feed or shavings, or even help to fundraise for a month of professional training board. Every gesture is meaningful, goes far to lighten the load of the foster parent, and helps horses find their forever homes.

Nancy Hovey, a first-timer, boarded her foster horse, Flora, at Laurel Walsh’s barn. Together, and with the aid of other boarders, they helped Flora undergo an incredible transformation: from emaciated and listless to healthy and happy. “In fostering, I wanted to make a difference in a horse’s life by replacing neglect and abuse with care, attention, and love and, I hoped, by getting her ready for a devoted forever home,” says Nancy. “I wanted to step up and become involved, and I wanted to do more than write a check.”

Flora has since been adopted, and after her experience, Nancy says she plans on fostering another horse.

Laurel is caring for a draft mare named Rose. “I know Nevins Farm is inundated, and for it to have an extra stall is rare,” says Laurel. “I always try to make room for a foster because it’s important. If people try to do what they can, it would add up to so much.”

Foster horses have even helped communities grow, bringing people together around a common cause. Take the town of Dover: In 2011, longtime foster mom Kelli Hewes took in several almost feral Mustang and Mustang crosses that had been seized by the MSPCA and made gentling and fostering them a community project. Kelli assembled other barn members, kids, and parents and broke them into shifts to spend time with the horses by grooming them, working on haltering and leading, and even just sitting in a round pen with them while reading a book, simply to get them used to being around people.

Some horses may benefit from multiple foster homes before they’re ready for adoption. June came to the MSPCA with the Mustang herd that Kelli helped foster. Once she had been gentled and learned the basics of being a horse, she returned to Nevins Farm for a while before going out to foster again, this time with Kristin, who has continued training June — who is now a beautiful and capable five-year-old mare.

Fostering in Dover and nearby Sherborn brought together like-minded people who developed a friendship: They’ve gotten to know one another and they frequently chat about their horses and exchange ideas and techniques.

Labor of Love It’s easy to become attached to a horse that has been part of your life, especially one you’ve helped to transform.

Occasionally, a foster parent winds up adopting the horse — and subsequently becomes affectionately known as a foster failure.

“We love it when that happens!”

Melissa says, laughing.

Patty says that more than one of the 15 horses she’s fostered have tempted her to adopt, but she hasn’t “failed” yet, “which is great,” she says, “because finding them a forever home is the goal and there are so many more in line waiting for that opportunity. That’s what inspires me to keep fostering.”

“Fostering is a labor of love but it can be exhausting and emotionally draining for some of our foster parents.

They take that emotional risk, though, because they want to help these underserved animals,” says Melissa. “One of the things I really appreciate about our foster homes is their willingness to take that risk and experience those emotional highs and lows.”

Potential foster parents may be afraid that parting with a foster horse when it’s adopted will be too much to bear — this is a reaction Kristin hears often. “A lot of people say, ‘I could never do that — it would be so hard to give them up,’ ” she says, her voice cracking for a second as she envisions June leaving. “It’s really hard. I’ll be on the floor, in a puddle, for days. But me being upset and heartbroken for a while isn’t a good enough reason not to foster. That’s part of it, but if things work out, it’s all good.”

“I can’t say that it gets any easier to let go as each horse gets adopted,” Patty says. “But it also remains exciting every

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time one finds its forever home. I approach fostering with the attitude that they’re here to be helped and with the expectation of them leaving — that makes it easier for me.”

“Whenever there’s a potential adopter, I feel a little scared but also very hopeful,” says Kristin. “I want June to go to the right home.” She describes the foster process as a mixture of loss, hope, happiness, heartbreak, fulfillment, and deep satisfaction. “It’s very rewarding to see a horse that didn’t have a great start to life blossoming and to know you can be a part of helping it to find a good home,” she says. “I feel privileged to help.”

To learn more about fostering for Nevins Farm, please visit mspca.org.

Abigail Powell enjoys learning the ropes of dressage and eventing with her horse Maggie, a Mustang/Arabian she adopted from the MSPCA at Nevins Farm. She also owns Miniature Horse Zipper and goat Billy Boomer. She and her husband live in Topsfield.

Massachusetts Horse

19

Stable Devotion

Leo and Colleen Gary

by Andrea Bugbee

I

horse for me. I liked his temperament.

He was just a good-minded horse.”

Colleen is wise. She chose Leo for who he is, not what he looks like.

Leo settled in at the Garys’ small, central Massachusetts farm and all went

courtesy of Colleen Gary

f it hadn’t been for YouTube, Colleen Gary might have sold the fabulous horse she now jokingly refers to as her “second husband.”

Colleen’s “first” husband, Justin Gary, grew up around horses. He showed, he jumped, and he let Colleen ride his Quarter Horse mare, Libby. Until she met Justin and Libby, Colleen’s own horse experience had consisted of a few nose-to-tail trail rides as a kid growing up in coastal New Jersey.

Justin’s hobby quickly became Colleen’s passion, and she took the reins in her own hands when it came to learning to ride. She did have a few lessons, but, Colleen says, “most of what I know I taught myself. I mostly trail-ride, so I learned most of my riding on the horse.” At that time, Justin had two horses: Libby and Libby’s daughter, another Quarter Horse named Gracie. But Colleen was ready for a horse of her own.

Still a relatively inexperienced trail rider, Colleen knew she wanted a sensible, quiet horse that trailered and didn’t balk at water. She found exactly what she was looking for when Philip Whitmore, of Crimson Acres Equestrian Center in Orange, showed her a 15-year-old chestnut Quarter Horse gelding, grandly named Hobo Tommy Leo. Standing just under 15 hands, with a thick neck, a long back, and bowed ribs, Leo is an absolutely adorable hobbit of a horse. A broad white blaze, inking toward one eye, brightens his face.

A smudge of white on the opposite cheek resembles a painter’s thumbprint. Everything about him is sturdy and intelligent.

“It was rainy and really windy when we went to see him, but Leo was just quiet about everything,” Colleen says.

At one point, while she was watching Philip ride him, the wind actually lifted the metal barn door and crashed it shut again. “Leo didn’t do anything,” she says, laughing. “I knew that was the

20

February/March 2016

well for almost three years. Then the couple lost Libby to a terrible pasture accident, and Leo usurped her place as head of the herd. Suddenly, his behavior toward Colleen changed. “Basically,” Colleen says, “he tried to dominate me.”

The Honeymoon’s Over Lisa Bush has been trail riding with Colleen ever since Colleen moved from New Jersey to Massachusetts, in 2009.

Remembering the frustrating shift in Leo’s behavior, Lisa says, “Colleen got Leo, and he was very well trained, but she kept beating herself up because he was slipping away from how good he was.”

Then, inexcusably, Leo began bucking under saddle.

Colleen’s long-term equestrian goal had always been to be able independ-

ently to hook up, load up, and haul off to the hundreds of miles of trails that surround her particular patch of the Bay State. But trail riding alone on a bucking horse? No, sir.

Seriously concerned that she might have to find Leo a new home, Colleen dug into the problem, resolute. “I researched,” she says. “I knew the bucking was either because of pain or because of behavior. I had the vet out, the chiropractor.

After we ruled out everything physical, I realized that I had no respect from him.”

As Lisa points out, “Horses are smart. They can figure out your fear. If they realize you don’t know what you’re doing, they take advantage.” But Lisa also knows Colleen’s greatest strength.

“She’s a problem solver,” says Lisa. “If she can’t figure something out, she’s determined to find the answer.”

Rather than giving up and selling, or spending thousands of dollars on a trainer, Colleen began searching online. She watched YouTube and DVD demonstrations, and she began following RFDTV horse-training shows.

Then she brought her Internet education to her own paddock. She gleaned a lot from online demonstrations by Craig Cameron and Chris Cox, but it was Australian-born horse trainer Clinton Anderson who resonated most strongly with this horsey “homeschooler.”

“There was this YouTube video about a horse who had a severe bucking problem, and they fixed it using groundwork — just by gaining respect on the ground,” Colleen says. Inspired, and armed with a borrowed set of DVDs, she and Leo got to work.

Who’s the Boss?

“It’s a concept. It’s understanding the mind of the horse. Rather than thinking I need a different bit or a different saddle, I realized I needed to change myself,” says Colleen. Paraphrasing

Clinton Anderson, she explains, “The herd leader is the one who moves the horse’s hooves, so to get my horse’s respect, I move his hooves front and back, left and right, and I reward the slightest try. I make the horse move off my body language rather than by nagging at it. I ask politely. If the horse doesn’t go, I tell him. If he still doesn’t go, I reprimand.”

“Reprimand” here means that Colleen gives Leo a thump with the four-foot training stick she uses. Or, at other times, it means that she keeps him moving, then uses rest as a reward for positive behavior. To show that Leo has no fear or her or of her stick, she rubs the stick all over his body while he stands there, his lower lip rubbery and relaxed.

“You can love on horses, but once they push you, you have to correct it,” Colleen says. “You have to constantly say, ‘No, I’m in charge.’ And you have to look for signs of submission, like licking their lips, lowering their eyes, dropping their head, or cocking a leg to relax. It helped me understand the body language of the horse.” Using this new, almost self-taught approach, Colleen says, “I saw a difference in five

Montague

This Olde Horse

The Rotograph Company, New York City. (1907 or earlier.)

Have a photo for This Olde Horse? Email

editor@mahorse.com.

continued on page 38 . . .

Massachusetts Horse

21

Mindful Connections

by Nicole Birkholzer

Breathe An Opportunity To Connect

O

ccasionally, we’re just not in the mood to ride. Perhaps the sky is threatening rain, or we don’t have enough daylight to groom, saddle up, and go out on the trail.

Instead we putter around the barn, maybe clean some tack, chat with other boarders — or the barn cat — and often leave with a sense of disconnect.

Yes, we were with our horse, but we weren’t really “with our horse.”

In two decades of working and playing with horses, whether they were trained to ride or drive or were enjoyed as backyard companions, I’ve made the same fundamental observations: • Horses want to connect.

• Horses want to be seen and treated as individuals and to be respected as our partners.

to go into flight-or-fight mode. And it’s still wired that way.

The domesticated horse didn’t lose its sense of the now. It doesn’t think about the trail ride with you yesterday

deep breath (inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth), then watch for a minute: tune in to your horse, see what he’s doing, sense what he’s feeling.

As you take a few deliberate steps closer, pay careful attention.

Is your horse lifting his head, turning an ear toward you, stepping in your direction? If he responds to your approach, stop again and take another deep breath.

Your breath is the simplest and most effective way to offer your connection.

If the horse comes toward you, start moving toward him as well.

If he stands still or shows distraction (by looking somewhere else or walking away, for example), take a deep breath, step toward him, and shift his attention back to you.

TODAY I WANT to address the first Once you stand face to face, wait — observation. don’t touch your horse right away.

The easiest and most effective way Stand still . . . and be still. to connect with your horse (even Just breathe together without before you get on her back, hop in the words.

Cutter, Nicole, and Scout connecting through breathing. cart, or join her in the yard) is through Your horse might be surprised something this simple: breath. or the show tomorrow. It’s present in about this “new” you. Most likely he’ll Breathing along with your horse can this moment — and with that, it’s a per- start to explore you, nuzzle your jacket, turn a dull gray day at the barn into a fect model for you to live in the or give you a little push with his nose in wonderfully satisfying experience for moment as well. an attempt to engage you. As long as both of you.

As you continuously meet your he’s gentle and respectful of your space As we race through the day, we horse in this “now” space, your relation- — and not strip-searching you for treats barely breathe. That creates tension in ship with him becomes the container (I rarely feed my horses treats, as the body, and we bring this tension to that holds you in the present. And conthey’re always a distraction and often the barn, to our horse. Surprise: A deep cealed in that small moment of time, get in the way of a meaningful connecbelly breath can alleviate the situation. that time between the past and the tion) — let your horse explore you but Research shows that proper breathing future, you’ll find a profound connecdon’t react or reciprocate. Just breathe calms the nervous system, and if you tion with your horse. and watch. Just breathe and be curious. breathe deeply and consciously, you also Now some different things might Breathing Together — automatically — calm your horse. happen: (Note: If you feel safe and comfortable Just what is a conscious abdominal • Your horse might ask you for what he breath — that deep belly breath? As you with your horse at liberty, try this withneeds and invite you to scratch his out a halter. When the horse is unenbreathe in through the nose to the count of jowls, neck, or — as my horses often do cumbered, movement helps it three, expand your abdomen. Then exhale — his butt. When you notice an invitacommunicate through the body.) slowly through your mouth and release your tion, take a breath and accept it willYou’re going to the barn. belly. ingly, with gentle kindness.

As you leave your vehicle or step This deep belly breath puts you • He might give you a little lovin’. He out the back door, take a deep belly right into the present moment, the might nuzzle your shoulder or lick your breath and announce to your horse that hands. now, which is where your horse lives. you’re heading his way. The breath will • He might move his head around yours Meeting in the Now release some of your stress and remind to help clear your mind. Horses are natA horse isn’t human, and it evolved in you to be present; the announcement is ural healers: they sense where we hold its own way. To survive in the wild, a a sort of telepathic phone call to give tension and will — when given the horse couldn’t afford to let its mind your horse some notice that you’re chance — bring awareness to those wander into the past or future. If it did, coming to see him. parts in the body that need a relaxing it would miss the approach of a bobcat When you’re approaching the stall, breath. or the scent of a mountain lion. As a paddock, or pasture, stop at a distance • He might use this opportunity to tell prey animal, its nervous system was where you can see your horse but aren’t you something about a herd mate or his wired to be ready at a moment’s notice there yet. Standing still, take another environment. He might point at

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February/March 2016

another horse that isn’t feeling well, or isn’t a good fit in the herd. He might also suggest you walk over to a spot in the paddock or pasture that needs attention (an empty water bucket, for example, or a broken fence or a dead porcupine).

Stay open and curious about what might happen, how it might happen, and why it happens.

Considering how much tension even a domesticated horse feels and how much energy it absorbs and holds while being worked, an occasional breath will do wonders for its mental, emotional, and physical well-being — and for yours as well. As you become mindful of your breath, your horse will be more tuned in to you because you’re more tuned in to him. It’s a nourishing circle of energy for you both.

Nicole Birkholzer is a relationship coach for horses and their humans and the author of Pet Logic. As the creator of Mindful Connections™, Nicole is pioneering an approach to horsemanship and mindful living in which horses are honored as soul-companions and partners in our search for happiness, fulfillment, and wholeness. Discover the ancient wisdom of horses — and the unbridled intuition in every human heart — at mindful-connections.com and connect with Nicole on Facebook or follow her on Twitter, @mindfulconnect.

Massachusetts Horse

23

Youth Spotlight

New Salem

by Whitney Sanderson

Taniel Hood NEECA’s Youth Award Winner

T

lending library of books and show clothes for NEECA’s Youth Day, and attended a clinic given by Wendy Warner, a well-known dressage rider and advocate for natural horsemanship.

At NEECA’s summer Youth Fun Day, Taniel assisted with orienting the

courtesy of Ann Degnan

hirteen-year-old Taniel Hood sits deep in the saddle to steady Tigger, a solid chestnut Appaloosa gelding, as they trot toward a ground pole.

“Nice turn down the quarter line, but shorten up those reins,” calls her riding coach, Pam DeGregorio.

The wind gusts across the arena and Pam pulls her knitted hat down over her ears for warmth.

Taniel follows the instruction, but Tigger still breaks into a canter and jumps the pole as if it were a cross rail. Taniel laughs and brings him back to a trot, then circles around to try again.

This is only Taniel’s second year of riding, but she’s come a long way since she began lessons with Pam, at Pine Meadow Farm, Pam’s cozy six-horse stable in New Salem. In fact, riding is an extended-family affair. Pam’s daughter is married to Taniel’s uncle; Taniel’s grandmother Ann Degnan, also a rider, keeps her part Quarter Horse mare, Penelope, at Pine Meadow; and Pam and Ann co-own Tigger.

Like many teenagers, Taniel juggles a busy schedule to keep up with her eighth-grade classes and extracurricular activities.

“I’m a runner, too,” she says, “so I have a lot of track meets during the school year, but I ride as much as I can, and usually have a lesson every week.”

Taniel participates in events hosted by the New England Equestrian Center of Athol — Ann is a member and Pam serves on the board of directors. The NEECA is a group of more than 200 horse enthusiasts, and the organization maintains a facility for hosting equestrian events.

Taniel is a winner as a volunteer, too: Because of her help at many of the group’s events, she was selected for the 2015 NEECA Youth Award.

“We’re an organization run by volunteers, and we rely on fund-raisers,” says Pam. “Taniel has a positive attitude and is always willing to help out, and that’s why we chose her for the honor.”

Last year, Taniel helped organize a

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February/March 2016

guests, supplying the horses with hay and water, keeping the grounds clean (which, as every horse person knows, is the code phrase for scooping manure),

and helping lead horses and ponies ridden by younger junior members.

“Taniel also went to the NEECA mule and donkey show last August as a volunteer,” says Pam, “and she ended up running ribbons for the ringmaster. She was given an award for sportsmanship for that show, and was even invited to enter a class by one of the competitors.”

“That was a jumping class,” says Taniel. “Believe it or not, mules and donkeys can actually jump. You go over the jump first by yourself while you’re leading them, and then they stop and leap over from a standstill.”

Handling the donkeys and mules was quite different from her experience riding Tigger, who is only six. He’s feeling his oats today, occasionally shying sideways and breaking into a canter.

“Shorten up your reins, keep a feel for his mouth,” calls Pam from across the arena, and Taniel is able to steady Tigger before his antics escalate. The temperature is below freezing and the sky is gloomy, but that hasn’t stopped Taniel and her friend Maddie Dube from having their regular lesson. Maddie, a seventh-grader, is riding on a stocky Fjord gelding named Tego. She took up riding as a therapeutic hobby.

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“Taniel was really supportive while Maddie was going through chemo, and visited her in the hospital,” says Ann. “It’s so great that they’re able to ride together now.”

Neither Maddie or Taniel seems bothered by the weather, although Maddie cheerfully announces that she can barely feel her face. Tigger, on the other hand, spooks when a particularly forceful gale sends dead leaves scudding across the arena.

This week Pam has the girls working on transitions, counting the number of times they can move from walk to trot to canter and back again in two minutes. Taniel and Maddie also do balance exercises: for example, raise one arm above your head while standing up in your stirrups. Pam reminds the girls to stay centered and sink their weight into their heels.

“We spend a lot of time working on balance, and on precision in steering and transitions,” says Pam. “I always remind them that the first five minutes will set the tone for the lesson.”

Taniel’s quiet seat in the face of Tigger’s early skittishness has paid off.

The gelding does his transitions quietly, picks up the correct lead at the canter several times in a row, and experiments with yielding to the bit at the trot.

Overall, it’s been a good lesson, and the girls pat and praise their horses when they dismount.

As they untack Tigger and Tego, the girls chat about an earlier photo session in which they dressed all the horses in holiday outfits. Tigger and Penelope were Santa and Mrs. Claus; the other horses were reindeer.

On Taniel’s days at the stable, she also helps out with cleaning stalls, feeding, grooming the horses, and whatever other chores need to be done. “I’m not sure why, but the girls love throwing down hay,” says Ann, laughing. “As soon as I mention we need hay, Taniel and the other girls head right for the ladder.”

Although horses are her favorite, Taniel loves all animals. She has a pet rabbit named Glenn, and might like to be a small-animal vet someday. While she’s sitting in Pam’s house warming up after the lesson, Pam’s three dogs crowd around her, licking her with delight.

Taniel says she’d love to ride on the beach someday — a dream that could come true, as Pam and some friends went to the MSPCA benefit ride on Crane Beach in Ipswich last year and plan to go again next year. Taniel’s other dream ride, she says, is a trip to a

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dude ranch in Arizona. She has ridden both English and western, but for now prefers western.

In June, Taniel competed in the Crimson Acres Show’s Walk Trot Western division on Pam’s gray Andalusian/Paint cross, Reuben — her first competition — before riding Tigger in the gymkhana later that summer. She also took her first trail ride.

This year, she would like to go to more shows with Tigger, and work on their training goals.

“Right now we’re working on bending into the corners, and slowing down,” she says.

“I’ve ridden Tigger, and he can be fast,” says Makayla Fournier, another young rider at the stable. “And he didn’t like being dressed up in a Santa hat — he reared straight up.”

But Tigger is Taniel’s favorite, although she’s ridden the other horses at the stable. She describes his personality as energetic but cautious. One of the first times she jumped him, she became unbalanced and slid off. Instead of panicking and bolting, Tigger stopped and waited for Taniel to recover. “What I

like best about Tigger is that he’s a kind horse,” she says.

Although the combination of a green horse and a relatively new rider can be challenging, Pam says Taniel and Tigger have a great relationship.

“Taniel’s strength as a rider is her quietness in the saddle, and also a following seat,” says Pam. “She’s assertive without being mean. She’s soft-spoken and can seem shy, but she also knows how to have authority when necessary.” Pam says she thinks that’s why Taniel is able to ride Tigger, even though sometimes he’s a handful.

Taniel agrees, and says she’s learned a lot from the young horse.

Maybe that’s the best thing about Taniel and Tigger — they have the valuable opportunity to grow together.

Whitney Sanderson is a perennial rider who lives in western Massachusetts. She’s the author of Horse Diaries #5: Golden Sun and Horse Diaries #10: Darcy, as well as a chapter book called Horse Rescue: Treasure, written to benefit the horses at Little Brook Farm in Old Chatham, New York.

Massachusetts Horse

25

Hadley

by Stacey Stearns

Trail Guide

Mount Warner

M

ount Warner, in Hadley, is a high point in the Connecticut River plain of western Massachusetts. This recent addition — since 2014 — to the properties held by the Trustees of Reservations is part of a 500-acre stretch of protected land that links Lake Warner, to the north, with the Connecticut River.

Its 156 acres have a long history: It’s speculated that Mount Warner was once an island in glacial Lake Hitchcock.

Arrowheads found in the preserve are thought to belong to the Abenaki tribe of Native Americans, and the Norwottuck and the Nonotuck hunted here. When the European settlers arrived, they used the fertile land for agricultural purposes.

Today, Mount Warner has the distinction of being one of the few wooded oases in an area of farmland and homes.

And it offers two miles of trails for equestrians to enjoy.

Mount Warner is only five miles south of Mount Toby and four miles north of the Holyoke Range, so you may want to do a combination ride.

There are no restrooms, nor is there water for humans or horses, so plan accordingly.

Salamander Loop The two-mile Salamander Loop is Mount Warner’s only equestrian trail. To add to your ride, just complete the loop a couple of times. There are a few small, wellbuilt wooden bridges that cross over wet areas. Because the pace is restricted to a walk, this is an ideal location for slow

Final Thoughts

26

February/March 2016

Stacey Stearns

Logistics The preserve — which is free — is open daily from sunrise to sunset, but be aware that the parking lot isn’t plowed during the winter. Hunting is prohibited, making it a safe and peaceful escape any day of the week.

Coming from Route 47 North, equestrians should turn onto Stockwell Road to avoid what would be a sharp right-hand turn, almost a U-turn, to access Mount Warner Road. On Stockwell, just follow the small brown signs for Mount Warner.

From Route 47 South, turn onto Mount Warner Road.

The parking lot calls for a steep uphill ride, and once you get there, it’s really tight: there’s room for a two-horse trailer only when the lot is empty.

Just beyond the parking lot, though, there’s a place where you can pull the trailer off the road, on the same side as the preserve.

To maintain the ecological balance, the Trustees of Reservation enforce some strict rules. You must ride your horse only at the walk and, to preserve the trails for all users, avoid muddy areas of the trail.

Dog owners must clean up after their animals, and horse owners should do the same: remove any manure from the trail and from around your trailer.

berry. In winter, though, when the trees have shed their leaves, off in the distance you can see the farmland of the Connecticut River Valley and the rolling hills of the Pioneer Valley.

Mount Warner boasts two vernal pools, and in spring these seasonal wetlands are home to a variety of animal and plant species living in harmony.

Throughout the forest are coyotes, black bears, deer, chipmunks, fishers, raccoons, salamanders, and wood frogs.

Lou’s Rock is huge, and quite a sight to come upon as you’re riding peacefully. I never did find out who Lou is, or why he has a rock in the woods of Mount Warner, but no matter . . .

There’s also a giant oak: I stopped to take it in and reflect on the years it took for the tree to achieve that great size.

and steady miles, with a little hill work for your horse.

The trails at Mount Warner are old cart paths and wood roads as well as single tracks, and you’re always within the forest. Oak and beech dot the landscape; evergreen groves are farther upslope. In many spots, pine needles blanket the trail, with roots and rocks peeking through here and there.

In deference to the ecology, the trail twists and turns like a winding country road. In winter, when the trees are bare of leaves, these twists and turns also enable you to see other trail users long before you come across them.

I usually seek views and vistas, and in spring and summer, I must tell you, these are in short supply, as the summit is covered with hardwoods and mountain laurel, huckleberry, and partridge-

Mount Warner is best for equestrians who want a short break or in conjunction with another ride. Mount Toby, with access in Sunderland, has trails, as does Skinner State Park which is in the Holyoke Range.

Usually I’m adamant about riding with a trail map, but Mount Warner is an exception. Of course, the map is printed on the bulletin board in the parking lot, and there are copies of maps available for trail users here as well. But the Salamander Loop is clearly marked with yellow dots on the trees. When you come to an intersection, an access road, or a trail barred to horses, arrows point you in the correct direction, and there’s also a smaller copy of the map, on a wooden signpost, to show where on the trail you are. As it’s a loop, you can go in either direction, and the yellow dots are located on both sides of the trees.

I used the map on my Smartphone for reference, and the Trustees of Reservations also has an app, called Go Trustees, for those who spend a lot of time at its properties. This app features GPS-powered, color-coded maps and lets you know where you’re going while going green.

As with the Trustees’ other properties, the trails at Mount Warner are immaculately maintained, and the Salamander Loop is well worth a turn or two.

Happy riding!

Stacey Stearns, a lifelong equestrian from Connecticut, enjoys trail riding and endurance with her Morgan horses.

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Massachusetts Horse

27

Overherd Look; and Mary Adams and Linda Petersen, Very Small Equines.

Advanced tickets (singleday, $30; two-day, $60) are available until March 10.

Day-of-event tickets will be $40 at the door. Lunch and snacks will be available on site. To learn more, visit shootthathorse.com.

Valentine’s Day brings a new event to Hampden County, in celebration of the community’s love for local rescue horses. The For the Love of Horses Sleigh Rally will be held on February 14 at Blue Star Equiculture Draft Horse Rescue and Sanctuary, in Palmer, to benefit the 32 rescue horses that live there. A range of sleigh classes will be available: VSE (very small equine), pony, horse, and draft horse to drive, Currier & Ives competitions, obstacle courses, and the ever-popular sleigh-dog and fuzziestequine classes.

A skijoring competition will be held during the day, and sleigh rides with the Blue Star draft horses will be offered to spectators. A bonfire will be going throughout the day, and there’ll be with refreshments. For more information on sponsorships, donations, and entry, please email Jamie Savoie, at jsavoie103@gmail.com.

n Alessandra Mele

“The Driven Image” Carriage Driving Conference and Trade Show A new opportunity to learn more about carriage driving is coming up soon. “The Driven Image” Carriage Driving Conference and Trade Show will be held March 19 and 20 at Hampshire College, in Amherst. Guest speakers will be Linda Wilking, Getting Into Driving; Jeff Morse, Cart and Carriage Maintenance; Meredith Russo, History of Whips and Their Use As an Aid; Jerry Trapani, Carriage Association of America Proficiency Tests; Bonnie Jean, Draft Horses and Driving; John Greenall, Presenting the Winning 28

February/March 2016

his master’s in reproductive physiology at Michigan State University and then went on to its veterinary program.

After practicing for three years in New York, he returned to western Massachusetts and in 1986 started a practice with Dr. Bud Allen. They went their separate ways a few years

Alessandra Mele

Sleigh Rally to Benefit Blue Star Equiculture

News in Our Community

For the Love of Horses Sleigh Rally will be held at Blue Star Equiculture Draft Horse Rescue and Sanctuary, in Palmer, on February 14 with skijoring, sleigh rides, a bonfire, and refreshments.

Dr. John Cowley Retires, Closes Hampton Veterinary Services After a 33-year career in equine medicine, Dr. John Cowley, of Hampton Veterinary Services in Easthampton, has announced his retirement and the closing of his practice. It’s a decision that brings him great regret, he says, but after several shoulder surgeries, it was one he knew was necessary.

John, who grew up in western Massachusetts, credits his mother for the path he followed. “Her love for animals had an extraordinary influence on me, and I knew it was what I wanted to do with my life,” John says. After he earned a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences from the University of Massachusetts, he received

later: John founded Hampton Veterinary Services, as an equine specialty, and Bud established Family Veterinary Center, to treat both large and small animals.

Hampton Veterinary Services has been an invaluable resource for complete equine health care in the Pioneer Valley for the last 25 years, providing on-site diagnostics, state-of-the-art digital x-rays, reproductive care, and emergency response.

“Over the years I’ve had a multitude of orthopedic surgeries that were dipping into my productivity, and my most recent injury to my shoulder was huge,” says John. “I probably should have addressed it years ago, but I just loved what I was doing. I love my clients; some of them I’ve known since they were kids. I’ve

known so many histories of so many horses — I could write books! I did as much as I could for as long as I could, but it was time to shut down the practice.”

Clients will certainly recall his office manager, Laurie, who proudly stood by “the Horse Doctor” for 26 years. “She knew everyone and every horse’s name, was always cheerful, and was truly instrumental in my practice,” says John. “We were a partnership. She took care of all the paperwork and scheduling and all I really had to do was go out and be a horse doctor. I’m so grateful for that.” Laurie became a grandmother on December 18, and is embracing her new role to the fullest.

John is maintaining records for all of his former clients, and encourages anyone who needs to contact him to email thehorsedoctor@comcast.net.

n Alessandra Mele

Camp Marshall Footing Fund-Raiser Friends and supporters of Camp Marshall, in Spencer, know its outdoor riding rings are in great need of improved footing. The rings are very large and this is an expensive endeavor. Camp Marshall takes great pride in its equine facilities and always strives to enhance its offerings for the equestrian community, in central Massachusetts and beyond.

We’re holding a Footing Fund-Raiser, and donations in any amount are greatly appreciated. Donate via the GoFundMe page, gofundme.com/footingfundraiser, or send a check made out to Camp Marshall with “Footing Fund-Raiser” in the memo and mail it to 92 McCormick Road, Spencer, MA 01562.

Regional 4-H Show The Regional 4-H Show, to be held July 7 to 10 at the Three County Fairgrounds, in Northampton, has some exciting changes in store.

Kelli Wainscott and Krissy Przybyla have been named official manager and comanager, respectively.

They’ve decided to open the show to all 4-H members, so riders living outside of the state are now welcome to compete. This is an effort to expand the show, attract more participants, and further celebrate the enthusiasm and passion for 4-H in the New England region.

Kelli and Krissy have plans to revise and update the traditional class list and introduce many fun activities throughout the weekend to encourage participants to get to know one another.

In anticipation of a much larger turnout, the show needs more volunteers.

If you’d like to join the team, please contact Kelli, at kellimarie43@yahoo.com.

n Alessandra Mele

Valinor Farm Joins South Coast Series Valinor Farm, in Plymouth, will be affiliating its Thursday Night Jumper Shows with the South Coast Series Horse Shows. Shows are held on the first and third Thursday, May through August, in Valinor’s lighted outdoor jumping ring.

Crimson Acres Finishes in Top 10 for Time to Ride Challenge Congratulations to Crimson Acres, in Orange, for completing the 2015 Time to Ride Challenge, and for finishing in the top 10 for medium-sized farms. The nationwide challenge is a grassroots competition offering $100,000 in cash prizes to stables, clubs, and businesses that introduce new

people to horses. The program reached a total of 41,428 new horse enthusiasts in the past year, as facilities across the country hosted beginner-friendly events to stimulate interest in riding.

This was the second year of the competition.

Crimson Acres participated in the medium-sized farm division, which was the largest and most competitive. It finished seventh in the nation, attracting 863 new horse enthusiasts to its farm through weekly events such as game nights, horse shows, drill-team competitions, and clinics. The Whitmore family, owners of Crimson Acres, received $500 for their efforts.

For more information about the Time to Ride Challenge, visit timetoride challenge.com. To learn about upcoming events at Crimson Acres, visit crimsonacres.org.

The Youth Mustang Challenge and the Extreme Mustang Makeover are coming back to Massachusetts!

Presented by Mustang Heritage Foundation and hosted by Peter Whitmore of It’s A Pleasure, in Orange.

n Alessandra Mele

Pittsfield Ponies Star at Royal Winter Fair Rodney, Janet, and Danny Hicks, of Rodney Hicks Stable in Pittsfield, finished the 2015 show season in Toronto, November 6 to 14, for the Royal Winter Fair. They took with them eight Hackney ponies and one Hackney horse. AJ Bruwer judged the Hackneys.

The horse-show portion of the fair celebrated its 93rd year as a world-renowned equestrian event. The Royal Winter Fair has more than one million square feet of displays and competition facilities and draws 300,000 visitors annually.

For the second year in a row, The Perfectionist and owner Marjorie Kenney won their qualifying class and the Amateur Harness Pony Championship. With Danny Hicks in the buggy, The Perfectionist won the Canadian and Royal Junior Exhibitor Harness Horse/Pony Championship.

Karen Morang Photography

Donations are tax deductible. Thank you!

Selected youth trainers get to gentle and train a young wild Mustang! They then return to the event to compete against other youth trainers in a variety of in-hand classes for prizes, awards, and title of Youth Trainer of the Year!

Adults compete in hand and under saddle for cash prizes!

Youth Division Open to Ages 8-17 Adult Extreme Mustang Makeover Open to 18 and Older Mustang Pickup is April 15 & 16 in Orange Competition is August 5 & 6 in Topsfield Applications and more information available at: itsapleasuretraining.com & extrememustangmakeover.com

Applications due February 29, 2016!

Massachusetts Horse

29

HORSES

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Danny drove his mother’s pony, Jackie O, to win the Canadian and Royal Junior Exhibitor Roadster Pony Championship.

Janet’s nephew Joe Harrod drove Heartland River Dance to the Reserve Road Pony Championship. Rodney also got reserve with the pony in the qualifying class.

Maureen Quackenbush had a winning debut with her Four Point O. They captured both the qualifying class and championship honors in the Hackney Pleasure Driving Pony division.

X Tremely Grand and owner Kathy Comeau were Reserve Amateur Hackney Pony Champions, after pinning reserve in the qualifying class.

Also showing under the Rodney Hicks Stable banner, MasterCraft’s Lilli and owner Donna White won both the qualifier and the championship in the Amateur Roadster Pony division.

For the fourth year in a row, The Spiderman and trainer Rodney Hicks won the Canadian and Royal Hackney Pony Championship. The black stallion is owned by Ed Ochsenschlager.

Driving Ed’s big red horse, Heartland Good Bye, Rodney won the Hackney Horse Championship.

The Hicks family and their clients

Introducing a new kind of horse show!

Emphasis on Teamwork, Relationship, and Skill

Open Partnership Show May 14 . 140 Ball Road, Goshen . Casual show dress!

Divisions

Classes

Green Horse Walk Trot Green Horse Walk Trot Canter Adult Walk Trot Youth Walk Trot Adult Western Youth Western Adult English Youth English Youngster In Hand Novice Small Equine In Hand & Driving

Performance In Hand Obstacle In Hand Horsemanship Pleasure Individual Workout Rail Challenge Obstacle Under Saddle Full division descriptions, class descriptions, and show rules available online.

Details, class list, and entry form at

CummingtonMustangs.webs.com 30

February/March 2016

Judges: Ray Hackett & Kelli Wainscott Division Day Rate: $60 $10 discount for 4-H & HCRC members!

Used Tack Sale at Show

had a treat when Kym Johnson, one of the professionals on Dancing with the Stars, visited with them at the fair. They even let her drive The Perfectionist, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

n Suzy Lucine

Misty Meadows Nonprofit Riding Center A group of Martha’s Vineyard equestrians are creating a nonprofit horsemanship and therapeutic equine counseling center. Organizers of the Martha’s Vineyard Community Horse Center (MVCHC) Misty Meadows set out to raise several million dollars to purchase the sprawling, state-of-the-art Misty Meadows farm compound in West Tisbury from owners and supporters Jerry and Carol Kenney.

Programs will feature unmounted horsemanship and 4-H horse-related instruction.

MVCHC is starting slowly. Its first program, which debuted in January, is a six-week self-esteem-building program for high school girls. The program is group-centered, and designed to foster relationships.

To learn more about the programs, visit mvhorsecenter.com.

Hillbrook Sport Horses Marcus Rhatigan has opened a training facility in the Pioneer Valley town of Wyben. The 80-acre Hillbrook Sport Horses, with its indoor and outdoor arenas, riding field, and miles of trails, provides the perfect setting to produce young horses for breed inspections and shows. Riders may ship in to train with him.

Marcus, who hails from Ireland, brings two decades of experience in training horses and riders for show jumping, eventing, and dressage, and is certified with the British Horse Society.

To learn more, please visit marcus rhatigan.net.

Open Partnership Show and Used-Tack Sale The Cummington Mustangs 4-H Club is introducing a new kind of horse show, one that emphasizes teamwork, relationship, and skill. The Open Partnership Show will be held May 14, in Goshen, and will have divisions and classes for every type of rider and horse.

The judges will be Ray Hackett and Kelli Wainscott. Only casual show attire is required.

Divisions are Green Horse Walk

Trot, Green Horse Walk Trot Canter, Adult Walk Trot, Youth Walk Trot, Adult Western, Youth Western, Adult English, Youth English, Youngster In Hand, Novice, Small Equine In Hand, and Small Equine Driving. Classes in most divisions will consist of Performance In Hand, Obstacle In Hand, Horsemanship, Pleasure, Individual Workout, Rail Challenge, and Obstacle Under Saddle.

Ribbons will be awarded for first to sixth place in each class. There will also be named the day-end division champion and reserve.

Bring your used tack to the sale, which runs concurrently. The club will be managing the event for a 10 percent commission on items that sell.

To download a class list, visit cummingtonmustangs.webs.com.

Overherdisms • Can you shoe him so he won’t paw?

• I got these horseshoes at a rummage sale. Can you use them instead and save me some money?

• We have an in-gate gravity problem here.

• He’s a really nice jumper except when he’s a stopper.

Massachusetts Horse

31

Partners of posture, suppleness, and balance.

Although participant spaces are limited, The CCDA’s 2016 season is off to a there’ll be plenty of room for auditors. great start, thanks to the energy of the The CCDA will also host three board of directors and the enthusiasm schooling dressage shows in 2016. of our members. More than 25 people These shows offer not only USDF dresshowed up for the club’s 2016 kickoff sage tests, but also western and eventing meeting to learn of educational and dressage tests of choice, and the judges outreach initiatives, make suggestions, at shows are either “r” or “R” rated. volunteer support, and sign up for membership.

Acting on the great ideas generated at that meeting, the CCDA has organized a slate of exciting educational programs, events, and unmounted clinics, for this winter and spring, that will appeal to equestrians of all disciplines.

The first program is a lecture by Kay Slater on Saturday, February 27. It will focus on the fearful rider — something many equestrians know a bit about! In addition to being an accomplished eventer and trainer and the owner of True Old North Bridge Hounds Thanksgiving Day Hunt.

North Farm, in Harwich, Kay is a Members and nonmembers alike are licensed independent clinical social encouraged to attend these casual dresworker, which makes her well suited to sage shows, scheduled for June 5, address riding anxieties.

September 11, and October 23. Mark Taylor Rooney, one of the CCDA’s your calendars! junior members, came up with the idea Reestablished in 2012, the CCDA is of hosting a program to introduce a nonprofit organization. Equestrians of younger riders to all the ins and outs of preparing for a show. Taylor and a True all disciplines are welcome to join. To North Farm working student will organ- learn more about our programs, visit capecoddressage.org and take a look at ize and lead this “Just for Juniors” Show our Facebook page.

Prep, which will be held on Saturday, 7 Melissa Lowe Cestaro March 26. The program will be followed by a fun and instructional riding clinic Granby Regional Horse Council with USEF ‘S’ Judge Susan RobertoThe Granby Regional Horse Council Buchanan. would like to thank everyone for a great On Saturday, April 30, we’ll host year. Whether you participated in our the entertaining Equestrian Fashion events or volunteered, we appreciate and Craft Show, which will feature local your support. We had a lot of wonderful vendors and apparel for the wellevents, and plan on repeating most of dressed rider — and horse. them. If you have ideas for new events, The winter and spring series wraps please contact Diane at (413) 527-9532 up on Thursday, May 19, with an introor grhc@charter.net. We hope to fill duction to the Alexander Technique some of the off-season with demonstraand how this mind–body practice benetions and lectures, so check our schedfits riders. In this unmounted clinic, ule, at granbyregionalhorse.org and on dressage rider and Alexander our Facebook page.

Technique practitioner Constance 7 Jennifer Moreau Clare-Newman will deliver her “Well Carried Rider” program, which helps Hampshire County Riding Club participants recognize habitual body The HCRC activities committee is planpatterns, relieve pain and stress, and ning an exciting year at our grounds in free up restrictions in movement, all of Goshen to celebrate the club’s 80-year which will result in a greater awareness Kevin Flynn

Cape Cod Dressage Association

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February/March 2016

anniversary. The committee met in January to plan 10 trail rides, weekend camp-outs, a horse show, a scavenger hunt, a woodland-obstacle-course challenge, clinics, and other activities.

New this year, on Saturday, June 11, HCRC will host an obstacle clinic, called Improving Communication and Confidence, with Centered Riding clinician and natural-style horsemanship trainer Heidi Potter.

It’s designed for all levels and disciplines, from the pleasure trail rider to those competing in obstacle challenges. It will comprise unmounted relationship training, skill building, and obstacle introduction in the morning and mounted obstacle instruction in the afternoon. It’s open to members and nonmembers.

We’re also planning to launch a series of obstacle competitions with other horse clubs in western and central Massachusetts. We’ll use our own course — some 20 obstacles placed throughout our wooded trails — for the competitions.

For membership information, visit hampshirecountyridingclub.org and find us on Facebook.

7 Diane Merritt

New England Equestrian Center of Athol Winter may not be a busy riding or driving time, but at the New England Equestrian Center of Athol, we’re still busy: it’s planning season. On March 16, those plans will be rolled out at the annual full-membership meeting. With the recently updated work on the equestrian park’s grounds, we’ll be able to host some new events and offer everyone opportunities to enjoy the rings and trails. Whether you’re a longtime NEECA supporter or you’ve never been to the NEECA park, we hope you’ll come to the meeting, at 6:30 P.M. at the Environmental Center in Athol.

Here’s a brief preview: With a significant grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, input from Petersham’s Pat France, the work of Pete Lyman Excavating (in Phillipston), and construction by Brian Heath (in Orange), the NEECA now offers the first cross-

country trail course and confidence course in the North Quabbin area. The trail loop has been expanded and graded, with 2' to 2'6" jumps constructed along the route, and a nearby field now hosts a number of permanent versatility obstacles, such as a teeter-totter, a bridge, and a noodle curtain. Both will be available for riding and driving.

To learn more, please join us for the March 16 meeting.

The New England Equestrian Center of Athol is a municipal horse park easily accessed from Route 2. We host a variety of events for horse people of all disciplines and abilities and lease our multi-ring, 230-acre property to other equestrian organizations. To learn more, visit our Facebook page and NEECA.org.

7 Laurie Neely

Old North Bridge Hounds Old North Bridge Hounds closed out its 2015 season of hunts at Fairhaven, in Concord and Berlin, and with its festive annual Thanksgiving Day Hunt at Concord’s Historic Manse.

Thanksgiving dawned as a beautiful fall day, and as hundreds of Concord residents ran and strolled down Monument Street for the town’s Thanksgiving Turkey Trot celebration, ONBH’s huntsman, staff, members, and guests rode down Monument Street to greet them.

The horses, riders, hounds, supporters, and spectators all assembled at the Manse alongside the Old North Bridge for a stirrup cup before casting the hounds, while many of the turkey trotters enjoyed seeing the horses and hounds and were full of questions. It was quite a sight.

On December 12, members and guests enjoyed the Annual ONBH Holiday Party, held at the Wedgewood Pines Country Club in Stow. Master and Huntsman Ginny Zukatynski presented highlights of the year’s activities and recognized all those who contributed to another successful season: the landowners, foxes, staff, field masters, members, and other supporters. Year-end ribbons went to qualified horses and the ONBH Hunter Pace Series winners.

January 1 brought a dedicated crew of ONBH’ers to Berlin to ring in the New Year by exercising our hounds. Led

by ONBH Cloudy, the hounds had a spirited run around the fields and orchards adjoining Sawyer Hill Road. A sumptuous brunch followed.

Ever curious about side-saddle riding, its history, and just how it works?

ONBH will hold a side-saddle clinic on Sunday, February 7, at Fox Brook Farm, Berlin. Rhonda Watts Hettinger, an accomplished side-saddle rider and competitor and the author of three books on the subject, will lead the clinic. In addition to her talk, she will have an assortment of side saddles for viewing and trying. After her presentation, riders who’d like to try side saddle for the first time may have an introductory lesson, and there’ll be sessions for more-seasoned side-saddle riders.

Auditors are welcome and lunch will be provided for all.

Proceeds from the clinic will go toward the care and feeding of ONBH’s hounds. To learn more, contact Susan Goldfischer, at (508) 395-3877.

7 Susan Goldfischer

West Newbury Riding and Driving Club This year promises to be a good one, starting with improvements to the footing in the rings at Pipestave Hill Equestrian Center. Watch for updates on scheduling for the two annual horse trials, always held in July and October, along with news of free educational lec-

tures, demonstrations, and social-networking opportunities.

This spring will see a return of the annual shot clinic (for club members only). Held in conjunction with SRH Veterinary Services, of Ipswich, members will be able to get their horses vaccinated, have blood pulled for Coggins tests, and get related routine veterinary care conducted in a convenient manner and at some cost savings.

On March 12, join us for our annual potluck; it’s for members and prospective members. A great way to chase away the winter doldrums by socializing with riders and drivers, this is also good time to renew your membership and learn more about volunteering. We need help with mowing the cross-country jump course and would like to fill the position of stadium comanager.

For details about events, volunteer opportunities, and membership, please visit www.wrndc.com or check out our Facebook page.

7 Liz Russell & WNRDC members

Western New England Professional Horsemen’s Association’s

Hunter/Equitation Shows February 14 April 17 May 1 May 8 May 14 May 15 May 22 May 29 June 5 June 11 June 12

White Horse Hill Biscuit Hill Farm Bellwether Stables Muddy Brook Farm Biscuit Hill Farm White Horse Hill Blythewood Stables Overmeade Farm Harmony Hill Farm Muddy Brook Farm Biscuit Hill Farm

Dressage Shows English and Western dressage classes. Tests offered for English include (USEF): Introductory Tests A, B, C; Training Level Tests 1, 2, 3; First Level Test 1. Western Tests (WDAA): Introductory Level Tests 1, 2, 3, 4; Basic Level Tests 1, 2, 3, 4.

Stay tuned for upcoming Dressage Show dates!

Check wnepha.com for new dates.

Featuring year-end awards in many divisions.

Full schedule can be found at:

wnepha.com

An organization for horsemen, by horsemen.

Massachusetts Horse

33

Win a $500 SmartPak gift certificate!

Simply participate in the MFBF’s Survey and you’ll be entered to win!

One grand prize $500 SmartPak gift certificate!

Five $100 SmartPak gift certificates!

To enter, complete the survey on the next page or visit www.farmcrediteast.com/equinestudy to complete the online survey.

Surveys are due March 1, 2016. Prize drawing will be held April 1, 2016

Dear Horse Owner/Equestrian Facility Operator, The Equine Committee of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation is undertaking a study to assess the impact of the equine industry in the state of Massachusetts, to be conducted by Farm Credit East. Funding has been raised by the Massachusetts Farm Bureau, and comes from the generous support of such organizations as the Bay State Trail Riders Association, the Hanover Hunt and Riding Club, Massachusetts Horse magazine, the Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council, the Massachusetts Morgan Horse Association, the Western New England Professional Horseman’s Association, and UPHA Chapter 14, along with a variety of private donors. No public funds are being used to pay for the study.

A questionnaire that requests some financial information is part of the study. It’s important for everyone to complete the questionnaire as accurately as possible. Farm Credit East will summarize the data obtained from it for the Equine Committee so that its members can

produce informational brochures for the Massachusetts equestrian community that will help in lobbying state government on behalf of horse owners and stable operators. We would like to emphasize that the financial information will be kept confidential and will be retained by Farm Credit East. It will not be available to anyone else, including state or local officials, the Farm Bureau, Farm Credit East, or the Equine Committee.

The purpose of this study is to help the equestrian community understand the value of the Massachusetts equine industry, and gather important data to help in lobbying on your behalf. We need your help and participation!

If you have any questions, please call me at (508) 481-4766 or email doug@mfbf.net.

Sincerely,

Douglas P. Gillespie Executive Director

249 Lakeside Ave., Marlborough, MA 01752 • (508) 481-4766 • mfbf.net 34

February/March 2016

Massachusetts Equestrian Economic Impact and Land-Use Study Name: ______________________________________________ Farm Name: ________________________________________ Street: ______________________________________________ Town: ____________________________ Zip Code: ________ County: __________________________ Phone: _____________________________ Email: ____________________________ 1. Are you a: m Recreational Horse Owner m Commercial Horse Farm Owner/Operator m Commercial Horse Farm Landlord (*Name of tenant: ______________________________________) m Commercial Horse Farm Tenant/Operator (*Name of landlord: ______________________________) *prevents double counting both landlord and tenant

2. How many acres do you own?

Home & Barn Site Acres _____ Tillable Acres _____ Pasture Acres _____ Wooded Acres _____ Total Acres Owned _____ (should equal combined acreage above) How many do you rent? _____ 3. Type of horse farm: (Please check all that apply and put #1 next to primary use.)

Personal use only _____ Boarding _____ Training _____ Shows _____ Lessons (includes riding academy) _____ Recreation (e.g., trail riding) _____ Racing _____ Breeding _____ Therapeutic Riding _____ Other ____________________ 4. Number of horses: Personally Owned _____ Business Owned _____ Owned by Others _____ 5. Gross revenue from equine operation in 2015: Boarding $_______ Training $_______ Shows $_______ Lessons $_______ Recreation $_______ Training $_______ Breeding $_______ Therapeutic Riding $_______ Other_____________ $_______ Total Revenue $__________ 6. How much of your total expenditures in 2015 were spent: Within 25 miles of your operation $__________ Within the state of Massachusetts $__________ 7. Please indicate the number of workers on your farm in 2015: Owners _____ Unpaid family help _____ Full-time employees (including paid family members) _____ Part-time employees (year round) _____ Seasonal employees (e.g., summertime only) _____ Total Number of Workers _____ 8. What was your gross payroll expense in 2015? $______ 9. What were your total capital purchases in 2015? $______ 10. What did you pay in real-estate taxes on your farm in 2015? $__________ 11. What is the age of the primary operator of your farm? ____ 12. Do you have a “next generation” interested in operating the farm? m Yes

m No

13. How long do you and/or your family plan to continue farming? Please check one: m Less than 5 years m 5 to 10 years m 10 to 20 years m More than 20 years 14. Do you have plans to expand or diversify your farm? m Yes

m No

15. Please rank the following, in the order of priority, in which they pose a problem or concern to you relative to the operation of your farm from the #1 most concern through #11 least concern: ___Hiring help ___Trespassing/vandalism ___Liability ___Availability of quality feed (circle one or both: grain and hay) ___Availability of machinery/parts ___Availability of Veterinary and Farrier Services ___Neighbor complaints concerning farming operations ___Regulations affecting farm operation (e.g., town regulations) ___Marketing your farm operation ___Availability of technical assistance ___Other issues (explain) _______________________________________________________ (please use additional paper as needed) 16. Your comments and thoughts: Please provide your thoughts about what’s important to the equine industry in Massachusetts.

If we receive a significant number of similar answers in a particular category, they may be included in this study.

____________________________________________________________________________ (please use additional paper as needed) Thank you for your assistance! Please mail to: Farm Credit East, P.O. Box 720, Middleboro, MA 02346-0720 Massachusetts Horse

35

events Massachusetts

February 6 CAPE COMMUNITY EQUESTRIAN ASSOCIATION AWARDS BANQUET, Moose Lodge, South Yarmouth. ccequineassoc.com.

7 BSTRA AWARDS BANQUET, Alicante Restaurant, Mendon. bstra.org.

12 — 14 EQUESTRIAN TALENT SEARCH, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center, South Hadley. mtholyoke.edu.

13 – 15 SMARTPAK VALENTINE’S DAY SALE, Natick Retail Store. (508) 651-0045.

7 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Camp Marshall, Spencer. campmarshall.net.

14 FOR THE LOVE OF HORSES SLEIGH RALLY, Blue Star Equiculture Draft Horse Sanctuary, Palmer. jsavoie103@gmail.com.

7 RHONDA WATTS HETTINGER SIDESADDLE CLINIC, Fox Brook Farm, Berlin.

(508) 395-3877.

20 TACK SALE, Independence Stable, Belchertown. independencestablellc.com.

7 OPEN SCHOOLING SHOW, Grafton. hillside-meadows.com.

7 TOM DAVIS CLINIC, True North Farm, Harwich. truenortheventing.com.

8 – 9 KATIE ROBICHEAUX CLINIC, Cutler Farm, Medfield. meredith.brisson@gmail.com.

9 – 13 THE SUPER CONVENTION, Weston Waterfront, Boston. thesuperconvention.com.

21 MHC-, NEHC-RATED HUNTER SHOW, Saddle Rowe, Medway. saddlerowe.com.

21 WINTER SCHOOLING JUMPER SHOW, Cutter Farm, Dracut. cutterfarm.com.

27 IHSA HUNT SEAT SHOW, UMass Hadley Farm. ihsainc.com.

20 IHSA WESTERN SHOW, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center, South Hadley. ihsainc.com.

27 CCDA KAY SLATER FEARFUL RIDER SEMINAR, location TBA. capecoddressage.org.

20 WINTER SCHOOLING SERIES, Camp Marshall, Spencer. campmarshall.net.

March

21 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center, South Hadley. mtholyoke.edu.

1 DEADLINE FOR MASSACHUSETTS EQUESTRIAN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY. farmcrediteast.com/equinestudy.

25 Forest Lane, Millis, MA ~ (508) 376-2564 JH Eventing Boot Camp

NEMHS Summer Kick Off Show

CRDA Dressage Show

April 17 - 20

May 29

August 14

JH Eventing Two Phase

CRDA Dressage Show

NEMHS Summer Finale Show

April 21

June 5

August 21

CRDA Adult Camp

NEMHS Summer Celebration Show

CRDA Dressage Show

April 30 - May 1

June 26

October 2

CRDA Dressage Show

NEMHS Summer Sizzler Show

May 8

July 17

Prize lists and entry forms at:

appleknoll.com. Check the website often as new events are added!

The facilities at Apple Knoll Farm are available for rental for horse shows, clinics, and other equine activities.

Our cross-country course is open for schooling by appointment, weather permitting.

36

February/March 2016

AUCTIONS & SALE HORSES

Two-day Cabin Fever Auction!

March 5 & 6 (Snow date March 12 & 13)

Trailers 2016

Saturday, all tack. No limit on amount of consigned tack accepted. Get ready for spring riding by shopping her for new-to-you goods.

Sunday, limited amount of new tack followed by horses and ponies.

Stay tuned to our website and Facebook pages for updates!

See our selection of horses and ponies for sale at farmheritage.com.

5 MHC ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET, Doubletree Inn, Milford. mahorsecouncil.com.

5 IHSA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Mount Holyoke Equestrian Center, South Hadley. ihsainc.com.

5 – 6 CABIN FEVER AUCTION, Heritage Farm, Easthampton. farmheritage.com.

6 WNEPHA BANQUET, wnepha.com.

Look for an expanded calendar of events to be held at Heritage Farm in 2016: Auctions . Hunter Shows . Stock Horse Shows . Dressage Shows . Clinics

Open to buy, sell, or trade horses 7 days a week, by appointment.

Nice Horses for Nice People.

Auctions . Hunter, Stock Horse, and Dressage Shows . IEA Team The Raucher Family 30 Florence Rd. Easthampton, MA (413) 527-1612 www.farmheritage.com

12 MHC-, NEHC-RATED HUNTER SHOW, Saddle Rowe, Medway. saddlerowe.com.

13 GOLD COOLER JUMPER SHOW, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley. mhcriding.com.

13 WINTER SCHOOLING SERIES, Camp Marshall, Spencer. campmarshall.net.

13 OPEN SCHOOLING SHOW, Grafton. hillside-meadows.com.

19 – 20 “THE DRIVEN IMAGE” CARRIAGE DRIVING CONFERENCE, Hampshire College, Amherst. shootthathorse.com.

20 HUNTER SHOW, Byfield. eventrideltd.com.

26 CAPE COD HUNTER SHOW, Saddle Rowe, Medway. capecodhunter.com.

26 CCDA “JUST FOR JUNIORS” SHOW PREP SEMINAR, True North Farm, Harwich. capecoddressage.org.

13 – 14 USEF REGIONAL II RATED SHOW, Pembroke. herringbrookfarm.com.

20 WINTER SCHOOLING JUMPER SHOW, Cutter Farm, Dracut. cutterfarm.com.

14 WNEPHA HUNTER SHOW, White Horse Hill, Richmond. wnepha.com.

20 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Belchertown. independencestablellc.com.

2 JUMPER SHOW SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP, Greenfield. sbschool.edu.

19 MHC SHOW, Century Mill Stables, Bolton. centurymillstables.com.

25 – 26 IEA HUNT SEAT ZONE FINALS, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley. rideiea.org.

2 IHSA HUNT SEAT REGIONALS, Biscuit Hill Farm, Shelburne. ihsainc.com.

19 PAM GOODRICH DRESSAGE CLINIC, Townsend. settlementfarm.us.

26 IHSA HUNT SEAT SHOW, UMass Hadley Farm. ihsainc.com.

2 CAPE COD HUNTER SHOW, Saddle Rowe, Medway. capecodhunter.com.

April

Massachusetts Horse

37

Dressage and Combined Training Show Series May 22 . June 26 . July 31 September 4 . October 9

Dressage Clinics Vern Batchelder Sharon McCusker Bill McMullin Bill Warren Like us on Facebook to see who’s coming!

. . . Stable Devotion continued from page 21

minutes. After a week of groundwork, I was cantering without him bucking, but the week of groundwork was six days straight and almost three hours a day teaching myself and the horse.”

That was in the summer of 2014.

Since then, Colleen has achieved her goal: She can trailer out and trail-ride completely, and confidently, on her own. This summer, she even took Leo to a weekend training clinic in Troy, New York. There, she says, “we basically did [Clinton Anderson’s] entire fundamentals series in three days. I improved my technique,” she says. “Leo’s attitude was better. He had more get up and go.

He had more try.”

To demonstrate some of the skills she’s learned so far, Colleen works her four-legged partner on a short line in a circle around her. Using her body only, she gets him to trot, to turn on the forehand, to back, and to change direction.

Her movements are small but deliberate, and charged with confidence. A subtle step, an outstretched arm, a jiggle on the lead line — all command Leo, who submits to each of Colleen’s cues. She even ties a plastic bag to the end of her training stick and string and shakes it in the space all around him.

Stalls Available

Stalls available in the 16-stall barn with attached indoor arena. Nestled at the base of Mt Toby this “Massachusetts Horse Farm of Distinction” provides outstanding care for you and your horse.

Xenophon Farm janice

&

elaine

Kachavos

80 sunderland rd., rte. 47 montague, mass.

413.367.9828 X enophon F arm @ aol . com 38

February/March 2016

Presents the 21st

Equine Expo Paraphernalia Sale Saturday, April 30, 2016 . 9-3 Large marketplace of new and used items!

Plus services for the horse, rider, and driver.

Demonstrations All Day . $5 Admission Held in the indoor arena at the Topsfield Fairgrounds, Route 1, Topsfield Vendor Spaces Available . Free Parking

Contact Kay at: 978-768-6275 or kljoreo@aol.com

Leo just stands. Finally, she asks Leo to trot, then lets go of the lead and tosses the end over his back. Recognizing the cue for “throw to a stop,” Leo halts and stands.

Many horses would have continued on to the nearest grass.

Into the Woods Rather than doing formal versatility training with Leo, Colleen allows the trails to be his teacher. If it’s there, they go through it, under it, over it, past it. If Leo is frightened of something — a bridge, say — they don’t go over it just once. They go over it and over it until the bridge finally shrinks from monstrous to monotonous.

Lisa recounts a time when she and Colleen were trail riding and they passed a bear. Laboring up a steep incline, Leo merely stopped a few times, ears pricked. The riders remained calm, and so did the horses.

Colleen has also participated in the annual Mountain Road “Spud Noone” Trail Ride, a hardy journey that took her and Leo through running, waisthigh water, as well as through a 12-foot culvert directly under the Massachusetts Turnpike. And once, while trail riding alone, Colleen met up with five quad riders. She and Leo gave them the path, and Leo stood placidly as they passed.

Cindy Solitro, another of Colleen’s central Massachusetts riding friends, admires the backyard team: “I respect them,” she says. “I want what they have!”

She elaborates: “Leo and Colleen have grown together in amazing ways.

Leo’s probably one of the best-trained horses — and I attribute a lot of that to Colleen. She’s very determined. If she doesn’t know something, she’s not afraid to admit it. Colleen spends a lot of time researching things,” Cindy says, “and then doing them. Every day before work, she would go out and work with Leo. She didn’t give up. He went from being a horse who could be challenging to being a horse she could depend on. I would say, besides her husband, he’s her best friend.”

Cindy has simple advice for other riders who feel as if they’ve hit the barn wall. “Just never give up,” she says.

“Colleen’s an example of that.”

Southwick resident Andrea Bugbee is a Pony Club mom, an IEA mom, and a backyard horse enthusiast. She does most of her writing while she waits for her daughter in the parking lots of numerous wonderful stables scattered throughout western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut.

the

neighborhood

Your Everything Equine “white pages”

ASSOCIATIONS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• GRANBY REGIONAL HORSE COUNCIL Central & Western MA, (413) 527-9532 granbyregionalhorse.org Family-oriented trails, shows, clinics.

EQUINE ENTERTAINMENT ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• DALE PERKINS/MESA FARM Rutland, MA, (508) 886-6898 daleperkinshorseshow.com Trick riding and much more.

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY RIDING CLUB Goshen, MA, (413) 268-3372 hampshirecounty ridingclub.org Monthly trail rides, open show, hunter pace, clinics, educational speakers.

EQUINE MASSAGE ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• HORSEBACK AND BODY Northampton, MA, (413) 320-7690 jobunny@comcast.net Massage therapy for horses, humans.

BARN CATS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• PAWS WATCH Newport, RI, (401) 848-9867 pawswatch.org Barn cats need homes! Healthy, fixed, vaccinated barn cats provide rodent control. Delivered!

KIT CAT PHOTO & ANIMAL MASSAGE Central Mass., (636) 459-5478 kitcatmassage@gmail.com Certified equine and canine massage.

DRESSAGE ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• BRADFORD EQUESTRIAN CENTER Haverhill, MA, (978) 374-0008 Dressage for all disciplines and driving.

Keith Angstadt, USEF dressage judge.

EQUINE WELLNESS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• BLUE RIBBON EQUINE Massachusetts (413) 325-5777 blueribbonequine.com Massage, laser, LED, animal communication, “Where does my horse hurt” body checkups.

CATHY DRUMM Pittsfield, MA, (413) 441-5278 cathydrumm.com Clinics, lessons, training, western and English dressage, hunter/jumper.

FAIRFIELD FARM Rochester, MA, (508) 763-8038 dressageatfairfieldfarm.com Boarding, instruction, training, indoor.

MARGARET HILLY South Deerfield, MA, (802) 595-1258 mhilly@mtholyoke.edu USDF “L” judge; FEI rider; private, semiprivate lessons; clinics.

NANCY LATER LAVOIE Ashby, MA, (561) 714-7447 nancylaterdressagehorses.com Training, lessons, clinics. Accepting new students of all levels. Top-class facility.

WHITE SPRUCE FARMS New Braintree, MA, (978) 257-4666 whitesprucefarms.com Dressage shows, instruction, all levels/ages.

EQUINE DENTISTRY ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• WENDY BRYANT, EQDT Northampton, MA, (413) 237-8887 ravenhillequine.com Natural balance equine dentistry.

Improved topline, maximized performance, increased flexion. Serving New England/New York.

NORTHEAST EQUINE VETERINARY DENTAL SERVICES LEAH LIMONE, DVM Topsfield, MA, (978) 500-9293 nevds.com Licensed professional veterinary dentistry.

Routine preventive care, maintenance, diagnostics, extractions.

TOPLINE EQUINE MASSAGE Franklin, MA, (508) 254-7412 toplinemassage@yahoo.com Certified and insured.

HAFLINGERS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• SOMMER HILL FARM Adams, MA, (413) 743-9301 sommerhaflingers@yahoo.com One Haflinger is never enough.

HORSES FOR SALE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• HERITAGE FARM Easthampton, MA, (413) 527-1612 farmheritage.com Auctions, sale horses, shows, clinics, boarding, lessons, and training.

STRAIN FAMILY HORSE FARM Granby, CT, (860) 653-3275 strainfamilyhorsefarm.com New England’s largest quality sales stable. Supplying NE with horses and ponies since 1967. Forty family, trail, and show horses to choose from. New loads every week. We buy horses, take tradeins and consignment horses. Great three-week-exchange guarantee. Find us on Facebook.

INSTRUCTION/TRAINING •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• BACK BAY FARM Ipswich, MA, (978) 356-0730 backbayfarm.com Lessons, boarding, training, and sales.

GRANDVIEW FARM Dighton, MA, (774) 251-7422 grand-view-farm.com Indoor instruction, training, showing, boarding.

INSURANCE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• CORINTHIAN INSURANCE AGENCY Medway, MA, (877) 250-5103 corinthianequine.com Equine protection specialists.

DON RAY INSURANCE Marshfield, MA, (781) 837-6550 donrayinsurance.com Farm, mortality, major medical and surgical, clubs, shows, instructors.

EQUINE HOMES REAL ESTATE LLC MA and NH, (800) 859-2745, ext. 704 equinehomes.com sally@equinehomes.com Sally Mann, Realtor, MA and NH.

FARM FAMILY INSURANCE farmfamily.com Carver: (508) 866-9150 Easthampton: (413) 203-5180 Great Barrington: (413) 528-1710 Marlborough: (508) 485-3800 Middleborough: (508) 747-8181 Northborough: (508) 393-9327 Norwood: (781) 255-2002 South Deerfield: (413) 665-8200 Southwick: (413) 569-2307 Topsfield: (978) 887-8304 Westford: (978) 467-1001 Williamstown: (413) 458-5584 Worcester: (508) 752-3300

BERNICE GIARD REALITY Oakham, MA, (508) 882-3900 oakham@charter.net Country properties.

STABLES, FARMS, BOARDING •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• CARRIER’S FARM Southampton, MA, (413) 527-0333 rcarrier0333@gmail.com Indoor, outdoor arenas, round pens, fields.

GLENCROFT FARM Southampton, MA, (413) 527-8026 kraymond24@hotmail.com Boarding, pastures, ring, trails, fields.

JUDGES ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• MARY BRAZIE Egremont, MA, (413) 528-2367 arabpinto13@yahoo.com Judging open, 4-H, carded.

STRAIN FAMILY EQUESTRIAN CENTER LLC Southwick, MA, (413) 569-5797 strainfamilyequestrian.com Boarding, lessons, training, sales, therapeutic riding.

LILLIAN GILPIN Plympton, MA, (781) 424-478 rockinghorsefarm1@yahoo.com NEHC-carded judge.

TACK •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• CHESHIRE HORSE Swanzey, NH, (877) 358-3001 cheshirehorse.com English, western, feed, supplies, trailers.

ED GOLEMBESKI Gill, MA, (413) 863-2313 riker119@comcast.net 4-H, open shows, clinics, lessons.

LINDA ROBSON Hanover, MA, (352) 572-3923 lindasrobson@gmail.com NEHC A-rated judge.

NORWEGIAN FJORDS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• BLUE HERON FARM Charlemont, MA, (413) 339-4045 blueheronfarm.com Quality, purebred registered Fjords.

PHOTOGRAPHY •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• C A HILL PHOTO S. Dartmouth, MA (508) 789-0541 cahill.smugmug.com cahillphoto@gmail.com Equine, family, and farm photography in New England.

KAREN MORANG PHOTOGRAPHY Find us on Facebook!

Equine photography and events.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELISSA N. Dighton, MA, (508) 863-0467 melissaroot.com Equine portrait photography and events.

REAL ESTATE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ALTHEA BRAMHALL HOMETOWN REALTORS North Quabbin region, (617) 678-9300 althearealtor@gmail.com Real estate is more fun with horse people!

DR. COOK BITLESS BRIDLE (866) 235-0938 bitlessbridle.com Safe, gentle, effective alternative to using a bit.

SMARTPAK RETAIL STORE Natick, MA, (508) 651-0045 smartpak.com/retailstore Tack, equipment, supplements, blankets, apparel, gear, gifts, clearance outlet.

TRANSPORTATION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• J.R. HUDSON HORSE TRANSPORTATION West Bridgewater, MA, (508) 427-9333 jrhudsonhorsetrans.com Serving the lower 48 states and Canada.

NORTHEAST EQUINE TRANSPORTATION Southbridge, MA, (774) 633-1499 nehorsetrans.com Serving Northeast, PA, NY, NJ, DE, MD. VETERINARIANS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• FAMILY VETERINARY CENTER Haydenville, MA, (413) 268-8387 famvets.com Traditional and alternative care for dogs, cats, exotics, and horses.

SOUTH DEERFIELD VETERINARY CLINIC DR. ROBERT P. SCHMITT S. Deerfield, MA, (413) 665-3626 sdvc@aol.com Equine medicine, surgery since 1969.

Massachusetts Horse

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Is This Your Horse?

Ride with Us! Mortality & Major Medical . Farm Packages Horse Associations and Clubs . Directors & Officers Horse Shows, Clinics, Events . Expo Coverage Instructor Liability . Payment Plans We will provide you with competitive rates, educated service, and help substantiate values.

Terri Ray (781) 837-6550 donrayinsurance.com

Karen Morang Photography

Competitive Rates & Great Service Call for a no hassle, free quote.

Is this your horse?

This photo was taken on December 6 at the Phil Whitmore Ground Work and Trick Training Clinic at White Spruce Farm in New Braintree. If this is your horse, contact us at win@mahorse.com for a month’s supply of SmartPaks and more from the Bay State’s very own SmartPak, smartpakequine.com.

Insure your equine partner with a leading equine agent!

R.J. Sadowski, Jr. HorseMindShip™ Horsemanship and Riding School 71 Pleasant St., Plainfield, Mass.

Seminar/Demonstration April 30 . 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call for details!

A & B Lumber Barns ....................... 23

HorseBack and Body ...................... 41

Angel View Pet Cemetery .............. 43

Independence Stable ..................... 41

Apple Knoll Farm ........................... 36

It’s a Pleasure Training .................. 25

Bacon’s Equipment ........................ 25

Jenn’s Tack & Blanket Service ........ 6

Betsy Merritt .................................. 15

John Deere ...................................... 11

Blue Dog Leather ........................... 24

Massachusetts Horse .................... 27

Blue Seal Feed ................................ 4

Massachusetts Horse Benefit ........ 31

Bob Burrelli .................................... 41

Millcreek Manufacturing ............... 23

The Carriage Shed ........................... 2

Mitrano Removal Service ............... 10

The Cheshire Horse ......................... 7

Natural Balance Equine Dentistry . 17

Country Corral ................................ 19

Noble Outfitters ............................. 13

Crimson Acres ................................ 41

Peace Haven Farm ......................... 40

Fun Day and Open Barn

Cummington Mustangs ................. 30

RER Ponies ..................................... 41

May 22 . 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

DK Saddlery ................................... 12

Salty Dawg Equine Services ............ 6

10 a.m. - Greet and Meet with coffee 10:30 a.m. - Understanding Horse Psychology and How Horses Think 11:30 a.m. - Connecting with Horses on the Ground at Liberty 12:30 p.m. - Lunch break (BYO) 1:30 p.m. Dancing with Horses Demonstration 2 p.m. - Riding Demonstration 2:30 p.m. Ground Driving Demonstration 3:30 p.m. - Questions and Discussion

Don Ray Insurance Agency ............ 40

Sarah Sheehy

Call R.J. or Paula for more information: (413) 634-8800 or (413) 335-7151 peacehavenhorsemindship@hotmail.com www.peacehavenfarm.com 40

advertiser index

February/March 2016

Essex County Trail Association ..... 38

Training & Horsemanship ......... 41

Extreme Mustang Makeover ......... 29

SmartPak Retail Store ..................... 5

Fairview Farms JJC ......................... 41

SRH Veterinary Services ................. 41

Family Veterinary Center ............... 30

Triple Crown Feed ........................... 4

Farm Credit East ............................. 21

WNEPHA ........................................ 33

Farm Family Insurance ................... 42

White Pickets Studio ....................... 13

Greystone ....................................... 12

Xenophon Farm ............................. 38

Hampshire Tractor Corp. ................ 17

Yered Trailers ................................ 37

Heritage Farm ................................ 37

Massachusetts marketplace Want to be more effective & harmonious with your horse?

Now Accepting Boarders New 20,000-square-foot Facility!

Sarah Sheehy offers:

Riding Instruction . Training Sessions Groundwork Lessons . Clinics

Horse Leases Available

Helen Noble, vMd . Robert Orcutt, dvM derek Cavatorta, dvM phd Kirstin Anderson, dvM . Ashley Taylor, dvM Mary Ann Montesano, dvM

partial $275/mo., half $400/mo., full $525/mo.

Beginner to Advanced Instruction Hunt Seat/Equitation, Dressage, Eventing, Western

Brimfield, MA 413-245-3083 . fairviewfarmsjjc.com

Sarah Sheehy Training & Horsemanship Central Massachusetts (978) 724-3403 . sarahsheehy.com

295 High St, Ipswich, Mass.

978-356-1119 (ph) . 978-356-5758 (f)

Subscribe Today!

Independence Stable, LLC

at mahorse.com Recovery . Maintenance . Performance Therapeutic Massage . Bodywork . Reiki

Large and Small Animal Medicine & Surgery Serving the North Shore since 1951

www.srhvets.com

Dressage Schooling Shows Including Western Dressage Tests!

2016 dates: March 20 . April 24 August 14 . September 18 Lessons . Training . Boarding . Clinics

Jo Bunny licensed massage therapist, certified equine massage therapist

(413) 320-7690 • jobunny@comcast.net

RER Ponies Training, Lessons & Sales

by CHA certified, BHS trained, and USDF competitor

Heather Reynolds Dostal Freelance Instruction . Lesson Horses Available U.S. Pony Club Riding Center

Charming private facility offering: Boarding, training, pony starting, and tune ups.

Professional, well rounded, goal oriented lesson program for riders of all ages beginner through advanced.

www.RERponies.com 413.427.2026 8 Circle Dr., Hatfield, MA

Massachusetts Horse

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CARVER 508.866.9150 Richard.Blair@farm-family.com

NORWOOD 781.255.2002 Francis_Bingham@farm-family.com

EASTHAMPTON 413.203.5180 Chad_Meyer@farm-family.com

SOUTH DEERFIELD 413.665.8200 T.Viles@farm-family.com

GREAT BARRINGTON 413.528.1710 Bob.Sinopoli@farm-family.com Dominic.Sinopoli@farm-family.com

SOUTHWICK 413.569.2307 themasonagency@farm-family.com

MARLBOROUGH 508.485.3800 Martin_West@farm-family.com MIDDLEBOROUGH 508.747.8181 Andrew_Brodeur@farm-family.com NORTHBOROUGH 508.393.9327 Jeff.Pichierri@farm-family.com Kevin.Sullivan@farm-family.com

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February/March 2016

TOPSFIELD 978.887.8304 Dale_Johnson@farm-family.com WESTFORD 978.467.1001 Donald.Ludwig@farm-family.com WILLIAMSTOWN 413.458.5584 MaureenOMara@farm-family.com WORCESTER 508.752.3300 Thomas_Carroll@farm-family.com

Massachusetts Horse

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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID MONROE, CT PERMIT

Amherst Farmer’s Supply 320 Pleasant St., Amherst (413) 253-3436 . amherstfarmerssupply.com

Bridgewater Farm Supply 1000 Plymouth St., Bridgewater (508) 697-0357 bridgewaterfarm.com

#140

Essex County Co-op 146 S. Main St., Topsfield (978) 887-2309 essexcountycoop.net

Sweet Meadow Feed & Grain 111 Coolidge St., Sherborn (508) 650-2926 sweetmeadowfeedandgrain.com

Country Corral 35 Main St., Williamsburg (413) 268-0180 . countrycorralonline.com

Hardwick Farmers Co-op Exchange Rte. 32, Gilbertville . (413) 477-6913 hardwickfarmers.net

Thibault’s Poultry 92 N. Spencer Rd. Spencer (508) 612-1907

Bernardston Farmer’s Supply 43 River St., Bernardston (413) 648-9311 bernardstonfarmerssupply.com

Dodge Grain Company 59 N. Broadway, Salem, NH (603) 893-3739 . dodgegrain.biz

Robbins Garden Center 28 Sutton Ave., Oxford (508) 987-2700 robbinsgarden.com

Brattleboro Agway 1277 Putney Rd., Brattleboro, VT (802) 254-8757 . achilleagway.com

Erikson’s Grain Mill 113 Main St., Acton (978) 263-4733

A.W. Brown Pet & Garden Center 144 Shaker Rd., E. Longmeadow (413) 525-2115 . awbrown.com