Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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HORSE

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CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS & RHODE ISLAND

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

contents

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Fall/Winter 2022

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in every issue 7 From the Publisher 9 Your Letters 10 Equine Safety Networking: Helping Horses in Need 24 Farms 42 Horsepeople

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56 Horse Logic 60 Trail Guides 74 Youth Awards 76 Grand Prix Guidance 80 Overherd 89 Partners 98 This Olde Horse 100 Events Calendar 114 Directory

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COMMUNIT Y

HORSE CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS & RHODE ISLAND

vol. 2, no. 2 Fall/Winter 2022

ISSN 2766-5011 PRINT; 2766-502X ONLINE

99 Bissell Road, Williamsburg, MA 01096

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phone: (413) 268-3302

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communityhorse.org

Community Horse is owned and operated by Community Horse Media LLC and is an all-breed, all-discipline equestrian publication for Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. © 2022 Community Horse All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this magazine or portions thereof in any form without prior written permission.

publisher Stephanie Sanders • steph@communityhorse.org • (413) 268-3302

editor Kathaleen Emerson

public liaison Sally L. Feuerberg . (203) 339-0357, sally@communityhorse.org

feature writers Mark R. Baus, DVM, Nicole Birkholzer, Alessandra Corbett Sally L. Feuerberg, Jennafer Maselli, Kara Noble, Stacey Stearns

contributors Michelle Atkinson Martin, Kendra Bond, Allison Forsyth, Cynthia Haberin, Heather Hicks, Raymond Hill Yvette Hollenbeck, Katie Hylen, Kayla Ireland, Becky Kalagher, Michelle Kohn, Jeanne Lewis Images Holly Linton, Lori Mahassel, Debbie Martin, Diane Merritt, Dr. Jenifer Nadeau, Nicole Normandy Diego Ongaro, Elaine Pascoe, Jeanna Pellino, Emily Rice, Lisette Rimer, Howard Schatzberg, Jiri Schindler Mary Wood, Stacey Young

advertising & questions main office • (413) 268-3302 • info@communityhorse.org

AsyaPozniak, istockphoto.com

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

the fine print The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Community Horse staff or independent contractors, nor can they be held accountable. Community Horse will not be held responsible for any misrepresentations or any copyright infringement on the part of advertisers. Community Horse will not be held responsible for typing errors other than a correction in the following issue. All letters addressed to Community 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 Community Horse, are assumed to be legally released by the submitter for publication. Community 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.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

From the Publisher

S

Nicole Normandy

oon autumn will bring her cool days, bright blue skies, and colorful foliage . . . a perfect time to get out there with our horses.

After years of COVID-19 and increasing inflation, many of us find ourselves wondering what we’d do if we were unable to care for our horses. Feature writer Kara Noble asked those in the field of rescue, equine wellness agencies, and

manager — interesting women doing inspirational work — starting on page 42.

Horse Logic columnist Nicole Birkholzer writes about her experiences with horses who need clarification from their partners — a job description of sorts.

Read Horse Logic on page 56. What can you do to define your horse’s job for him?

Trail Guide columnist and explorer Stacey Stearns visits Thompson trails in Connecticut, Grafton trails in Massachusetts, and the George Washington Wildlife Management Area in Rhode Island. Turn to page 60 to get commonsense advice for driving, parking, and riding out.

Mark Baus, DVM, founder of Grand Prix Equine, writes about Using Radiographs to Miniature Horses Peanut and Little Rasta Man having a morning nap at Trim and Shoe in his Pocketful of Ponies Farm.

Grand Prix Guidance equine assistance nonprofits what column on page 76. How can you work resources are out there for horse owners with your vet and farrier to improve your who find themselves in need of help. horses comfort?

Read Equine Safety Networking starting You’ll find news in our community on page 10. starting on page 80 and news from equesInterested in equestrian facilities in trian clubs on page 89. Be sure to check our community? Read about three farms out our Community Horse Youth Award — Stargazer Farm in Connecticut, winners on pages 74 and 75. These riders Cedarwood Farm in Massachusetts, and represent the future of our horse commuFaith Hill Farm in Rhode Island — startnity! (Want a free Youth Award for your ing on page 24. upcoming equestrian event? Visit What interesting equestrians live in communityhorse.org/youth-awards.) our neighborhoods? In this issue you’ll Looking for something to do with meet Courtney Maum, Nutmeg State your horse? Check out the Events author of The Year of the Horses: A Calendars for each state starting on page Memoir; Shaquilla Blake, a Bay State rider, 100. writer, and activist; and Sarah Rivers, an Enjoy the season!

Ocean State dressage trainer and farm Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

Your Letters To the Editor:

To the Editor:

I compliment you and your staff for the hard work you put into making Community Horse a quality publication.

Your magazine is useful and extremely readable, with interesting articles and a handy format. Your commitment to the equine community by showcasing local stables and supporting young riders with your generous youth awards is much appreciated by those of us in the horse business! Keep up the good work!

Thank you so much for sponsoring the Youth Award for our fun show at Babcock Hill Horses Naturally. It was a great day!

Beth Stone, Cornerstone Farm, Foster, RI

Jessie Charron, 15, of Plainfield, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Babcock Hill Horses Naturally Show. Congratulations, Jessie! (Photo with Dad Joel.)

To the Editor:

The award went to Jessie Charron as she

Thank you very much for all the help

had a rough go of it with her mare, who was

designing our advertisement. I just

overly ruled by hormones. The two of them

received my copy of Community Horse. The

kept at it and finished most of their classes

ad looks great! I look forward to working

in hand. The award was much deserved and

with you in the future. Thank you.

brightened her day. Thank you again!

Mike Miles, M5 Landworks, Plainville, MA

Dawn Bonin, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally Coventry, CT

Let us know your thoughts!

We’ll enter you to win a $75 Cheshire Horse gift card!

All letters received by February 5 will be entered in the drawing. Send your letters to: letters@communityhorse.org or Community Horse, 99 Bissell Rd., Williamsburg, MA 01096.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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Helping Horses in Need

by Kara Noble

W

hat makes a horse owner decide they can no longer care for their horses? What convinces someone they have no choice but to surrender their horse to a rescue — or euthanize it?

Elaine Nash, founder and executive director of Fleet of Angels, one of the country’s largest and most active equineassistance nonprofits, regularly hears stories about the factors that force horse owners to consider such desperate measures, and they’re heart wrenching.

“An elderly woman’s husband passes away, leaving her with four horses they’ve had for twenty years,” Elaine says. “The youngest horse is eighteen, and it's the son or daughter of another one they've had that's now thirty years old. Those horses not only represent the good times she and her husband had together with the horses, but also represent her sense of continuing the relationship with her husband through those horses. In other words, they’re her reason for living. She knows she doesn’t have money to feed those four horses, but she can’t bear to part with them. She’s torn. She doesn’t know what to do.”

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

Rachel Diersen, equine and farm animal assistant manager at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) Nevins Farm in Methuen, Massachusetts, often hears from owners who believe surrender is their only choice. “I talked to a woman who was feeling the financial burden of a horse that needs a surgery,” says Rachel.

“She called the MSPCA to ask about surrendering one of her other horses so she could afford the operation.”

Why Horse Owners Surrender Horses To learn more about what makes owners surrender horses and how animal welfare organizations can best help those owners, in 2018 the United Horse Coalition (UHC) launched the Equine Welfare Data Collective (EWDC). EWDC consists of a group of agencies that gather data on at-risk horses from shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries across the United States. To date, EWDC has produced four reports that are beginning to give equine nonprofits a better understanding of the issues that drive horses to shelters.

EWDC data reveal that 77 percent of the time, owner-related factors, such as

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Equine Safety Networking

©michelangeloop 123RF Stock Photo

financial concerns (like a job loss or the death of a breadwinner), health problems, the owner’s age, or a need to relocate quickly because of a job change or a family emergency, are the main reasons owners seek shelter placement for their horse. The next most-common issues that push owners to turn to rescue groups and shelters are horse-related factors such as equine health problems, age, or behavior issues.

In other words, owners typically seek to surrender horses because of the type of life circumstances that could affect any of us. Wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters also leave people struggling to keep their horses well fed and in good care. Under such circumstances, owners fear they will no longer be able to care for their horse properly. To them, rehoming their horse at a reputable equine rescue organization seems like the only way to keep the horse safe and give it a chance of being placed in a good new home.

Shelter Space Crunch Unfortunately, equine shelters and rescues that take custody of a horse and assume responsibility for its care do not

have the capacity to keep up with the demand.

In 2020, there were 7.2 million horses in the United States, and about 1,000 custodial equine shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries — one shelter per 7,200 horses. The EWDC estimates that as many as 70,000 horse owners may seek shelter placement annually, but existing shelters only have space and resources to accommodate about 47,000 animals.

Space and resource shortages are exacerbated by the fact that equines tend to remain in shelters and rescues much longer than smaller companion animals.

According to PetPoint’s 2022 Shelter Watch Report, cats and dogs usually remain in a shelter for 30 days or less, but the average length of a shelter stay for an equine is 200 to 400 days. The longer an animal remains in a facility, the fewer stalls are open for new, incoming animals.

After years of pandemic conditions, many shelters, including New England Equine Rescue North (NEER North) are also confronted with an unusually high number of adoption returns, despite a comprehensive and very cautious adoption process. “NEER stands by our Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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adopted animals for life and accepts them back when or if the owner can’t care for them,” says Mary Martin, president and founder of NEER North. “Since this past January, we’ve accepted back seven of our adopted horses. We already have a waiting list for new surrenders, and when we accept returns, it reduces our capacity to take new surrenders. COVID has had an impact on fundraising, community awareness-raising events, and our volunteers.

Our resources are stretched thin.”

Some shelters must also reserve a percentage of their stalls for animals seized by law enforcement in neglect or abuse cases, further limiting the amount of space available to accommodate new surrenders.

Space and resource shortages have forced animal welfare organizations to refocus their efforts on strategies that provide owners with resources to weather short-term emergencies and that help owners build skills and networks that will enable them to prevent or cope with future emergencies.

Safety Net Services The UHC reports that nearly 250 equine nonprofits have shifted to providing shortterm safety net services. This strategy provides owners with short-term assistance to get past temporary financial problems or family crises, providing funds to purchase feed; pay for veterinary care; maintain facilities; transport horses; and administer humane euthanasia as an alternative to surrendering horses to shelters.

The MSPCA provides such safety net services through its Emergency Equine Relief Program. “The MSPCA’s goal is to try to keep horses with their owners if that’s a reasonable option because we know how hard separation can be,” Rachel says. “When the problem is just a quick blip, we can help them through a rough patch.”

An increasing number of animal welfare organizations, such as Fleet of Angels, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Foundation for the Horse,

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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and NEER North offer short-term safety net assistance, and a number of smaller rescues, such as Beech Brook Farm in Groton, Connecticut, have converted entirely to supporting owners and horses through safety net grant programs.

Equine nonprofits have also recognized that they can offer more safety net help to a greater number of horses and owners by combining forces, working together to expand their ability to fundraise, process applications, and distribute funds to horse owners who have exhausted all their options and who need temporary assistance caring for their animals.

The Vet Direct Safety Net initiative, a partnership between the ASPCA, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), and the Foundation for the Horse, offers one-time-per-client grants of up to $600 to cover the cost of emergency veterinary care or compassionate euthanasia.

The recently established New England Equine Relief Network, a collaborative program involving the MSPCA, the Rhode Island SPCA, the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals, and the New Hampshire SPCA, seeks to expand regional equine safety net programs that fund critical food, veterinary, and farrier services to owners in need.

Seeking Help

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

Colorado-based Fleet of Angels has been awarding safety net grants for 11 years and is one of the most experienced organizations in the country. Elaine says, “We are the last resort for owners. After they have tried everything else to raise money or get help, when there is nowhere else to turn, they turn to us.”

Many nonprofits have adopted a process similar to the one used by Fleet of Angels to field requests for help and to award and administer grants. That process begins when horse owners locate safety net service providers online. The owner typically applies through a website or Facebook page explaining why they’re asking for help. “In the application, we want to know what happened,” Elaine says.

“How many horses are involved? What have you already tried to solve the problem?”

Grant funders also look for evidence that the applicant has a sustainable, longterm plan to solve the problem and care for their horses after they use the grant money. The grant provider reviews the application, checks references, and contacts the applicant to confirm the circumstances surrounding the request.

Because safety net grants are small (typically between $200 and $600) and aid is targeted, animal welfare organizations can afford to give more of them.

According to the EWDC, 90 to 92 percent of safety net applications from qualifying horse owners are approved and fulfilled.

Once a grant is awarded, the provider makes payments directly to the vendor who will provide the supplies or services. “We call the owner’s feed store and buy them what they need, and they go pick it up, or we contact their veterinarian and put funds on account so they can have their horse treated,” says Elaine.

“That way we know the money is being used for what it is intended for.”

Throughout the process, providers expect horse owners to collaborate with them in a team effort to address the short-term need and devise a plan the owner can follow to care for their animals for the long term. “We form a relationship with owners, and they become part of a group,” says Rachel. “We work together to help owners get back on their feet and keep their family together.”

Build an Equine Network Once the horse and owner are out of immediate trouble, the goal shifts to helping the owner build a strong network of experienced horse people who can offer local support, which minimizes the potential for problems to recur.

“If people come to owning horses without a network of knowledgeable horse people around them who can help them learn horsemanship, they may not know what a loss they're operating under until an emergency happens,” says equine

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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educator Diane Raucher Miller. “A network gives horse owners access to experienced people who can help them make important judgment calls. How thin is too thin? Does that lame horse need vet care or home care? Those decisions involve quality-of-life issues for the horse, and they help owners make better choices about what needs attention before it becomes a big, expensive problem.”

Sandra McLaren Wright, administrator of the Facebook group CT Horse Neighbors, agrees about the value of networks in preventing small problems from escalating into major ones. Sandra founded the group to provide a way for horse owners in Connecticut to request and offer help to one another, one neighbor to another. “Everyone needs help sometimes because horses are just like that. We never know what’s coming around the bend.” Sites like CT Horse Neighbors give people a place to ask questions when they aren’t sure who else to ask.

Facebook groups offer a wealth of

horse-care and horse-welfare advice that can give owners who are new to horses or new to the area an entry into online and local horse communities. Groups such as Connecticut Horsey Folk, Massachusetts Horse People, Rhode Island Horse Lovers, Massachusetts Horses, Berkshire County Equestrian Alliance, and Boston Equestrians, along with the Facebook pages of local riding clubs and horse councils, are great places to start exploring opportunities to network and learn.

Joining a local horse club, attending lectures and clinics at a local farm, and taking lessons at local barns are valuable ways to make contacts and develop a local, real-world network. “Support your local clubs and clinics and the events they do because these are your neighbors,” says Diane. “These are the folks you can call in an emergency for advice or help.”

Many clubs have a list of members who are open to assisting other members with their horses, transportation, and feeding/care.

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An equine veterinarian is an essential member of your local horse network. Vets will often provide useful information and advice over the phone, via text, or by email — but only if they already know your horse and have a good relationship with you and your animals. Develop a good working rapport with your veterinarian and have them examine your horses at least once a year.

Annual visits for vaccinations will help detect and correct minor health concerns while they are small and economical rather than waiting until they are major, expensive, and sometimes irreversible.

Also, be sure to include a farrier in your equine network. When a farrier catches relatively minor hoof problems, such as thrush, white line disease, sole bruises, and cracks at an early stage, those issues can be corrected quickly and easily, before they reach the point where they cause discomfort for the animal, lost performance days, and expensive veterinary bills.

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Learn and Practice Good Horsemanship Although some situations that force an owner to seek help from an equine-welfare organization cannot be avoided, many situations can be prevented.

Following good horsemanship practices can avoid problems ranging from feed shortages to equine illness or injury. Here are a few things you can do to minimize the chances you’ll need emergency help with your horses: • Build a good-horsemanship reference library and keep learning.

The Certified Horsemanship Association’s (CHA) Horsemanship Composite Manual and The United States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship are excellent resources to teach you best practices for keeping your farm safe from hazards and your horses healthy and injury-free. The CHA also has a wide variety of horsemanship videos on its website.

• Know your horse.

Observe your horse. Be aware of what its typical behavior looks like so you can spot

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problems and respond quickly to them.

Knowing what normal looks like for your horse decreases the chances that a serious problem will develop before you notice it.

• Always keep at least a month’s worth of hay and grain on hand.

This gives you a cushion if an emergency arises, whether it’s a hay shortage, grain unavailability (needing to switch brands with enough on hand to make a gradual transition), loss of income, a family emergency, or a natural disaster.

• Choose the right feeds.

“Because of the drought in the Midwest and increased freight costs, grain prices have gone up thirty to forty percent in the last eighteen months,” says Jim Cowhey, a salesman for a large animal supply distributor. “But many horse owners still don’t know what they are feeding their horses or why — so people are feeding things they might not need to feed, or they could feed something less expensive.

Read the nutrition information on the bag. If you still need help interpreting nutrition information, many feed companies have nutritionists on staff who can help you decide what you really should be feeding. Feed companies also have tons of information on their websites to help you choose the best, most economical grain for your animals. Nutrena even has a feed selector on their website that lets you describe your horse, and they will use the information you provide to give you suggestions for feed that best meets your horse’s requirements and your budget.”

• Save grain reward points or donate them to horses in need.

“Several feed companies offer reward points for your purchases,” Jim says. “You save the tags from grain bags and return them for rebates or vouchers you can use to purchase grain in the future. Owners can stockpile those for a rainy day. Some feed companies will also let you donate those points to owners in need.”

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• Provide a safe living environment and fencing for your horses.

“Look objectively around your place,” says Diane. “Walk your property occasionally (especially after a storm or as the seasons change) to assess the structures, fencing, and layout. Make sure buckets, waterers, and feeders are in good shape. Keep trash cans empty, tools put away correctly, travel areas neat and tidy — and above all else, safe.”

It Takes a Village

• Keep a list of phone numbers accessible for use during an emergency.

“Have a list of phone numbers in case a neighbor, a staff member, or boarder has to contact your vet, farrier, or another emergency contact,” says Diane. “Post them in your house, barn, and in your truck or trailer too.”

The recent shift toward more widespread equine safety net programs, with their emphasis on collaboration, networking, and community support, reflects an ageold tradition of horse people helping each other in times of need. “Providing aid for horses during tough times doesn’t just help horses,” says Elaine. “It’s a humanitarian effort as well. Giving up beloved horses can be devastating for people who are suffering hardships— that’s the time the owner needs the emotional support of their horses the most.” Such programs remind us that horses and horse owners do best when equine welfare agencies, owners, veterinarians, farriers, neighbors, and friends work together to provide the best possible support and care for our animals.

As Diane says, “Avoiding a problem before it becomes a problem can be the best method to have a safe, healthy life with horses.”

Kara Noble is a writer and editor who lives on a hobby farm in Montgomery, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jerry, an Icelandic mare, a Shetland pony, and a pair of very opinionated miniature donkeys.

y

Where to Find or Offer Help This table lists organizations, websites, and social media sites to help build an equine help network, as well as places where you can turn if you need short-term help with your horse or if you would like to offer help to others in need.

Build Your Local Network/Expand Your Education Local and state clubs and organizations can help you connect with other horse people in your area to build a support network. Go to communityhorse.org/partners to find equestrian organizations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

Regional and National Equine Information Resources Organizations that provide educational and short-term financial support for horse owners: r United Horse Council Resource Database (unitedhorsecoalition.org/equine-resource-database) r RedRover Resources for Horses (redrover.org/2021/06/21/resources-for-horses/) r Fleet of Angels National Equine Emergency Directory (nationalequineemergencydirectory.com)

Safety Net Grant Programs Organizations and agencies that offer safety-net grants, providing short-term assistance to horse owners with temporary financial need: r Rhode Island SPCA (rispca.com/support/large-animal-assistance-program-laap) r Massachusetts SPCA (mspca.org/equinerelief) r New England Equine Rescue North Feed Fund (neernorth.org/neer-north-feed-fund/) r Beech Brook Farm Grant Program (beechbrookfarm.com/apply-for-help) r Becky’s Gift Equine Relief (www.beckysgift.org) r Fleet of Angels (fleetofangels.org) 22

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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East Woodstock

by Sally L. Feuerberg

Farm

Stargazer Farm In a Quiet Corner

I

t’s easy to forget where you are when you visit Stargazer Farm in East Woodstock, Connecticut. You can quickly lose yourself in this little piece of paradise with its fields and hillsides that seem to go on forever. Some of those rolling hills fade into the horizon like a pastoral watercolor painting. Stretches of old stone walls accent some of these fields and look as if Nature itself placed them there. Wildlife abounds in these sur-

roundings with turkey, deer, fox, and the occasional chipmunk that calls the stone walls home. A pristine brook and lush woodland are part of this wonderland as well. What makes this place even more perfect? Horses, and yes, Stargazer Farm has those too.

Virginia McMahon and her husband, Chris, have owned, managed, and lovingly cultivated Stargazer Farm since 2004. The meticulous care of the horses and property is evident everywhere you look, from a magnificent assortment of colorful and fragrant flowers to the grassy and wooded riding trails that meander through the farm’s 42 acres.

Not too far from the McMahon’s house is Stargazer Farm’s main barn. “We wanted it located close enough to be able 24

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

to look out our windows to see it,” Virginia says. This impressive structure also looks like it was meant to be there, fitting seamlessly into this idyllic setting.

So much thought and consideration were given to every detail of what Virginia and Chris wanted for their dream stable and homestead. Virginia shared some of the particulars about the farm and its origins, the barn, her love for horses and teaching, and how it all came together.

CH: Could you tell us a little about this magnificent barn?

Virginia: We wanted a classically designed barn with an attached indoor arena. It’s a Morton building that was finished in December of 2020. We were very pleased with the Morton building people. They helped us with all the important layout details, including the choice of a shedrow style for the stalls and the placement of the aisles. They assisted us with all of our decision processes throughout the entire build.

The barn has eighteen 10' x 12' stalls with rubber mats and we’ve installed individual fans above each stall. But in the summer, there’s almost always a gentle breeze blowing through the building, and in the winter, it’s been comfortably warm.

There are indoor grooming stalls and wash stalls with hot and cold water, plus outdoor wash stalls are available as well.

We have a private boarder tack room along with an office viewing area that looks into our 170' x 80' indoor arena.

The building also has a fire alarm and an entry alarm system.

CH: Can you describe some of your outdoor features?

Virginia: We have a 175' x 100' outdoor ring, a 60' round pen, and a grass riding field. There are 15 grass paddocks with new flex fencing, with the majority of paddocks located on the south side of the farm. That allows the sun to warm the horses during the colder weather.

In addition, we have four large pastures with acres of turnout. We’ve cut scenic bridle paths in the woods and alongside pastures that take you down to Muddy Brook.

CH: What is Chris’s role on the farm?

Virginia: Chris is an integral part of Stargazer Farm and without him, I would not be able to do what I do. From the mundane tasks of mowing and dragging the ring to helping me with night check and keeping the books, he is without a doubt a key figure in the workings of Stargazer Farm. Chris is the farm’s number one fan! The tasks that he does are immeasurable. His moral support makes it all possible. I’m very lucky.

CH: Virginia, could you tell us how you and your husband found this little piece of heaven?

Virginia: Chris and I searched up and down the East Coast looking for a place that was beautiful and not too far from major cities. We fell in love with Woodstock because of its beautiful farms and its reputation as being “the quiet corner” of Connecticut.

CH: You mentioned that you grew up in Queens, New York, near Belmont Racetrack. Can you tell us how your passion for horses all started?

Virginia: I started riding when I was about six years old at a barn in Southold, New

York. I spent many years there slowly improving my hunter/jumper skills and showing in numerous horse shows. I also enjoyed foxhunting with the Smithtown Hunt. I continued riding and competing during the four years I attended Goucher College. During summers home from college, I began teaching riding in Southold.

CH: You were an elementary school teacher for 24 years before you retired, but you’re continuing to teach riding. How long have you taught riding?

Virginia: When I began my career as an elementary school teacher, I continued to teach riding on weekends and in the summers. My daughter joined my enthusiasm for riding and competing and I enjoyed Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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our time together during lessons and horse shows.

In the 2000s I leased a small farm in Cutchogue, New York, and offered riding lessons and summer pony camp. In 2020, my husband and I built our barn on our farm in East Woodstock and, after retirement, I began offering riding lessons and boarding. A particular joy is my threeyear-old granddaughter who has now joined her mother and me in loving horses and riding on our farm.

CH: How did you come up with the Stargazer Farm name?

Virginia: Stargazer Farm got its name because my husband is a retired Master Mariner (graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point) who spent many years at sea. He also lived on his sailboat Stargazer and the farm is named in honor of his boat.

CH: Does Stargazer have lesson horses?

Virginia: Currently I own a number of school horses and I share all our horses

with my students — children to adults.

We have both horses and ponies and are acquiring more as the program grows.We recently acquired two Miniature horses, Penelope and Winston, that the children work with as well.

CH: What is the age range of the people you teach?

Virginia: I have students as young as four years old, and I have school-aged children as well as adults. I also teach the riding club from Nichols College.

CH: You have a summer pony camp.

Tell us some more about this!

Virginia: My pony camp is a half-day program. I limit the number of students to four or five so I can give them individualized attention. We’ve been very fortunate to work with the Woodstock Town Recreation Department. The pony camp is designed for beginner-level riders with little or no experience. Campers ride once a day along with grooming, feeding, barn chores, and other horsey activities.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

CH: You’ve held some very informative clinics at Stargazer Farm. Will you be having additional clinics?

Virginia: We’ve had two clinics this year: Building Confidence in Your Equine Relationship, with Danielle Rigby in February, and Confidence through Horsemanship, a two-day clinic with Luke Reinbold in May. Both were sponsored by the Pomfret Horse and Trail Association (PHTA) and were well received and enjoyed by all who attended. We look forward to having more clinics and working with the PHTA. We have room for boarders who will have full access to our facilities.

Well, in this case, no, it’s not heaven, it’s Stargazer Farm, and that’s as close as it gets.

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Sally L. Feuerberg is the president of the Middlebury Bridle Land Association and a longtime resident of Newtown. Trail riding and continuing her lesson programs are her passions, along with the care of her family, horses, and farm.

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WITH THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION given to horses and humans, Stargazer Farm offers so much in a setting like few others, I couldn’t help but think of one of my favorite movie scenes and lines from Field of Dreams. John Kinsella looks in awe at the surreal baseball field with the cornfields in the distance and asks his son, “Is this heaven?” Ray Kinsella replies, “It’s Iowa.”

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Ipswich

Farm

by Alessandra Corbett

Cedarwood Farm

The Art of Natural Horsemanship on the North Shore

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here’s something mesmerizing about watching horses interact in a herd. Whether they are harmoniously grazing on fresh pasture, moseying along single file down to the water trough, or galloping and romping through the field, it’s incredibly satisfying to see horses existing together in their natural state.

Stroll along the split-rail fence lines and fields of Cedarwood Farm in Ipswich,

disciplines and breeds who all agree on one thing: allowing horses to just be horses.

Massachusetts, and you will witness all these vignettes of equine interaction. To Dr. Corine Barone, keeping horses outside in herds is the epitome of natural horsemanship. When Corine and her husband, Dr. Michael Cognata, purchased the 23-acre farm in 2016, she saw an opportunity to create an environment that offered horse owners the space and freedom to keep horses in a more natural setting. Since then, Cedarwood Farm has become a boarding facility centered on the art of natural horsemanship, offering all-day turnout in herds, a breadth of learning opportunities, and a community of horsepeople interested in a range of

started riding horses when I was in fourth grade, and never stopped. I moved to Massachusetts in 1979, and at the time I was mostly riding hunter jumpers, but I’ve always tried to expose myself to all different forms of horsemanship. I’ve been very lucky to have opportunities to ride internationally, always looking for chances to get in the saddle during my travels. I experienced the tolt riding Icelandic horses, rode dressage on Lusitanos in Portugal, embarked on unforgettable trail rides in South Africa, and rode across the moors in Scotland and England. It’s always been very important to me to experience different breeds,

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

CH: Tell us a little about yourself; how have horses been a part of your life?

Corine: I’ve always been a horse-crazy girl; I really can’t remember a time when I didn’t love horses. I grew up in rural Long Island and would bring a different animal back to the house every week. I

disciplines, and training philosophies, and it’s all helped shape the way I keep horses today.

CH: Tell us a little about the facility and the opportunities it offers horse owners.

CH: How did you start Cedarwood Farm?

Corine: Cedarwood Farm is a boarding facility, and we have 23 horses living here.

We embrace all breeds and disciplines, but we encourage the art of natural horsemanship as the foundation of all training. We offer spacious all-day turnout in groups or individually, have an indoor riding arena as well as outdoor riding rings, two boarding barns, and a tack room. This isn’t a show barn — quite the opposite in fact — but we respect and try to emulate the appearance and safety of a show barn. We’re proud to have such beautifully maintained facilities thanks to our barn manager, Paige Thibert.

When my husband and I purchased the facility, we spent the first three years making renovations and updates. During the fourth year, we were selected by HGTV to be featured on their program Farmhouse Fixer with Jonathan Knight, and they worked with us on renovating our old farmhouse. The episode aired in the spring of 2021, and we now have a gorgeous farmhouse that sleeps 10; it can be rented out and offers the perfect accommodations for on-farm equestrian activities as well as weddings, VRBO, Airbnb, fundraisers, and other nonprofit events.

We’ve also built a wonderful community here at Cedarwood, and this aspect of the place has been very rewarding. We have 17 women boarding their horses with us, each involved in horsemanship in her own unique way. We have western riders, English riders, dressage riders, trail riders, and many working on liberty skills with their horses. There are rescue horses, a Mustang, a Miniature horse, and even a donkey. We are open to all different ways of working with horses, and we all learn from one another.

Corine: My own horses inspired me to create a farm where the horse’s needs were met first. My first horse was a chestnut Thoroughbred named Cedar, and I enjoyed many years of hunter jumper riding with him. When he passed away and it was time to find my next horse, I knew it would be a Friesian, as that breed truly takes my breath away. So, my husband and I traveled to Amsterdam where I met my new equine partner, a three-year-old gelding. I brought him home, which at the time was the farm adjacent to the current Cedarwood Farm property in Ipswich. I really wanted to be able to keep

him the way I saw fit, and when the big farm next store went up for sale in 2016, I saw an opportunity to do just that. We purchased the facility and were excited to create a place where my horse could be outside in a herd environment, just as he was meant to be.

Creating a farm focused on natural horsemanship came out of my experience training my Friesian. I didn’t want him to be led with a chain over his nose. I desired a more holistic relationship with the horse based on love, language, and leadership rather than ownership and a servant. I wanted to create a place where that approach was encouraged and celebrated.

CH: How do you incorporate natural horsemanship into your programs?

Corine: We believe that the art of natural horsemanship serves as an excellent foundation in each horse’s training, and we Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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Stretch Classes for Equestrians

Be the best you can be in the saddle.

Be 100% to give your horse your all.

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encourage our boarders to explore what that looks like for them and their horse.

All the horses here are cared for and handled by staff who use natural principles based on horse psychology.

There are many approaches to natural horsemanship. Personally, I discovered Parelli Natural Horsemanship when I was training my Friesian and it really changed my outlook on how we can communicate with our horses. After many years of watching people use harsh methods for control, I thought there must be a better way, and I found that in Parelli.

After taking this approach with my own horse, in 2016 I was able to ride him in the Marblehead Christmas Parade in nothing more than a halter, even with fire trucks, crowds, and marching bands all around!

We want to provide opportunities like this to our boarders and to the larger equine community. We regularly offer all kinds of clinics in natural horsemanship, bringing many different experts, perspectives, approaches, and techniques here to the farm.

Perhaps the biggest way we encourage natural horsemanship, however, is in in the way we keep our horses. We believe horses should be outside as much as possible, grazing in a herd environment.

Most of our horses go out together in a herd, and we really don’t have much trouble. There may be some excitement the first time a new horse is introduced, but we find if the routine stays consistent and everyone has plenty of space, our horses benefit greatly from living in a herd.

CH: What is unique about your farm?

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

Corine: There aren’t many farms in this area focusing on natural horsemanship.

It’s an approach that’s becoming more widely understood now. I’m glad we can offer a space where natural horsemanship is encouraged and supported, offering consistency as each horse is handled and cared for day to day.

At the same time, we think it’s important to remain flexible. We encourage a solid foundation in natural horsemanship but remain open to all kinds of approaches and disciplines. We let each boarder

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choose their own veterinarian, and don’t have a strict feeding program — these are choices best left to the horse owner, allowing them to do what they feel is best for their horse. We’re also open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so that anyone can come see their horse whenever they like, in whatever way works best for their lifestyle. That flexibility, and the control that it places in the hands of each horse owner, sets us apart.

CH: What’s ahead for Cedarwood Farm? Any big plans for the future?

Corine: We are looking forward to offering Paddock Paradise boarding options in the future, based on farrier Jamie Jackson’s model. This set-up encourages movement, provides a stimulating environment, and discourages vices. I first learned about the concept of Paddock Paradise after reading Jamie Jackson’s book, and then created a paddock paradise at home with the help of Alicia Harlov, a local barefoot trimmer. I saw the benefits of keeping my horse in motion

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

and stimulated all day; it enriched his life physically and mentally. I’ve wanted to incorporate this method of horsekeeping at Cedarwood for a while and be able to give boarders the option of keeping their horses outside all the time.

I would also really like to share what we are doing here with the greater community more often. The public would enjoy seeing demonstrations of liberty training; it’s a wonderful display of the partnerships that are possible between horses and humans, and many people haven’t experienced horses in that way before.

CH: What has brought you the most joy in running Cedarwood Farm?

their human partners. I’m looking forward to my next partnership, and in the meantime I’m so glad to be able to share the benefits of natural horsemanship with our community.

y

Alessandra Corbett is a freelance writer and designer in Wilbraham. She enjoys spending time with the horses on her family’s farm, especially riding her Quarter Horse, JoJo. To see more of her work, visit thehomegrownstudio.com.

Read back issues and subscribe!

Corine: The horses keep me going. I lost my Friesian recently, and I’m still searching for my next equine partner. People wonder why I keep doing this if I don’t have a horse of my own, but it brings me so much happiness to see all these horses living in an environment where they can just go outside and be horses, while still having meaningful relationships with

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Farm East Greenwich

by Jennafer Maselli

38

Faith Hill Farm A Care Community

rowing up in the East Greenwich, Rhode Island, equestrian community fixed Pam Maloof’s heart on a career where she could share her childhood wonder and love of horses with others. Even with her extensive career as a bronze and silver United States Dressage Federation (USDF) medalist, and having proudly coached nationally awarded students and horses alike in the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) North American Youth

G

Balimo promotes form that follows function and is based on the teachings of Eckart Meyners. Each rider is a unique individual in body and mind. Balimo bodywork teaches riders how to develop strong, balanced muscles using exercises that enable the rider to move in harmony with their horse by unlocking points of resistance.

Before starting her own farm, Pam held the head coach position for the University

Championships (previously the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships) Region 8 teams, Pam has never outgrown her appetite for learning.

One of her most recent educational endeavors with the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) has helped her connect with more of the Rhode Island community in the way she has always desired.

Pam began her riding career in her hometown where she loved trail riding and competing in local shows. A natural competitor, Pam excelled in dressage and jumping. She attended the Balimo (Balance in Motion) course program, and later the German Riding School.

of Rhode Island’s Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) team for 14 years and was influential in producing their Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA).

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

CH: Many equestrians debate whether to become a professional or remain an amateur. How did you know being a professional was the right decision for you?

Pam: There was never a doubt in my mind that what I wanted to do was own and run my own farm. Growing up here in Rhode Island was such an enriching experience; you could trail ride all over through the woods and end up at a spot to get ice cream, not to mention the

horse shows at East Greenwich Riders Club. The club held events with potluck meals, and I made life-long friends from all of it. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better childhood with horses, so I wanted to be able to produce and offer similar experiences to other students, kids and adults alike.

CH: What were some of the most important lessons from the German Riding School that have stayed with you throughout your riding and coaching career?

Pam: I came to the German Riding School through Eckart Meyners’ and Jill Hassler-Scoop’s Balimo program,and graduated from it as a Core Riding Instructor. Going through the Balimo

program and working with Jill changed my life. At the end of every ride, Jill made me focus on the positive things before looking at what could be improved upon.

It changed my mental approach to riding entirely. Before that, I was so hard on myself and went straight to what wasn’t good enough.

The German Riding School and the riding experience was out of this world.

The whole thing was unparalleled. A fascinating point that they made was, “always keep your sense of humor with horses,” because if you don’t then it’s a really long life with horses. And with that, “sometimes no reaction is the best reaction,”

and we need to give the horse another chance to make a better decision. I remind myself and my students of that sentiment often.

CH: How did you come to open Faith Hill Farm?

Pam: It’s a funny story. Growing up, my parents owned the farm adjacent to Faith Hill Farm but we never lived there; it was a gentleman’s farm with orchards. My mother thought it was too rural a place to raise her family, so we lived in the next town over, but I always enjoyed the time that we spent at the farm. My parents still own their farm to this day. I’ve been in love with my parents’ property my whole life. Then in 1991, I purchased the adjacent property and started the farm I had

always dreamed of — a place where I could offer my riders the same horse experience that I loved so much growing up.

CH: How large is Faith Hill Farm’s community?

Pam: We have two hundred students of all ages that ride at Faith Hill Farm, across all our programs. Those students include the twelve or so clients that we receive in partnership from Saint Mary’s Home for Children and Families, as well as from our HopeHealth hospice groups that are involved with our EAGALA therapy program. Our community stretches beyond our lesson students and boarders to Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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organizations and individuals throughout the surrounding area.

CH: The Faith Hill Farm Athletic Equestrian League (AEL) team has been incredibly successful so far, earning National Reserve Champion in 2017. What drew you to that league and format for your riders?

Pam: I knew AEL founder, Sally Batton, from my 14 years of coaching the IHSA and IDA programs at the University of Rhode Island, and I read some information online about the AEL program. The score sheets and point deduction scoring guidelines made a lot of sense to me. For example, blowing a lead doesn’t mean you’re off the card completely, so students get a lot from the experience. I appreciate the combination of riding with the educational component of the practicum. It’s a user-friendly program that helps students work on their skills in a similar way to what we focus on at Faith Hill Farm.

CH: How did you become involved with EAGALA? What sparked you to pursue that program at Faith Hill Farm?

Pam: EAGALA stands alone as a treatment option where mental health professionals practice Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). After reading about the program, I found myself easily drawn to it. I love to learn and increase my skill set. There’s a lecture portion with videos to prepare everyone before the five-day intensive training program to become certified.

It mixes you up and confuses you a little bit until you can start to process and put it together after several days. I knew those feelings from my experience with the Balimo program so I found the process familiar.

It’s important to address mental wellbeing, and horses are a great way of doing that. At Faith Hill Farm, we hosted one of the EAGALA training intensives in 2019 and we have another coming up this fall, as well as some group events using EquineAssisted Learning (EAL) on topics such as grief, complicated bereavement, and 40

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

trauma. EAGALA allows us to give back to a greater community outside the equestrian world to the whole of Rhode Island as well.

CH: How many equines are currently involved in your EAGALA program, and what does a typical session look like?

Pam: Almost every horse here can be used for our therapy program. Our number of horses is always changing, but averages around thirty to thirty-five.

Included in that number are our three Miniature horses used for our therapy work. A therapist friend of mine keeps her mini donkeys here as well, which she uses for her own program, but sometimes we include them in our sessions too.

Each session is one-hour long and each one looks different. It’s all unmounted interactions and is entirely driven by what the client wants and needs.

EAGALA is metaphor-based (e.g., language to discuss props or tools — what does the halter mean to the horse and what is your halter in life?). Sometimes clients want to work in the portion of the ring we have sectioned off, associating the experience with props and words in the sectioned-off area — words like humility, empathy, anger, and neglect that help individuals express and understand how they’re feeling. Other clients prefer to walk around the farm and interact with many different horses and animals or stay in one paddock area with the minis or the donkeys.

We’re able to accommodate groups of up to 20 people, either for schools sending student groups or corporate groups from the school district or local businesses. We can use three to five horses or minis and split people into groups to work on tasks and goals outlined by the participating organization’s leaders — usually cohesiveness in the workplace or mental well-being and anxiety.

CH: How has creating the Faith Hill Farm Foundation in 2017 benefited the farm’s EAGALA program?

Pam: The foundation has allowed us to become much more involved in the com-

munity and offer the farm experience to a wider range of people. Both my parents’ farm and Faith Hill Farm have become chamber of commerce members and have been able to make exciting connections through that. Having our work with EAL and EAP be known has the greatest impact overall because that outreach helps us and our horses heal more people.

CH: What is your involvement with the Red Sky Foundation and how does it entwine with EAGALA and the Faith Hill Farm Foundation?

Pam: The Red Sky Foundation is my friend Dr. Vicki Wiseman’s program. She sold her farm in Connecticut and moved here to Rhode Island. She’s been able to continue her animal-assisted therapy work through the Red Sky Foundation by operating out of Faith Hill Farm with her herd of five Miniature donkeys. The two foundations collaborate on projects like our ten-week program, and it’s special to be able to work with other amazing therapists in the field.

CH: What aspect or quality of your programs at Faith Hill Farm would you like to highlight?

Pam: I would never be able to do any of this if there wasn’t a community behind me supporting me, and honestly, I don’t do any of it by myself. Everyone always says, “It takes a village,” but I’ve always wanted to change the saying to, “It takes a community,” because that’s truly how it is here at Faith Hill Farm. We hope to continue expanding that community to include more organizations and people throughout our area.

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Jennafer Maselli, a freelance editor and writer, lives in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. As a horse owner and rider, Jennafer enjoys everything from trail riding to reining to playing polo, and is an active USEF competitor with her Irish Sport Horse and Thoroughbred-cross geldings.

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Litchfield County

Horseperson

Courtney Maum The Year of the Horses: A Memoir

by Sally L. Feuerberg

I

Diego Ongaro

riding is a relic from the past she walked away from. She hasn’t been on or near a horse in more than thirty years.

“Although Courtney does know what depression looks like, she finds herself refusing to admit, at this point in her life, that it could look like her: a woman with a

Holly Lynton

have quite an extensive library of horse-themed books. It includes a mix of equine and rider educational topics, countless horse legends, mystery thrillers with an equine twist, and an assortment of equestrian-related biographies. There’s also a few that are

magically mystical. Some have helped me further understand the significant role that horses have played in history.

Rarely have I encountered an author whose writing not only touches my soul but also strikes a chord within me so deep that it takes me aback with its authenticity and honesty. The Year of the Horses: A Memoir, by Courtney Maum, is that type of book.

Although the book jacket encapsulates the story perfectly, this memoir is so much more. It captured me from the first chapter through the last.

From the book jacket: “At the age of thirty-seven, Courtney Maum finds herself in an indoor arena in Connecticut, moments away from stepping back into the saddle. For her, this is not just a riding lesson, but a last-ditch attempt to pull herself back from the brink, even though 42

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privileged past, a mortgage, a husband, a healthy child, and a published novel. That she feels sadness is undeniable, but she feels no right to claim it. And when both therapy and medication fail, Courtney returns to her childhood passion of horseback riding as a way to recover the joy and fearlessness she once had access to as a young girl. As she finds her way, once again, through the world of contemporary horseback riding ― Courtney becomes reacquainted with herself not only as a rider but as a mother, wife, daughter, writer, and woman. Alternating timelines and braided with historical portraits of women and horses alongside history’s attempts to tame both parties, The Year of the Horses is an inspiring love letter to the power of animals ― and humans ― to heal the mind and the heart.”

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I found Courtney’s memoir different from other types of nonfiction I’ve read. I was surprised by what an intimate and personal experience this could be. The fact that an author has the courage to bare her soul and share events, thoughts, struggles, and triumphs of such a private nature amazes me. I don’t know if I could be that strong. Courtney discloses some of the most difficult and saddest occurrences in her life, but at the same time includes some of the most joyous and satisfying experiences in this perfect blend of reading. I admire the way Courtney has managed to balance these emotions and events in her memoir; it strengthened the belief in something that has fortified and comforted me throughout my life — a belief in horses.

The Year of the Horses recounts Courtney’s life from her early childhood and continues through the present day. She relives her painful memories of depression, insomnia, eating disorders, and family traumas. These events and the impact they had on her are candidly addressed in the context of her personal health and mental well-being in adulthood.

Courtney discloses the origins of her passion for writing, explaining how it provided an escape and filled the deep void that occurred when she had to give up that happy and innocent “horse girl” persona she’d clung to as a young child. As an adult, Courtney now must decide which pieces of her past to hold on to, and which pieces to leave behind.

Following Courtney’s journey to recapture the exhilaration of riding and how it became a catalyst in her healing process is inspirational. In connecting with the horse once again, Courtney has rediscovered the synergy and harmony she had experienced as a child. She also acknowledges the many people who have encouraged and supported her along the way, and those who taught her persever44

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ance, toughness, perspective, and understanding. Courtney applies these grounding principles to her family, her career, and herself as a mother, a wife, an author, and a woman.

After several explorations of different styles and techniques of riding, Courtney analyzed her own talents and strong suits and determined that polo might be a good fit. But why amateur polo of all sports?

She had doubts about pursuing any equine-related sport, let alone polo, at this stage of her life. She shares that feeling as well as the fear of trying something new and the self-doubt that creeps in — wondering if she was overmatched, not talented enough, or worse, wanting to give up after the first try. But she kept at it, coming to terms with each emotion as it tried to unseat her.

When faced with the challenges that this particular sport entails, Courtney talks about how vital it is to “keep your head in the game,” and how overcoming the sense of losing and regaining control is a strategic part of the art of riding.

Becoming one with the horse when we ride, not fighting it, and not holding back are the tools she has also employed to achieve a mental as well as a physical foothold in her life. Most important, Courtney reminds us, as my riding instructor has on numerous occasions, to not overthink but to simply have fun, not just in our riding but in our everyday experiences and relationships.

Courtney skillfully examines the many ways horses can be a comforting, vital, and stabilizing part of our lives. Also explored are some of the repercussions that many of us have faced when horses haven’t been available as our refuge during the varied sabbaticals, or even the “worst-case scenarios” that life hands us.

In advocating the importance of having something in our lives that is strictly meant for ourselves, Courtney beautifully describes the benefits, especially for women, of interacting with horses. So many of these interactions can be tools or skills we can use to help us in our everyday lives. She recognizes and embraces this relationship between women and horses, no matter what age, and appreciates how horses can help us navigate the harrowing, challenging, and difficult times. She acknowledges and confirms the fact that horses can read our attitudes and moods when we approach them and how they mirror these energies whether they are positive or negative.

Courtney’s memoir accurately defines the struggle of women who are balancing family, career, and personal psychological and physical health. She reminds us how important it is to allow ourselves that valuable, restorative time spent connecting with horses. Courtney expresses this in a way that all of us who communicate with and are involved with horses can appreciate and identify with in a very personal way.

Throughout her life, whether her experiences led to progressive or regressive outcomes, Courtney has endured.

She exquisitely relays the feelings of excitement, fear, electricity, joy, and exuberance that keeps drawing us back to our equine companions, no matter our discipline or involvement level. Her memoir inspires us to continue, to ride on. It is a gift to all riders and all lovers of the horse. Despite the obstacles we may face — age, physical limitations, mental health issues, or other constraints — Courtney reminds us that as equestrians, we too can survive and thrive.

About the Author: Courtney Maum graduated from Brown University with a degree in Comparative Literature. She then lived in France for five years where she worked as a party promoter for Corona Extra, which had everything to do with getting a visa, and nothing to do with her degree.

Today, Courtney splits her time between

Connecticut and Paris, working as a creative brand strategist, corporate namer, and humor columnist.

Courtney is the author of Costalegre, Touch, and I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, and an award-winning guide for writers, Before and After the Book Deal.

She’s a writing coach and the host of the monthly craft series, Beyond the Writing of Fiction. Her essays and articles about creativity have been widely published in outlets like The New York Times and Interview. She lives in Litchfield County, Connecticut, with her family, where she runs a learning collaborative for artists called The Cabins.

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Sally L. Feuerberg is the president of the Middlebury Bridle Land Association and a longtime resident of Newtown. Trail riding and continuing her lesson programs are her passions, along with the care of her family, horses, and farm.

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Boston

Horseperson

Shaquilla Blake Rider, Writer, Activist

by Kara Noble

haquilla “Shaq” Blake fell in love with horses as a little girl, but horseback riding wasn’t easily accessible to a kid growing up in urban Boston with her mother, Sharon, and younger brother, Afi. After just a few riding lessons, she found herself out of the saddle. Shaq kept her love of horses alive as a devoted fan of The Saddle Club TV show until 2018, when she

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penny, every free moment. I came in with stars in my eyes, expecting to hit the ground running and just progress. I didn't realize some of the complicated layers and realities of the sport. I bought my first horse, Bear, in February of 2020. I had him for maybe a month and then the pandemic shut everything down. I got my second offthe-track Thoroughbred, Moose, a little

was given a trail ride as a birthday gift. As soon as the ride was over, she signed up for riding lessons, and in the past four years she has become a dedicated amateur equestrian. Shaq recently poke with Community Horse about her three off-thetrack Thoroughbreds; her blog, The Black Equestrian; her newly published young adult novel, North Wind Acres; and the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship she helped to found.

while later, and then I got my third one, Fawkes, at the end of last year.

Not long after I’d bought Moose, he was diagnosed with kissing spine. Bear is a typical Thoroughbred, very sensitive to flies and heat. He got so stressed-out stomping flies that he injured his hooves and back.

For a while, I got discouraged. I took a step back, took some time to figure out the horses, and reevaluated why I was doing this and what I wanted to do with horses.

A friend of mine loved Moose from the moment I bought him, so I asked if she wanted to lease him, and she said, “Absolutely!” He’s happy and comfortable with her. We gave Bear the winter off, then I leased him to another friend.

After that, I wasn’t looking for another horse, but I saw an ad on

CH: What was your biggest surprise as you returned to lessons and riding?

Shaq: In 2018 I was 26. I’d had my first real job — working in information technology for the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston — since 2014. I decided I was just going to throw myself into horses with my all, every 46

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Facebook for a bombproof, thirteen-yearold Percheron-Thoroughbred cross. I reached out. The owner had sold that horse to someone else, but she had another Thoroughbred in the field. I told her I wasn’t looking, but then I sat on him — and that was a mistake. Fawkes was the best-brained horse I’d met, so I bought him, and he has completely restored all my hopes and joys in the sport.

Together Fawkes and I are hoping to do the jumpers and perhaps some lowlevel dressage.

CH: How did you start writing your blog, The Black Equestrian, and how did your novel come about?

Shaq: I’ve written since I was a kid, but I never put my writing out there. I envisioned The Black Equestrian blog as a chronicle of my equestrian journey, but I also wanted it to be educational. When I got back into riding, I often didn’t know where to start. I wanted the blog to be like that trusted person that you can ask,

“Hey, this may be a stupid question, but what is this thing? Do I need it?”

At first, I rarely used the blog. But after George Floyd’s death, I felt really disjointed.

At the barn, I didn’t hear horsepeople talking about it. At home and at work, nobody talked about horses. Being in that inbetween space felt weird, and I was really struggling with my feelings, so I wrote about them and posted them.

My writing resonated with people.

The Black Equestrian caught the eye of an editor at Penguin Random House. She contacted me and asked if I would be interested in writing a book for their American Horse Tales series. They wanted writers from different perspectives to give the series the gamut of different characters. They gave me the opportunity to write a review sample; they loved it, and the project went from there. North Wind Acres was published in June this year.

CH: How autobiographical is North Wind Acres?

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Shaq: The story isn’t autobiographical, but the feelings are. I know what it’s like to feel out of place. In the horse world, it seems like that feeling is something we can all relate to. You want people to like you, you’re finding yourself. The interactions [among the characters] remind me a lot of interactions I had with my friends — forming groups and figuring out where you fit in. I wanted to bring in my joy remembering my own childhood and finding myself among my friends.

connect, to find mentors and role models, to build friendships.

Representation does matter, and because of social media, I can connect with and see riders at the top of this sport who are doing amazing things and think, “Wow! Look, her hair is like mine and that’s how she wears it to ride.” It makes me feel like I belong in the horse world.

CH: How important are social media and the internet in building a network for Black equestrians?

Shaq: Caitlin Gooch, a great rider and writer and who founded the nonprofit Saddle Up and Read to promote literacy; Abriana Johnson, an amazing entrepreneur with more than 20 years of horse experience who does digital marketing and graphic design; and Mavis Spencer, a top rider and trainer. They are not only inspirational, they also take time to share their knowledge and offer encouragement. They don’t forget to give back. I love that about them.

Shaq: Back in 2018, I remember thinking, “Are there other Black girls who ride horses?” There are so many out there, but I didn’t know any, and I didn’t know how to find them. I found a group called Young Black Equestrians (youngblackequestrians.com), and I thought it was the coolest thing. The internet and social media make it easier to talk to people, to

CH: Who are the horsepeople you would like others to learn more about?

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CH: How did networking like that help you become a founder of the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship (OYES)?

Shaq: Heels Down magazine invited me to participate in a panel discussion about my experience as a Black equestrian. As a result, equine sports massage therapist Mandy Collier contacted me, and in 2020, together with professional horse trainer Jacqueline Ely, we founded the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship (OYES). It offers scholarships and mentorships to help equestrians ages seventeen to twentyseven who feel marginalized or ostracized in their communities, allowing them to get involved with or remain in equestrian activities. The program has already done amazing things in a short time.

CH: What do you think people could do to help equine sports become more diverse and inclusive?

Shaq: OYES was born out of a simple email saying, “Hey, you know what? I listened to

what you said, and here’s what I am hearing you say. Am I right?” The Black Equestrian blog was born out of the fact that I was so shocked that that handle was still available. When I took a step back to look at my blog, I realized things were happening and I wasn’t talking about them.

When I came back to riding, I went through a couple of tough experiences, but I wanted to be around horses so badly, I tolerated it. I was an adult, and I kept my mouth shut when I was uncomfortable. I can only imagine what it would be like for an eight-year-old walking into a barn who doesn’t know how to handle it.

It’s important to show representation and diversity are important in equestrian sports so kids can see themselves there, they know it is possible, and they don’t feel secluded or alone.

We can’t deal with things if we don’t talk about them in a place where people feel safe enough to discuss, commiserate, and challenge views. The whole transparency thing is saying, “This is my experience. This is what I’m noticing and

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feeling. How is everybody else feeling?” If we can bring different audiences to look at issues and understand each other’s point of view, we can move forward with those conversations.

Even something as simple as having a helmet that fits my hair feels more inclusive. Then I don’t feel like the odd one trying to fit in — or that I can’t fit in.

There are options for me. I belong in the horse world. We can’t fix the huge issues right now, but if we can fix some of the smaller issues like that, we can get closer and closer to fixing the bigger ones.

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Follow Shaquilla at theblackequestrian.com and on Facebook. Purchase North Wind Acres, part of the American Horse Tales series, at your local bookseller or amazon.com. To learn more about OYES, visit optimumequinellc.com.

Kara Noble is a writer and editor who lives on a hobby farm in Montgomery, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jerry, an Icelandic mare, a Shetland pony, and a pair of very opinionated miniature donkeys.

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Horseperson

Tiverton

Sarah Rivers

Fyrkat Farm Equine Development Center

by Alessandra Corbett

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arah Rivers (Berg) has had a passion for dressage since she was just a Pony Club kid and realizes that this isn’t typically the case. “Most kids don’t love dressage,” she says, laughing, “but it has always been my favorite. It’s all about the

CH: What is your family’s background with horses?

Sarah: My mom was actually the first to start riding in our family; she found a local riding instructor and started taking lessons regularly. I was three years old at the time,

Sarah and Tiamo’s Brynhild

connection with the horse for me.” These days, Sarah is head trainer and barn manager of Fyrkat Farm Equine Development Center in Tiverton, Rhode Island, where finding that kind of connection has become a central focus in training and keeping horses.

Owned by Sarah’s parents, Sophie and Christian Berg, Fyrkat Farm aims to balance performance training and a holistic approach to equine wellness. It has proven to be an ideal combination for harmonious, productive horse and human partnerships, as so many of the farm’s clients have seen training success under Sarah’s direction. At the intersection between classical dressage training and progressive natural horsemanship, Fyrkat Farm is fully committed to developing deeper horse and rider connections.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

and my sister and I wanted to give riding a try too. We got in the saddle and caught the horse bug right away — we couldn’t stop! We took lessons with Carol LeBlanc, a classical dressage instructor who was very well known in the area at the time. My mom bought a palomino Quarter Horse, and I leased a pony for a while that we eventually purchased, a little red roan Pony of the Americas called Autumn Morning Mist. I did Pony Club with her and competed locally in dressage and eventing until she was well into her twenties; I really developed a passion for riding and caring for horses during that time.

CH: What was the inspiration for Fyrkat Farm?

Sarah: Growing up, our family always had a small backyard farm where we kept our

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horses. When I committed to training horses and instructing as a career, I was regularly traveling out to other people’s farms to train. I grew the business to the point where we really needed a bigger home base that I could teach and train out of, so we purchased the facility that is now Fyrkat Farm about five years ago.

We’re now a full-service equestrian center specializing in a holistic approach to equine health and development. We bring our twenty-five years of caring for horses to the facility, and I offer professional horse training here.

had as a United States Dressage Federation silver medalist. I brought that approach here to Fyrkat, where we really focus on understanding equine behavior, working on foundational training, and developing harmonious horse and human relationships.

CH: Tell us about the facilities at Fyrkat Farm.

Sarah: Fyrkat Farm is situated on about eight acres in Tiverton, where we have 21 stalls. It’s a full-service boarding and training facility, and we offer options for full

Sarah and Björn

Natural horsemanship has been at the foundation of my training methods for a long time, and that approach offered a lot of inspiration as we developed Fyrkat Farm. When I was 13 years old, I got my move-up horse, a Canadian Warmblood mare named Savannah, who proved very challenging about a month into owning her. I was getting thrown off and having a really hard time making a connection with her. Searching for solutions, I found Parelli Natural Horsemanship and began learning how to use horse psychology in training horses. I saw it make a huge difference for my horse and me as we developed a solid partnership — Savannah became my bareback and bridleless horse.

I worked for several years as a two-star Parelli Professional, and then built my own training program combining those foundational skills in natural horsemanship and the performance training I’d 54

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

board and training board. There’s lots of room for working with the horses, including both a large indoor and outdoor arena. The barn is heated so it doesn’t go below freezing in the wintertime, which we love! We offer all-day turnout, individually or in groups; we feel it’s so important for horses to be outside as much as possible. It’s a quiet, relaxed environment that allows the horses to just be horses.

CH: What kind of training programs do you offer at Fyrkat Farm?

Sarah: We offer unique, personalized training opportunities here at Fyrkat Farm for people boarding their horses with us; for people who send their horses here for a month of intensive training; and for people who truck in their horses regularly for lessons. We specialize in performance training in dressage with an approach that centers on horse psychology. So, in addi-

tion to traditional dressage training, I teach a lot of groundwork and aim to develop a thorough understanding of horse behavior. We never just get on and ride. To me it’s not only about how the horse is using his body but also how he’s using his mind, and it’s so important that we make that connection when working with our horses.

Our training program looks a little different for every horse and rider because we really try to personalize each experience. Everything I do is focused on natural horsemanship and getting a better understanding of the way each horse is thinking.

I find progress is often achieved in small steps: maybe we’re improving how a horse is led, getting him to respect your space on the ground, or working on his behavior while he is being tacked up or mounted.

Helping people become aware of the small changes they can make in how they’re interacting with their horse often leads to bigger progress. We also host clinics focusing on dressage regularly, offering lots of opportunities for well-rounded learning.

CH: What’s the community like on the farm?

Sarah: We’re family owned and operated, and all the clients I work with have become such great friends. We have barn parties and get-togethers — everyone gets along, cheers each other on, and helps one another out. It’s a group effort in keeping this place running, and we feel lucky to have a lot of great support.

start to make stronger connections with their horse and better understand where their horse is coming from. If we can provide horse owners that opportunity, that’s what’s most important to me.

CH: What do you love about life at Fyrkat Farm?

Sarah: Honestly, it’s a little bit of an obsession! My clients and I joke that we’re addicted to this lifestyle. When we’re not riding, we’re thinking about riding. It’s all about loving the horses, loving the sport, and doing all we can to help our horses be the best they can be. I love that this is a place where horses can live happy lives, and we can help riders achieve productive partnerships with their horses. Seeing my clients and horses happy is always my goal, and that brings me a lot of joy.

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Alessandra Corbett is a freelance writer and designer in Wilbraham. She enjoys spending time with the horses on her family’s farm, especially riding her Quarter Horse, JoJo. To see more of her work, visit thehomegrownstudio.com.

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CH: What makes your farm a unique option for horse owners?

Sarah: The equine psychology aspect of how we’re training and keeping the horses isn’t something that you can find at every barn. Natural horsemanship has become more popular in the last few years, but many riders have never had the opportunity to experience it themselves and see how it can impact their relationship with their horse. A lot of our clients had never seen this kind of training before and were amazed to see the results. It’s always rewarding to see people

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Horse Logic

Did You Provide a Job Description?

by Nicole Birkholzer

D

id you know that your horse wants to know what you expect of him?

Making sure your horse understands your requests or the job you want him to perform can resolve a lot of miscommunication issues.

Most likely, your horse has been trained by someone else before he came into your life. This was true for Rio, a

Rio stunning steel-gray Quarter Horse. He had been trained out of state for reining and had successfully competed. When Jill tried Rio, she knew right away that this was her next prospect to take her training business and competing to the next level.

She felt an instant connection with Rio and was excited to connect under saddle.

A few months into their partnership, Jill reached out to me. She felt that Rio was holding back and wondered what he needed to succeed with her.

When I tuned in to Rio, he immediately shared that Jill used her inner thighs a lot during their rides. He was surprised by the activity of her legs and wasn’t sure how to respond to it. Jill explained that she was using her legs to encourage Rio to move forward with little success. Jill 56

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

shared that most of the riders in the reining industry use their heels and spurs to motivate the horse to move out. She had found that using her thighs and lower legs was a kinder and more effective way to gain speed; however, Rio didn’t respond as expected.

Turning the conversation back to Rio, I explained to him that Jill was using

Rio and Jill her legs to move him into the next higher gear. Rio’s job was simply to read the squeeze as a signal to speed up. I then suggested that Jill use her heels briefly and then follow up with a squeeze to make the connection for him. Rio agreed that it would be helpful if Jill created a bridge to remind him of the meaning behind the new body signal.

A few weeks later, I ran into Jill and asked how Rio was doing. Jill replied that Rio was a different horse. During their next ride following our conversation, Rio responded to Jill’s aid like a charm. And, she had taken him to a schooling competition where he effortlessly scored just one point below the perfect score.

Bringing Jill and Rio together was simple. One conversation provided clar-

ity. This just goes to show that our horses are more than willing to support us, if they know how.

The same was true for Dunn, a beautiful chestnut Quarter Horse. Dunn works as a therapy horse in a program that offers team-building exercises. Because of my background in therapeutic horseback riding and coaching with horses, I enjoy communicating with equines from these programs.

I had previously communicated with the other horses in the program, but Dunn had seldom spoken up. This time, the program director contacted me because she was concerned that Dunn did not enjoy working with clients. For exam-

When I tuned into Dunn, he immediately explained that he was not angry, but frustrated — with these sessions specifically.

When I asked him why they were frustrating, he explained that he was bored with learning the same thing over and over. He also explained that he was a well-trained horse and being asked to perform these moves by people who were not clear about what they wanted was frustrating.

I quickly asked the other herd members what they thought of their work. Did they have the same impression or frustration? Two of the horses immediately perked up and showed me a visual of how they handle the clients. When the horses

Dunn ple, when clients tried to lead Dunn to a specific place or over an obstacle, Dunn would often pin his ears and even try to snap at the person or bite the lead rope.

Based on these behaviors, the director felt Dunn was angry, and she wanted to understand why.

The director shared that their clients were taught simple natural horsemanship techniques to help them experience their bodies in collaboration with the horse in the program. For example, a client might ask the horse to move his hind end over a few steps by focusing on the horse’s flank and hind end. If the horse did not respond, the person was asked to tune into their own body and increase energy into their solar plexus to encourage the horse to move.

enter the ring with a client, they feel the often-muddled movements and energies coming from the client. Both horses explained that they simply let that energy wash over them.

They know not to respond to that type of energy and motion. Instead, they wait for the person to work through their emotions and organize their movements before responding. In short, these horses understand that they are here to teach people to be in balance. Once the person is in balance, they can work harmoniously together.

As I explained this to the director, Dunn suddenly spoke up. He said, “Teacher? I did not know that the horse was the teacher.” He then showed me various short clips, like video footage, from his Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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younger years. Someone was teaching him how to move his body on a long line. He learned to move this way and that way and eventually became a well-trained horse.

Since starting at this program, Dunn felt he was not good enough. He wondered why someone would put him through the same paces every week, sometimes several times a week, when he knew all those moves already.

Dunn did not know his job description. He had arrived three years earlier to be part riding horse for the owner and part co-facilitator in the equine program.

Unfortunately, because no one had explained the who, what, and how of the second part of his job, Dunn was frustrated and bored with being repeatedly put through the same exercises and felt poorly about himself.

It was clear what had to happen. First, Dunn had to understand what his job as a therapy horse entailed. I explained that he was in this program to teach people about themselves, and suggested that the three of us develop a statement describing the job. We landed on: I am in my power as a teacher to show humans who they are and what they can work on to become more embodied and coordinated to become good communicators.

I know it is a mouthful, but we squeezed all aspects of Dunn’s job into this statement. In his power as a teacher, Dunn’s job is reflecting to humans how they show up, and the need for them to be more embodied and coordinated (aware of their body and energy) in order to communicate clearly and effectively.

I asked Dunn if he was ready and willing to embody this statement as his new mantra, and he agreed. I suggested using plant medicine to help integrate this new understanding, and Dunn agreed. He picked German chamomile, which I found fascinating. I usually think of chamomile as a belly soother, but when I read the benefits of chamomile out loud, Dunne explained that he picked it because German chamomile also quiets “hot” emotions — inspiring patience, hope, and forgiveness.

As we used chamomile to help Dunn integrate this new belief, I could feel a sudden buoyancy from him. His energy 58

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

felt lighter and I heard him say, “I am faculty!” The director and I cracked up.

“Yes,” I said, “You’re faculty. You’re the teacher!”

I could feel the relief Dunn experienced as he realized how much this new understanding was changing his life. I don’t know if you have ever had a moment like this — when one of your beliefs is turned on its head, and you see a new perspective that changes every part of your life? That happened to Dunn when he realized that he could shift his entire experience into a new paradigm: He was the teacher.

Even if Dunn was awkwardly asked to move this way or that way by clients, his job was not to follow the request blindly but to calmly and quietly reflect the person’s awkwardness. It was up to the person to inquire within and adjust. He and the human facilitator were there to hold that space for the client.

Dunn asked the director to explain this shift of perspective to all human staff.

Dunn explained that this was a new understanding, and he was new in this role of teacher. He wanted the team to remind him occasionally of this new role.

I explained to the director that it was paramount to support Dunn in this new endeavor by saying to him every time before a client session: You are in your power as a teacher to show humans who they are and what they can work on to become more embodied and coordinated to become good communicators.

And, if Dunn shows any frustration when working with a client to remind him again that he is the teacher.

“Just to demonstrate,” I explained, “If I saw Dunn pinning his ears or snapping at a client or me, I’d say, ‘Wait a moment; remember, you are well-educated and are here to teach what you know.’ And I bet Dunn will catch himself and realize his new role.”

Dunn was a riding horse. When he came to his new home three years ago, he did not realize that he was, in part, hired as a professional. The program director reports that Dunn is now feeling and acting much better in his sessions.

If you expect a response but do not

get the desired result, verbally explain to your horse what you need. And if you expect your horse to fulfill a specific job, provide a clear job description.

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Thompson

by Stacey Stearns

Trail Guide

Thompson Trails Roundup

T

their respective websites. These are a few properties in the area that provide an opportunity to explore and enjoy the town. Each of these is worth exploring for its own merits.

“I’ve ridden Thompson trails my entire life and love it here,” says Valerie Clark, a Thompson resident and regular trail rider in the area. “This is a very special area because we connect not only to the Connecticut State Forest, but from

ern New England and holds a ride in Thompson twice a year. In May and November, they host a ride on private trails in the area and ride through part of Quaddick State Forest. The private trails used for the ride are based at the historic site of the former Thompson Raceway, the first private, purpose-built sports car track in America.

But equestrians don’t need to wait for an organized ride to explore the area.

Thompson is working hard to create a trail town, and equestrians can enjoy these trails year-round.

Trails in the Quaddick State Forest and the Air Line Trail State Park are managed by DEEP. The Robbins Preserve and the Bull Hill Preserve are managed by the Wyndham Land Trust. Both organizations identify equestrian-friendly trails on

there we also have direct access to both Rhode Island and Massachusetts State Forests. I’m personally extremely grateful to BSTRA for their assistance with restoring and expanding the trails on my property. It’s a dream come true to be able to host organized trail events benefitting this nonprofit group here.”

Stacey Stearns

hompson is a rural community located in the far northeast corner of Connecticut, bordering both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The town of Thompson, the Wyndham Land Trust, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) all manage land and trails here, and many of these are open to equestrians.

The Bay State Trail Riders Association (BSTRA) has members throughout south-

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A Leg Up There’s a little homework required before heading to Thompson but it’s worth the effort. Most of these locations have no amenities. Bring your own water, use plenty of fly spray (human and horse), and carry out what you bring in.

Parking is limited in some areas; arrive early and avoid peak hours and holidays.

Trails can be rocky with plenty of roots; I recommend hoof protection. Now, the

homework part: You’ll need to print a map or save it to your phone and plan your ride before you head out.

The map of Robbins Preserve is on the Wyndham Land Trust website: wyndhamlandtrust.org. From the Explore tab, navigate to Towns, and Thompson.

The Google map shows you the main trails through the property, shaped like a Y, as well as the adjacent Blain property, also owned and managed by Wyndham Land Trust. There’s parking for the Robbins Preserve on Fred Davis Road, a dead-end dirt road into the area.

The Bull Hill Preserve is also managed by the Wyndham Land Trust. It’s quite close to the West Thompson Dam, and although the Army Corps of

The parking lot at 662 East Pond Road in Thompson, near New Road, holds five cars, or you can fit a horse trailer in if you’re the only one there. Those with traffic-savvy horses can also ride up New Road from Robbins Preserve and then connect to the Air Line Trail that way.

You can also link to all these properties and their respective trail maps from thompsonct.org and learn more about the work they’ve done on the trail systems.

Robbins Preserve

Bull Hill Preserve

Out Riding It These properties are spread out enough, as are the others in the town, that each could be its own ride. A trail-savvy horse and rider can connect the Air Line Trail with the Robbins Preserve.

Bull Hill Road

Engineers doesn’t prohibit horseback riding there, they prefer not to have horses since there are so many other trail users.

Do not drive on Bull Hill Road, especially with a horse trailer. There’s no turnaround and the road has very deep potholes. Parking for horse trailers is on Ravenelle Road in Thompson or in Woodstock near Senexet Road. It’s worth checking the Bull Hill area out on foot before bringing your horse.

There are three parking areas for the Thompson section of the Air Line Trail State Park in Thompson. One of the big attractions in this section is the tri-state trail marker. The town of Thompson is also working on a project at this site commemorating the Great East Thompson Train Wreck, the worst train crash in the nation.

Robbins Preserve is a shorter ride at only about 2.2 miles, but one of the fun features here is the Five Mile River running through the center of the property.

The location is 158 acres, so there’s more than enough space to navigate. Basically, the whole thing is ridden as an out and back, because as mentioned, the trail is shaped like a Y. Head south from your trailer down Fred Davis Road, toward the North Field.

When you get to the fork in the trail, go right (west), toward Five Mile River.

There’s a bridge across the river and you can also ride through the river or turn around and head back the other way.

Once you get to the West gate at the end of the property, you will need to turn around and cross the river again.

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Next, head back to the North Field and then keep going toward the South Field. This will loop you around the southern end of the property. At the East gate, you can turn back and re-ride the route to your trailer or take a left onto Quaddick Town Farm Road and head back up to Fred Davis Road and your trailer for some variety and extra miles.

It’s a couple of miles from Fred Davis Road up New Road to the parking area for the Air Line Trail. Once there, you want to head right, toward the Rhode Island and Massachusetts borders. It’s about a mile from the parking area to the Tri-State Trail marker. There’s a side trail off the Air Line Trail to the marker; this is a steep, technical trail, so be prepared to walk. Once you’ve seen the marker, it’s an out and back, so head back the way you came, although you can also add extra miles to your route by going farther down the Air Line Trail. Combining both locations is about an eight-mile ride.

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Hill is relatively short, about two miles out and back, but it’s the view at Three Trees Overlook, showing the hills of Connecticut and Rhode Island that make this one worthwhile. From the Bull Hill parking lot, you can also connect to some of the West Thompson Dam trails on the west side of West Thompson Lake, where there are fewer trail users.

There are many trails and properties that don’t allow equestrians. Thompson is unique in that the town is actively creating a trail ecosystem and they welcome equestrians in addition to other trail users. The Quiet Corner offers much to explore and is a beautiful part of our state. It’s time to take advantage of all that it offers.

Happy trails!

y

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

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Grafton

Trail Guide

Grafton Trails Roundup

by Stacey Stearns

G

rafton, Massachusetts, has many properties open to equestrians and an intricate network of trails that combine multiple locations and cross into neighboring towns. The Grafton Land Trust actively owns, or has conservation easements on, 28 properties with nearly 1,000 acres in town, while the town has 1,200 acres of open space.

out on the trail.; you can also report trail maintenance issues and track your rides.

Rob Aberg is president of the Grafton Land Trust and works with a network of about 50 volunteers to maintain and manage many of these trails. He also trail rides on the properties with his Quarter Horse, Mr. Razzle-Dazzle.

“Grafton’s open space is special due to its history and many trails with a variety of terrain, coupled with a good-sized equestrian community,” Rob says.

“Grafton has more than 400 horses [living within its borders.] Public-access trails can be found on town-owned, private, land trust, and state land.”

Volunteers from the Grafton Land Trust, including Rob, have created extensive trail maps in TrailForks, a website and app that’s free for trail users. Grafton has more than 280 marked trails. The TrailForks app can be used as a map while

connects to five other properties, including Brigham Hill and Potter Hill, creating the opportunity for a longer ride.

Hassanamesit Woods is 224 acres and is owned by the Town of Grafton. It’s adjacent to Grafton Land Trust property and other town-owned land, creating a large system of more than 600 acres. The Hassanamesit Woods are named in remembrance of Sarah Petavit, who owned 120 acres of this land and passed it to three generations of women in her family, all part of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc tribe.

Another option is Pell Farms, a townowned property on George Hill, which also connects with the Warren Brook Watershed in Upton. This area offers miles of equestrian trail riding opportunities.

The Trails

Stacey Stearns

Gummere Wood (pronounced gummerie) and Marsters Preserve are both managed by the Grafton Land Trust and include a combined 85 acres along Lake Ripple and the Quinsigamond River. This acreage also

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A Leg Up

Stacey Stearns

Each of these locations is a separate ride.

Rob recommends using TrailForks as a map; it’s free if you create an account. Or you can save a copy of the trail maps or print one at home. The TrailForks link and PDFs are available at graftonland.org. You can also donate to the land trust at this site and support their continued trail work.

A small parking lot for Gummere Wood is at 11 Wheeler Road. Parking is doable here if you arrive first and use the whole lot. Parking at 62 Potter Hill Road is a better choice; it’s a school bus turnaround on land owned by the land trust.

From this location, you can ride Potter

Hill, Brigham Hill, and connect to Gummere Wood and Marsters Preserve.

The best horse trailer parking for Hassanamesit Woods is along the gas line on Chipper Drive or at the power lines on Keith Hill Road. Pull off on the side of the road in either location. Hassanamesit Woods and the adjacent areas have the greatest number of trails of the three locations.

Those looking for a cross-town ride can park in the field at 8 Soap Hill Road or across the street at 67 George Hill Road and access Pell Farm and ride into Upton.

Bay State Trail Riders Association and other groups have requested permission to use the large field for parking through the Town Conservation Commission.

Applications are available online.

Pack water for your horse and fly

spray. I recommend hoof protection, as there are roots and rocks on sections of trails. Hunting is allowed; wear blaze orange during hunting seasons.

Out Riding It Scenic views are one of my favorite parts about trail riding, and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to ride at Gummere Wood and Marsters Preserve — for the views of Lake Ripple. From the parking lot on Potter Hill Road, head north on the dirt road and past the gate onto a trail called Potter Hill Meadow’s Edge on the TrailForks map.

This connects to Jack’s Jog, a trail on the right, which takes you into the Brigham Hill trails. There are many options in here that will take you over toward Brigham Hill Road, where you ride a short distance down the road and connect to the Brigham Mainline trail.

Once in here, you can create your own route using the many options in Gummere Wood and Marsters Preserve.

Birds and the sounds of an early morning softball game at the Grafton High School across the lake were the only sounds I heard as I wound along the shoreline trail on the edge of Lake Ripple. The trail eventually narrows and heads back to the parking lot on Wheeler Road. We skipped that short section and headed back down to where the trail forked, took a right and headed toward the northwest corner of the property on the Aquene Trail.

“We used Nipmuc language names for some of the trail names on Gummere/ Marsters in recognition of the Hassanamisco Indian Reservation located on Brigham Hill Rd,” Rob says. “For example, the trail named Aquene (ah-kay-nay) means peace.”

The Aquene Trail goes through a swampy area and loops casually through the property. Next, we rode the large circle in the middle of the two properties.

Once we were back at the same intersection for a second time, we turned around and headed back down the trail into Marsters Preserve. This section weaves back and forth and has great stretches for Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

65

trotting. We passed by old stone walls in the woods and climbed a couple of small hills too.

Returning to the trailer on Potter Hill requires retracing your route, although you can vary it in Brigham Hill. There are also the Potter Hill trails to explore.

Riding in Hassanamesit Woods offers a glimpse into the past and further recognition of the Nipmuc people who once called the area home. The two parking areas for trailers, Chipper Drive or Keith Hill Road, are at opposite ends of this trail system. Both make it easy to ride a loop without repeating trails.

From Chipper Drive, you can head right on the gas line and ride over to the Reservoir Trail and along West Lake for scenic views. Using Trackside and the Reservoir Trail creates a small loop here before riding the gas line back down to the Sanborn Trail.

You can create a loop using the Sanborn Trail and end up back at Chipper Drive using various options to complete the loop. At the first trail fork

you can choose the Old Mendon Trail on the left for a shorter ride or go straight on the Roger Hohman Trail for a longer ride.

Both provide multiple options for heading south and back to Chipper Drive.

Finally, from the Pell Farm parking area, you’re only a short ride from the Upton town line, and more trails. The Tannenbaum Trail leads out of the parking area and takes riders up to the Backtrack Trail. There are two options from here: north toward Warrenbrook Watershed or south toward George Hill.

Both offer enticing options and loop through pretty sections of forest with a former Christmas tree farm, stone walls throughout the woods, and more.

The trails in Grafton are lovely, with plenty of options, lake views, shade, and the right variation of terrain. I have countless miles left to explore another day; perhaps I’ll see you out on the trails!

y

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

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West Glocester

Trail Guide

George Washington

by Stacey Stearns

Wildlife Management Area

G

road and some single-track. Sections are rocky — loose rock, pointy rock. Hoof protection is recommended. The topography is moderate — a few hills but nothing terribly punishing. There are some rutted and muddy sections due to ATV traffic. You will rarely see the motorized folks, and in my experience, they are usually kind and considerate. There are some separate mountain bike and hike

The area, like so many others, was acquired by the U.S. Government during the 1930s and developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The state of Rhode Island assumed ownership and management of the area during World War II; today it is managed by the Division of Parks and Recreation. Many of the gravel roads and trails through the forest are a result of the Division of Parks and Recreation’s work.

Michelle Grald now lives in Foster, but before that, she was the trail manager at Green Mountain Horse Association in Vermont. “George Washington is one of the bigger trail systems in the state of Rhode Island,” she says. “The trails are mostly double-track with some gravel

trails that are clearly marked for those purposes only. Overall, from my experience, the system is not heavily used. It’s quiet and leafy with some nice views of ponds and a few water crossings.”

Stacey Stearns

eorge Washington Wildlife Management Area isn’t like many other state forests and parks. For one thing, it’s bigger. It has a lot of recreational options and, best of all, it has 10 miles of trails that are open to equestrians.

The George Washington Management Area spans over 4,000 acres and is located in West Glocester. There are lots of gravel road to explore.

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A Leg Up Two websites offer additional information about the George Washington Wildlife Management Area. The first is riparks.com; select George Washington from the Campgrounds drop-down menu. The second, and the one with more information, is exploreri.org. This website has a detailed map of the George Washington Management Area, as well as information on trails, history, parking, and other amenities. The trail map is

available as either a PDF or an Avenza interactive map. Choose whichever you prefer and print a copy to take with you on your ride or save it to your phone.

Use Putnam Pike in Glocester in your GPS. Horse trailer parking is beyond the campground area; you can pull off one of the gravel roads whereever you find space.

There are two turnarounds prior to Wilbur Pond, so it’s easy to exit when you’re ready to head home. Restrooms at the camping and beach area are open seasonally.

Pack water for your horse, although you should be able to access some on the trail, and plenty of fly spray. Wear blaze orange during hunting season. There are some sections where the trails are adjacent to private property; watch for signage.

Only the gravel roads are open to horses.

The trails, including the Walkabout Trail, are for hiking and foot traffic only.

Out Riding It George Washington, the first president of the United States, visited Rhode Island multiple times, including documented

trips to Providence and Newport. We also know that he and his troops had barracks and spent time in Lebanon, Connecticut.

So, when you’re riding in the George Washington Wildlife Management Area, you are following in his footsteps and the hoofprints of his horses.

Head down the main gravel road, aptly name the Washington Trail, from your trailer to start the ride. When you come to a T intersection, this is Center Trail. Take a right and follow Center Trail out to Ross Trail. This is an out-and-back section.

Center Trail will take you all the way out to Olney Keach Road. You can take a left and head north on Olney Keach Road, and then connect back onto Ross Trail on the left a short distance up the road.

Many stretches of the gravel roads are shady and flat, allowing for a variation in speed and fun stretches where the horses can travel alongside each other. Birds were singing during our ride, we saw squirrels and chipmunks, and knew many other wildlife species were just beyond our view.

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see it called Richardson Clearing Trail.

This short out-and back detour will give you some good views of Bowdish

Stacey Stearns

Follow Ross trail south and back toward Center Trail. Once you’re back at Center Trail, go right, and ride past Finberg Field and the White Cedar Swamp. We followed Center Trail all the way through the center of the forest, past the Richardson Trail intersection on our right, and kept going. Next, we passed the Cold Spring Trail intersection on our left, and again kept going because we wanted to make a loop trail using the Wood Trail and Center Trail.

At the next intersection, we took the left onto Wood Trail and rode down to Clarkville Pond. It’s fun to catch glimpses of the water as you head closer. The trail loops left and heads over to Shepard Way. You can take a right and go down to the boat launch before heading north on Shepard Way. This connects to Cold Spring Trail, where you take a left to head back toward Center Trail.

But, first you may want to go right and head down to Bowdish Camping Road. Different maps will give you different names for this trail. You might also

Reservoir. Once back at Center Trail, take a right, and it will take you back toward the Washington Trail and your trailer.

Those looking for extra miles can ride up into the Richardson Trail and Inner Border Trail too. Both can be ridden as an out and back to add miles and explore another area of the forest.

Richardson Trail rides along the Pulaski Wildlife Marsh, and this offers another area to explore. Keach Brook also runs through this section of the forest.

The connector that leads to Richardson and Inner Border Trail is also where you’ll find the Carl Erickson covered bridge. It’s always fun to ride through one of these, although my mare always seems to get a little jumpier the further in we go! This one isn’t as bad because it’s a gravel road, so it doesn’t make the echoing sound that bridges with wood footing do. Heading left on the Inner Border Trail will take you over to the Connecticut state border.

The George Washington Wildlife Management Area is underutilized as far as state forests and parks go. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because it means that you can enjoy all that nature has to

offer in relative solitude. The gravel roads can be technical in places, but they provide opportunities to slow down, let your horse pick his way through them, and enjoy the ride.

We’re lucky to have such a large area of conservation land with so many miles of trails open to horses. It’s an area that you can ride in various seasons and always see something different, even on the same routes. It’s a fun ride for you and your horse, and it reminds me that rides like this are why we started trail riding in the first place.

Happy trails!

y

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

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Youth Awards The Community Horse Youth Award is given to the junior exhibitor who has shown the best horsemanship and sportsmanship at an equestrian competition. This is the youth who is working hard with a great attitude. This junior is taking good care of their horse, cheering on their friends, and helping others. Want a free award for your upcoming equestrian competition in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island? Visit communityhorse.org/ youth-awards.

Emma Pannone, 15, of Sharon, Massachusetts, won the Youth Award at the New England Miniature Horse Society Summer Sizzler Horse Show in July at Apple Knoll Farm in Millis, Massachusetts. Congratulations, Emma!

Gianna Graves of Norwich, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Shettucket Valley Pony Club with her horse, Parker. “Gianna is a dedicated horsewoman,” says Mary Fischer, owner/trainer at Bit By Bit Stable in Uncasville, Connecticut. “Her positive attitude and love for her horse make her a role model to the members.” Congratulations Gianna!

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

Ashby Collins, 8, won the Youth Award at NEECA’s Donkey and Mule Show in June. “Ashby was so serious about his donkey!” says Terry Lupien, show manager. “He exemplifies what donkey (and mule) ownership is all about.” Congratulations, Ashby!

Jessie Charron, 15, of Plainfield, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Babcock Hill Horses Naturally Show in April with Red, an Appendix Quarter Horse.

Congratulations, Jessie! (Photo with Dad, Joel.)

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Mia Oliveira, 18, of Acushnet, Massachusetts, won the Youth Award at the Connecticut Morgan Horse Association’s Open Show in June.

“I was so surprised to win the Youth Award at Connecticut Morgan!” says Mia. “It was my horse’s and my first time showing together and we had a blast.

Flintwood Brandywine, a.k.a. Scotch, was so good in our debut and I’m so excited for our future.”

Congratulations, Mia!

Additionally, but not pictured: y Nicalayna Rose, 9, of Oakville, Connecticut, won the Youth Award at the Massachusetts Quarter Horse Association Novice and Open Show riding I’m Taking It To the Max. Congratulations, Nicalayna!

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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Grand Prix Guidance

Using Radiographs to Trim and Shoe

by Mark R. Baus, DVM

W

hether you know it or not, your horse has experienced hoofrelated pain during his or her athletic career. It’s commonly recognized that the horse’s hooves, especially the front hooves, are vulnerable to many external and internal forces. In short, it’s where the rubber meets the road.

Fortunately, we can control how these forces act on the hoof with a careful evaluation of the relationship between the skeleton of the lower limb and the hoof.

How do you know your horse’s hooves are causing a problem for you or your horse? If your horse is lame, and the source of the lameness is isolated to the hoof with diagnostic nerve blocks. But painful front or hind hooves can manifest in multiple different ways other than obvious lameness. Does your horse lose shoes for no apparent reason? Does your horse trip or stumble periodically? How about forging? All of these are indications of a potential imbalance in the horse’s hoof.

Radiographs of your horse’s hooves can be an invaluable guide to determine the best way to trim or shoe your horse.

This process is reliable, and the X-rays are easily obtained.

Let’s start with a few definitions: Sole depth: Measured from the tip of the coffin bone to the bearing surface of the hoof (the ground). Ideal sole depth is 15 mm give or take a couple mm. Too little sole depth and the hoof is vulnerable to bruising. Too much sole depth and the hoof is likely too long, causing tripping, lameness, and other problems (see photo 1).

Heel height: Measured from the back of the coffin bone to the bearing surface of the hoof. Ideal heel height is compared to sole depth. If it does not measure 76

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

longer than the sole depth, there is a negative coffin bone angle and if there is less than 10 mm of heel height, the digital cushion is likely affected.

1.

Negative coffin bone angle: A negative coffin bone angle is usually caused by inadequate heel height (see photo 2).

Ideally, the coffin bone has a slight upward angle compared to the hoof (usually 2–5 degrees).

2.

Latero-medial heel balance: This is a measurement of the height of each heel and, ideally, they are even. Horses that

are base-wide and toed-out (the vast majority of all horses) tend to put more weight on their medial or inside heel.

Horses that are toe-in are the opposite, tending to put more weight on the lateral or outside heel. The extra pressure on one heel versus the other causes that heel to wear faster and, subsequently, lowers that heel. Therefore, most horses have a lower inside heel compared to the outside heel. Uneven heels can have a deleterious effect on the lower joints (see photo 3).

ONCE A HOOF-RELATED problem is identified, some changes may be necessary to improve lameness or to return to peak performance. What have we neglected to mention here? Our farrier. It’s all well and good that we come up with suggestions for improving your horse’s hoof, but the farrier will also have a valid opinion about this. Undoubtedly your farrier will want to be a part of this discussion as he or she plays a key role when it comes to trimming the hoof and applying the correct shoe.

3.

4.

Breakover: The most important measurement is how far forward the toe is.

Breakover defines when the hoof starts to break over with each step. The heel should leave the ground first as the horse moves forward and the hoof rolls over.

The breakover is when the last part of the hoof, ideally the toe area, leaves the ground, which is why toe length is important. A long toe causes the breakover point to slow, creating extra work for the tendons and ligaments.

This is critical for horses that forge or pull shoes, but it is even more critical for horses with problems in the coffin joint and navicular region. Breakover is measured by dropping a vertical line down from the tip of the coffin bone and by measuring from this point forward to the front of the toe or shoe. The ideal breakover with this measurement is between 0 and 15 mm ahead of the tip of the frog (see photo 4).

Before proceeding with hoof radiographs, it’s important to know how your farrier wants to be involved in the process. Ideally, he or she is present when the radiographs are taken. Alternatively, the radiographs can be emailed to the farrier. Regardless, open communication is paramount to determine the best course of action before any final decisions are made.

What is our most common hoofrelated problem? The horse with low heels, low hoof or coffin bone angles, and long toes. The cause of this problem goes beyond the hoof wall conformation that the horse inherited. Conventional horseshoes work well in most situations; however, they tend to preserve the hoof wall at the toe but less well in the heels.

Active horses and the natural movement of the heels cause the heels to wear much faster than the toes. The horse with Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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Katie Hylen

low heels is much more prone to bruising of the heels. If the heels are significantly low, the digital cushion is compromised and is another source of heel pain.

Since the toe does not tend to wear down, the worn heels cause a negative coffin bone angle. Negative coffin bone angles create added strain on the deep digital flexor tendons. This added strain takes a toll on the navicular bone and associated structures. Negative coffin bone angles also put compressive forces on the front of the coffin joint.

Although we tend to regard issues of the coffin joint and navicular bone as manageable or inevitable problems, we can prevent or manage these conditions with close attention to hoof angles, sole depth, heel height and breakover distance. If you are wondering if your horse needs help with his hooves, contact your veterinarian and farrier to see if radiographs would be helpful. y

Mark R. Baus, DVM founded Grand Prix Equine in 2009. He’s provided care to horses in the same region and for many of the same clients for more than 30 years. Mark began the Connecticut Equine Podiatry Group to foster relationships between farriers and veterinarians.

Read back issues and subscribe!

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Overherd

News in Our Community Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship Awarded Jalila Nazerali-Ruddy is the recipient of the Spring 2022 Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship, sponsored by Kerrits Equestrian Apparel!

overt and passive discrimination, based upon their race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Together, we seek to bridge this gap through the sharing of knowledge, opportunities, and solidarity.

Jalila is a rising junior at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. “I’m double majoring in education and psychology,” says Jalila. “In

Welcome to the world, Persephony. This adorable Thoroughbred/Holsteiner filly was born June 3 at Red Mare Farm in Hatfield, Massachusetts.

Jalila Nazerali-Ruddy is the recipient of the Spring 2022 Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship.

The mission of the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship (OYES) is to provide opportunities for young adults ages 17 to 27 from marginalized communities to become involved or stay involved in horse sports through financial awards and mentorship, focusing not only on horsemanship and equestrian pursuits but also career planning and education. We believe that opportunities for riding, training, and showing are not easily attainable for individuals facing socioeconomic and accessibility hurdles, as well as 80

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

my twenty years, I’ve lived in four different countries — Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania, and the United States. My equestrian journey started around the age of five in Uganda, where I was born and lived for seven years. I started riding thanks to my mum, a former horsewoman herself. Due to all the moving, my equestrian journey has been very start and stop.

I began with pony rides, and during my years in Sudan, my mum became my instructor. While in Tanzania, the rides consisted of bush trail rides and slightly out-of-control beach rides. Once I moved to Vermont, I started jumping, but shortly after I moved barns and started working

Although my mum fully supports and encourages it, it’s not been in her budget.

I have worked off my lessons with barn chores, riding horses that need extra schooling, working three jobs this past year at college, and keeping close track of my spending. This past year has been especially hard financially with having to buy show clothing. I also had a fall during try-outs that both concussed me and broke my helmet. I was then unable to work/ride for a month (although, I still made the team and couldn’t wait to get back on!), “Being a Black equestrian in general is always a challenge. I always felt my skin color living in Vermont but even more so

Michelle Atkinson Martin

with greener horses on the flat in western, English, and foundational dressage.

“Since making the mounted roster at Mount Holyoke College, my riding goals have focused in on dressage and developing my knowledge, both mounted and unmounted. I would love to develop my skills in the saddle, not only for the purpose of showing but also to have the amazing yet unexplainable connection that is formed when a rider is able to find a connection with a horse.

“My realistic plan upon graduating is taking a few years and working at a barn full time, preferably a training barn or a low-key dressage barn. I would then like to find a job as a teacher to be able to financially support taking lessons and leasing or owning my own horse.

Although showing is something that I enjoy and would like to do a few times, I do not see it as a big part of my life postcollege. On the side, I would like to run a small equine photography business. I would say I’m on the right track to accomplish these goals because I am currently two years into working toward graduating with a teacher licensure. Photographywise, I’ve been taking lots of equine photos for friends, playing around with portrait photos, and I’ve recently been taking more action shots. I see my skills developing, especially when it comes to editing the photos.

“I had a summer camp job working as a riding and vaulting counselor, and this is a job offer for life as last summer (2022) was my tenth summer attending due to being a camper and counselor.

This camp is a second home, and at times, a first home.

“On the more dream side, ultimately, I would like to lease my own barn and run a business training horses and offering boarding and lessons. Further out on the dream, I would like to stay in New England and become a diverse barn, working with schools to find students of color who may take an interest in entering equestrian sports.

“Since freshman year of high school, I’ve been funding my horse addiction.

Pearl and her colt at Peace for Ponies in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.

riding at Mount Holyoke College.

Though a main attraction of Mount Holyoke College is the equestrian center, between all three teams (hunt seat, western, and dressage) I’m one of two Black equestrians. The hunt seat and western has more diversity as it draws in many Asian international students but for dressage, I’m the only person of color on my team and very often at shows too.”

Peace for Ponies Plea As we enter the fall many horses will be given up and sent to auctions. This is the time when rescue organizations hope they are able to take a few horses in havCommunity Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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ing adopted others out during the summer. It’s really heartbreaking when all the camp horses come into the auctions at the same time. These horses have been best friends to children all summer. Fall comes and many are taken to auction and when 50 camps come in all in the same week the chances of them being shipped to slaughter increases. So, if you’re looking for a horse that is kind, gentle, and likes kids check out Horse Angels on Facebook. Penny Parker goes to the pens, and you can join her virtually. If you find a horse that you want, she will take it to her place and quarantine it. She’ll then deliver when she comes up East once or twice a month.

Peace for Ponies has been saving animals for more than 10 years in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. To learn more, find us on Facebook or at peaceforponies.com.

n Kendra Bond

University of Connecticut It’s been a hectic spring and busy summer at the University of Connecticut (UConn).

From horse-related classes to summer riding for the community, the horse barn stays busy year-round.

The equine program at UConn’s Department of Animal Science relies largely on the generous donations of horses from alumni, community members, and equine professionals. Many horses come to our program because they are ready to step down from their showing careers or because they are looking for a new job. Whatever the circumstances, we are happy to discuss your horse’s future in our program. Care of donated horses is a top priority for the UConn Equine Program as they are our greatest teaching asset. Talk to us today about donating your horse to our program.

We are currently looking for sound and healthy beginner-safe horses with experience in western, dressage, or hunt seat; intermediate to advanced hunterjumper type, as well as polo horses. To be considered, horses must be 15 years old or younger and currently/recently in regular work.

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If you have a horse that fits this description and you’re interested in donating, please contact Lisa Streff, UConn Horse Unit Manager, at (860) 486-2034 or Lisa.Streff@UConn.edu.

It’s not too early to start planning to attend the 2023 Connecticut Horse Symposium to be held March 25, 2023, at UConn’s Horsebarn Hill Arena on the Storrs Campus. The featured clinician is Bob Burrelli from Double B Ranch in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He will present three sessions from 9 a.m. to noon, which will be followed by demonstrations by some of the UConn equestrian teams.

Session one will be Groundwork for the Horse and Human. Session two will be Horsemanship 1 Equitation (classical dressage principles): This session will help you further understand how to get along with a thinking, feeling, decisionmaking animal. This is done through love, language, and leadership. Increase your awareness level of what you see and feel and improve your timing to better communicate with a horse. This is called

Thinking of Selling Your

feel, timing, and balance. Session three will be Advanced Horsemanship 2: This session is for advanced riders to understand how to execute proper feel and to do all the correct movements of shoulder in, haunches in, side pass, half pass, full pass, how to execute proper lead changes, and more.

We will have an opportunity for vendors to have booths at the symposium. To learn more, visit horsesymposium.uconn.edu.

Contact Jenifer.Nadeau@uconn.edu for vendor or sponsorship opportunities.

Looking to increase your horse knowledge? Try our new Canter Curriculum offerings! Our first module is on equine nutrition, and we’re just finishing up a second module on the skeletal system and disorders. It’s just $50 to study at your own pace and learn something new: secure.touchnet.com/C21646_ ustores/web/store_cat.jsp?STOREID=29 &CATID=90 Don’t forget to check out our winter riding offerings open to the community at animalscience.uconn.edu.

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To see what our varied and diverse equestrian teams are doing, visit animalscience.uconn.edu/MajorsAnd Degrees/Equine.php. Spectators are welcome. You are also free to visit the main barn from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

We hope to see you horsin’ around at UConn soon!

n Dr. Jenifer Nadeau

Rising Starr Horse Rescue Welcomes Captain Hook

Stacey Young

I’ve been to countless baby showers in my lifetime. I’ve always enjoyed these gatherings because they are all about celebrating

Rising Starr Horse Rescue residents Nana and Captain Hook.

a new life. However, the baby shower that I attended on Thursday evening, June 2, at Rising Starr Rescue in Wilton, Connecticut, was entirely different from any new-baby welcoming event. Yes, there were similarities: the celebration of a new family member; the gathering of cherished friends and family; bountiful food and desserts; music; and of course, the guest of honor in her radiant pregnant glory. Oh, did I forget to mention that the individual being celebrated this day was a mare named Nana? She was named after that adorable St. Bernard that you might remember from the animated Disney film, Peter Pan! The party-like atmosphere of the shower included all the horses in their stalls, happily enjoying their own dinner 84

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and refreshments. The barn aisles were spotless, with tall cocktail tables situated about. The windowsills were decorated with clusters of battery-operated candles.

A buffet table adorned with abundant and elegantly presented appetizers was in the building’s main entrance hall. There was a whimsically refurbished horse trailer called The Vintage Horse with a bartender serving drinks and signature cocktails with a Peter Pan theme.

The coats of all the horses gleamed.

In the last stall down the aisle, there she was, our equine honoree, Nana, looking content, extremely round, and pampered in a birthing-sized stall with plenty of fresh straw bedding surrounding her. As she came over to greet us, I was instantly captivated by her gentle eye and approachable demeanor.

“Nana was rescued from an auction holding pen in Pennsylvania,” says Kelly Stackpole, Rising Starr’s founder. “While we don't know much about Nana's life, we believe she is a Dutch harness horse.” I was incredibly relieved and grateful that fate brought Kelly and Nana together.

Nana is safe now. She is so adored. All the proceeds from the day’s event were put toward the care of Nana and the newest addition to the Rising Starr family.

The spicy colt, Captain Hook, was born on July 2! Congratulations, Nana.

To learn more about Rising Starr, visit risingstarrhorserescue.org.

n Sally L. Feuerberg

Ebony Horsewomen Seeking Nominees for 2023 Black Boots Awards Hartford-based Ebony Horsewomen, Inc. (EHI) has started a national initiative to recognize and celebrate African Americans in the horse community with the upcoming 2023 Black Boots Awards.

In collaboration with StreamHorseTV, the Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American History Museum, and Black Reins Magazine, the Black Boots Awards will broadcast a live and virtual awards ceremony on January 8, 2023. The Black Boots Awards amplify the work, presence, and accolades of Black equestrians in the

horse community in several different categories. This brings Black equestrians, Black tradesmen, equine influencers, equine organizations, and associations out of the shadows and front and center.

The Black Boots Awards will celebrate African American adult and youth equestrians, equine tradesmen and women, associations, and organizations in the following categories: hunter/jumper,

Kim Brewington-Bryson, a certified New York State Division of Criminal Justice Mounted Police Officer with more 20 years experience, whose passion is that of an equestrian with compassion for youth and service to the community. Kim is a New York State general topics instructor and a certified Level 3 Harmony Horsemanship Instructor. She’s certified in Equine Experiential Education and in forensic experiential-informed trauma. She’s a wife and mother of two beautiful daughters, both winning equestrians, and a son in the United States Marine Corp. Kim is just one example of the many Black equestrians across the United States who will be eligible for the Black Boots Awards.

English pleasure, dressage, western dressage, reining, cutting, western pleasure, rodeo, barrel racing, horse trainers, riding associations, riding centers, equestrian service providers, museums, print publications, equestrian influencers, and more.

The Black Boots Awards were conceived in 2020, during the pandemic.

Prompted by the fact that Black equestrians continue to be marginalized within the horse community, the Black Boots Awards grew out of a desire to honor

them. The Black Boots Awards celebrate and amplify Black equestrian accomplishments and visibility.

Ebony Horsewomen Equestrian and Therapeutic Center is a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit equine therapy organization and urban riding center.

Ebony Horsewomen, Inc. encourages and empowers people through healing, riding, and learning and is a leader in culturally competent, equine-assisted psychotherapy. We believe in the power of horses to heal.

StreamHorseTV is the premier international digital community where horse enthusiasts come together to expand their horizons in equine sports and culture. StreamHorseTV is elevating equestrian entertainment, advancing accessibility, and boldly uniting the global horse world — celebrating the horse as our beloved common thread. Follow the herd over to StreamHorseTV for groundbreaking free video series, articles, and the StreamHorseTV Guide.

To learn more and to nominate someone, visit ebonyhorsewomen.org.

Yellow Horse Equine Therapeutic Riding Program Yellow Horse Equine Therapeutic Riding Program provides equine-assisted activities, adaptive riding, and therapeutic riding for children, adults, communitybased programs, and veterans in Ashaway, Rhode Island. Our mission is to improve the lives of individuals through partnerships with horses. Yellow Horse helps to facilitate physical, social, and emotional growth. We strive to help all participants reach their highest potential.

Yellow Horse hosted a successful horse show on June 18, where participants were encouraged to work toward reaching their goals and were given an opportunity to showcase their skills. Our participants enjoyed riding and receiving their well-deserved ribbons.

Yellow Horse strives to provide awareness of its wonderful veterans’ program through contacts with the Providence Veterans Administration Hospital, word Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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will run from October 24 to November 4, accessible through littlebritchesct.org.

We had a busy spring and summer, with full programs in both seasons. Our riders come from towns throughout northwestern Connecticut and have a range of disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, as well as anxiety and attention-deficit disorders. We are affiliated with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH), and our instructors are certified by PATH.

Little Britches Therapeutic Riding

Heather Juneau

of mouth, social media, and the media.

Yellow Horse’s equine-assisted activities and therapeutic programs help veterans reconnect in many ways. Through partnering with the horse, we have found mindfulness, communication, trust, and patience are beneficial for so many.

Yellow Horse Therapeutic Riding Program hosted a horse show in June.

Yellow Horse will hold its second annual Fall Festival Saturday, October 1, from 12 to 5 p.m. We will have live music by the band AirPlay, vendors, food trucks, hayrides, face painting, raffles, games, and more. This is a fundraiser to benefit Yellow Horse programs. Tickets can be purchased at yellow-horse-equine.com or in person. The rain date is October 2.

Questions? Contact emily@yellowhorse ri.com or (401) 749-6122.

n Emily Rice

Little Britches Therapeutic Riding Little Britches Therapeutic Riding is gearing up for fall sessions and our only fundraising event this year, the Little Britches Virtual Silent Auction.

This year’s auction promises to be the best yet. Auction items include a fun day of recreation at a beautiful lake house in Charlton, Massachusetts; a golf outing in St. Augustine, Florida; private fitness training; and yoga sessions. We’ll have artwork, jewelry, and lots of other items — more are coming in every day. The online auction 86

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Izzy Nusinov on Rowdy with leader David Ort and sidewalker Natalie DeMichele at Little Britches Therapeutic Riding in Roxbury, Connecticut.

To maintain PATH certification, instructors must complete more than 25 hours of professional development training annually. In April, our instructors attended a regional PATH conference in Bristol and returned home inspired by the workshops in which they had participated. Among the most exciting was a session demonstrating how adding music to riding lessons improves the response of the students. We hope to explore the use of music as a way to improve the progress of our youngest riders and those with complex disabilities who are harder to reach.

One of our stalwart therapy horses, a lovely chestnut named Summer, retired this year. With that loss, plus the addition of 12 weeks to our program year, we began our search for a new member of

our equine team. Although the work of a therapy horse isn’t physically taxing, finding the right candidate for the job can be challenging.

“Temperament is key,” Little Britches executive director Alice Daly explains. “A therapy horse must be patient, reliable, and tolerant of unexpected movements and sounds. Young horses are typically too reactive, so usually horses need to be at least 10.

But senior horses often have health issues that make the job too difficult.”

With luck, we’ll find our ideal candidate before our regular fall program begins September 12 at our home facility, Tophet Farm in Roxbury. When that session ends on November 5, we’ll continue with a six-week, late-fall session in the beautiful indoor arena at Shepaug Agriscience Academy in Washington.

made at gofundme/57038005 or directly to Hay Burr Inn, 169 Black Hill Road, Plainfield, CT 06374, or hayburrinn.org.

Hay Burr Inn

Hay Burr Inn’s resident, Angus.

Over the past eight years we have saved and improved the quality of life for 30 horses. Our mission has been accomplished thanks to continuing generous donations, whether monetary or items.

One of our most recent rescues needs your help! Angus is a blind, 30-year-old Arabian. Despite his ailments, Angus has flourished with his seeing-eye horse, Devlin. When Angus was seized by animal control officers, and before he had a safe landing with us, his life was spent alone in a barn, tied to a pole standing in three feet of his own manure. Angus was skin stretched over bones; the light in his eyes was very dim. Over the course of a year, we have put weight on him, given him daily care, and love, but new challenges have arisen, and he has developed canker, a condition rarely seen in Arabs.

Angus is now healthy enough to have the needed procedure. We can do this, but there’s one small issue standing in our way — the funding! If you can make a donation, even a small amount will help ensure that Angus receives the care he needs. Our goal is to get him healthy.

Angus is the sweetest horse on the farm. If you can help in any way, donations can be

Hay Burr Inn’s all-volunteer staff is dedicated to saving the lives of horses that are victims of starvation, neglect, abuse, bound for slaughter, or whose owners are unable to provide for their needs. It is our goal to rehabilitate and restore the physical and emotional health of the horses and when possible, find them a loving foster home, or continue to give them the special, intensive care they need to live out their days in peace.

n Kayla Ireland & Elaine Pascoe

n Cynthia Haberin

Manes & Motions More than 50 participants are learning how the relationship with a horse can help improve their lives at Manes & Motions Therapeutic Riding Center in Middletown, Connecticut. Along with the physical benefits and enjoyment of adaptive riding, students are learning horsemanship skills and building self-confidence through equine-assisted learning sessions. We rebuild lives through the power of the horse and human bond.

Founded in 1999, Manes & Motions is dedicated to serving children and adults of all abilities. Located on more than 15 acres of beautiful farmland in central Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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Hospital for Special Care

Connecticut, the center boasts two outdoor riding arenas and a full-service indoor facility including a heated indoor

n Jeanna Pellino

Manes & Motions participant Zoe with equine friend Gaia.

arena, which allows the center to provide services year-round. A member of the Hospital for Special Care Community, Manes & Motions operates with the support of more than 90 dedicated volunteers.

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We invite you to join us for our annual fundraiser, Night at the Derby at the Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station in Haddam on September 29. Our Night at the Derby will charm guests with mint juleps, light derby fare, and uplifting stories about the power of the horse-and -human bond. Wear your favorite fascinator or bowtie, get ready to place your bets on our online silent auction, and participate in the Race to Give. To learn more, go to nightatthederby.givesmart.com For more information on our services and becoming part of our fabulous volunteer team, go to hfsc.org/sports-andfitness/manes-and-motions/.

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Want to see your news here?

News published in Overherd is free! Submit your happenings and interesting equestrian announcements in the body of an email, in Microsoft Word, or Google Docs to news@communityhorse.org by February 5, 2023. Photos are welcome too and must be large/high resolution photographs.

Partners Bay State Trail Riders Association

Becky Kalagher

Greetings from BSTRA! For those of you not familiar with us, we would like to start with our mission statement, so you have a clear idea of BSTRA. BSTRA was founded in 1973, and is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, volunteer organization dedicated to the acquisition, preservation, and improvement of trails.

Though most of us are horseback riders we welcome hikers, mountain bikers,

Julie Downer with Matilda and Scarlet Gervais at the BSTRA June National Trails Day Ride in Oxford.

birdwatchers, cross-country skiers, and anyone who would like to join us in the enjoyment of the outdoors.

We work closely with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and are active in promoting our goals in the State’s governance and legislation. We also provide input to land-owning agencies regarding horse and trail issues.

BSTRA promotes good horsemanship. Our monthly newsletter, The Bugle, gives an update of our activities and upcoming events. Members automatically receive our newsletter.

Since 1989, we have invested more than $660,000 in trail work! To learn more, go to bstra.org/about-us/projects.

Click on a year and see what we accomplished that year. It’s impressive.

Some of our recent improvements include upgrading wooden bridges with a new anti-slip surface consisting of a layer of non-woven geotextile material topped with pea stone. This is an affordable, easy fix that makes bridges safer for all trail users.

Last year we donated $500 to help

preserve 66 acres to add to the Peppercorn Hill Conservation Area in Upton.

BSTRA bought 17 acres in Douglas so that we could connect the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT) to Douglas town-owned land for multipurpose use.

We invested in Douglas State Forest, a much loved, well used area for many.

In Spencer, BSTRA donated $5,000 toward the purchase of the Sibley and Warner Farms, which totaled 352 acres.

We also invested nearly $64,000 in volunteer time and money in the Upton State Forest trails.

In addition to our land conservation efforts, we host many wonderful equestrian outings including camping, and competitions including a hunter pace and a judged pleasure ride.

In May, we had the Thompson, Connecticut ride, and for Memorial Day weekend, BSTRA hosted its traditional Carver Campout. For those of you who have never camped with horses, this is a wonderful opportunity to camp with pros.

June was a busy month, starting with National Trails Day held in Oxford on June 12. This is always our biggest fundraising event of the year, and we had our best turnout ever! Ninety-two riders showed up to partake in a lovely trail ride of seven-plus miles. The ride was followed by a fantastic catered lunch provided by Dino’s, all of which was underwritten by one of our platinum sponsors,Whitehorse Truck and Trailer. After lunch we held a raffle filled with wonderful items donated to us by our many loyal sponsors and supporters. The weather was gorgeous, and a good time was had by all.

June 25 was our Gaited Horse Clinic, taught by Julie Dillon. It was well attended with eight riders who had individual lessons; another success story.

June 30 – July 4 was our Fourth of July Annual Campout in Douglas. As an experienced horse camper, Rose Zariczny ran a smooth operation.

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We could go on listing all the many events we host, but a better idea is for you to go to bstra.org and check out all our scheduled happenings for yourself.

We’re always at the Springfield Equine Affaire, which is held in November. Please come by and say hello to us at booth 753. We appreciate your participation in our organization.

Please keep in mind that we keep our membership dues affordable so that everybody and anybody can become a member and help us in our cause.

We are all about trails and the equine future. Please join us!

y Mary Wood

The Charles River Dressage Association For some people, the word dressage conjures up intimidating images of big-bodied warmbloods with perfectly braided manes and spotless white saddle pads being piloted around the arena by riders in crisp, tailored jackets and mirror-like shining boots, all the while making every upperlevel movement appear to be seamless and effortless. The thought of competing alongside these fastidiously turned-out pairs can be daunting for some riders — daunting enough that going to a dressage show becomes something they avoid entirely.

But what if there was a dressage show that welcomed everybody with open arms?

What if there was an organization that cheered on the nervous amateur rider just as wholeheartedly as it did the seasoned competitor? What if there was a show that embraced differences, supported growth, and encouraged riders to not only to do their best, but also to have fun at the same time? A show where you could watch beginner riders competing in their firstever Intro test, as well as more experienced riders performing a Musical Freestyle at Second level? Sounds pretty good, right?

And, what if that show was right in your own backyard?

Enter the Charles River Dressage Association (CRDA). The mission of the CRDA is to provide affordable, quality schooling shows, clinics, educational lec90

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

tures, and sponsorships to its members and the local community. In addition, CRDA strives to offer a friendly, casual forum in which riders can compete and gain knowledge about the art and sport of dressage.

When you attend a CRDA show, you will experience its mission statement come to life. Riders of every age and level attend the shows with horses that range from tried-and-true lesson ponies to young, green Thoroughbreds to seasoned, imported school masters. There are riders who own their own horse, riders who lease a horse, and riders who borrow a school horse for the day. There are riders who show all the time, riders who show once in a while, and riders who are at their very first show.

Despite the wonderful and unique diversity of these horses and riders, there is one unifying factor: riders are there to support others and to be supported themselves.

It’s not uncommon to hear two riders who have never met previously exchanging, “great test” and “good luck” remarks as they pass each other on their way in and out of the arena. Judges take time to offer constructive criticism on score sheets while simultaneously paying equal attention to praising riders for what they did well.

Trainers cheer for their own students as well as the students of others, from the sidelines. And, if a rider has a particularly difficult test or an especially problematic ride, everyone at the show has a way of rallying around them to lift them up and cheer them on as they make their final turn down the centerline.

Everyone who attends these shows has the upmost respect for one another, for the show itself, and for the sport of dressage. Horses are braided, tack is cleaned, and riders are well-turned-out. Judges are kind and fair, and the show’s staff and volunteers are friendly and always willing to help. The shows are held at Apple Knoll Farm, in Millis, which is the perfect venue.

There are generous warm-up areas outside and indoors, and three outdoor competition rings with sand footing. Volunteers help guide horses and riders to the correct rings on time and keep the show running

If you’ve been looking for a local dressage schooling show — no matter your experience level — I encourage you to seek out the CRDA. Membership benefits extend far beyond the show ring as this organization really works to connect riders through their shared passion for dressage.

To learn more, visit crdressage.org.

The CRDA thanks its generous sponsors: Dover Saddlery of Wellesley and Tractor Supply of Millis.

y Michelle Kohn

Connecticut Morgan Horse Association CMHA is home to horses that thrill, and we are thrilled with the success we’ve had so far in 2022, and hope that you’ll join us for the remainder of the year. The mission of our club is to support the Morgan horse and its enjoyment, as well as youth activities and involvement with the Morgan.

We had our first two trail rides of the year this past spring: one at Hammonasset

Howard Schatzberg

smoothly. Ribbons are awarded from first to sixth place as well as for high score and reserve high score for the day. They also offer year-end awards for those who meet the membership criteria.

Classes range from Lead Line to Second level and above, as well as Para, Prix Caprilli, USEA TOC, and Freestyle tests. Cost per class ranges from $20 to $35 for members and $25 to $45 for nonmembers (price depends on which test[s] you ride).

For those who cannot travel to Millis but who still want to compete in CRDA shows, there are also virtual shows in which riders record and submit a video of themselves riding a test. The video is later viewed, judged, and scored, and each class is awarded ribbons to sixth place. The virtual shows are a great way for riders to experience competition without the added pressure of a show environment. They also allow riders who may not have the capability to travel to be part of the CRDA show experience. Clinic attire is acceptable for video submission (show attire is optional), and riders can use whatever arena size they like as long as the dressage letters are clearly marked. Entry fee is $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers.

The virtual shows also offer CRDA members the opportunity to win awards.

Members who have ridden in at least two virtual shows will be eligible for division awards (Junior, Amateur Adult, and Open) based on an average of their three highest virtual show test scores in at least two shows for that division (for each horse/rider pair). In addition to division awards, highpoint awards will be awarded for each level. High-point awards will be based on the average of the highest three scores for each horse/rider pair from at least two shows at that level.

A yearly individual membership is $50 (or $35 if you pay before January 1); family, junior, and business memberships are available too. Members are eligible for CRDA year-end awards and scholarships as well as lower pricing at shows and clinics, and a free print subscription to Community Horse.

Bob and Anita Hoynoski honored their daughter, past CMHA vice president and show committee member Debbie Hargraves with a perpetual trophy.

Congratulations to Bourne Obsession GCH and Shawna Sutton for being the inaugural winner.

Beach State Park in Madison; the second at Pachaug State Forest in Voluntown. All breeds joined us for both rides, and all CMHA rides are New England Horse and Trail affiliated. Special thanks to Linda Krul and Celeste Santos-Rivera for their work on the Pachaug Ride, and to Wanda Stazick, our trail committee chairperson.

The Connecticut Morgan Open Horse Show ran from June 8–11 at the Eastern States Exposition. More than 300 horses joined us for a phenomenal show. We Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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y Stacey Stearns

Connecticut Renegades Cowboy Mounted Shooters The Renegades competition season officially began on Saturday, May 14, with Smokin’ Guns at the Old Bethany Airport.

Tom Beckman took the overall win shooting fast and clean (no missed targets).

Sabrina Beckman took the overall spot for the cowgirls. The Renegades were fortunate to have Pro Level 6 shooter, Curt Moore of Fort Worth, Texas, attend our 92

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spring match. Level 6 is the highest level a mounted shooter can attain after earning multiple wins in Levels 1–5.

Earlier this year, the Northeast shooting community lost one of its original

Jeanne Lewis Images

extend our deepest gratitude to our exhibitors; also to John Lampropolous, our horse show manager; Pam Turner, our horse show secretary; Mary Tesla, our horse show chairperson; and all our show committee members. The week included classes full of beautiful horses and wonderful examples of sportsmanship. A special congratulations to all our Youth of the Year contest participants and to Isabella Didden, who received the Eileen Hunter Youth Scholarship.

We celebrated and shared the Morgan horse with the Patchwork Pony: Discovering the Rich Tapestry of the Morgan Horse. This event was held on the final day of the Connecticut Morgan Open Horse Show, and featured organizations from across New England, vendors, demos, and activities.

Organizations represented at the Patchwork Pony included the University of Vermont Morgan Horse Farm, the Lippitt Club, Massachusetts Morgan Horse Association, the Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association, Willow Bend Publishing, Northeast Equestrian Life, Steed Read, and others. The Peek Family brought Martha Stewart GCH to the event for a “Meet the Morgan” opportunity during the morning.

We have two more trail rides coming up in October and November that are open to all breeds. The Lance Wetmore Memorial Trail Ride will be October 30 in East Lyme, and the Turkey Trot will be November 20 in Bluff Point State Park in Groton. To learn more, visit ctmorgans.org.

Andrea Galuska and Blaze earned the most-improved title from clinician Jessica Flores.

members, Shad Smith. Shad was a member of the Northeast Six Shooters, based in New Hampshire, but attended many Renegades matches over the years. He was a Senior Men’s Level 5 shooter and took the Overall Cowboy win at the Renegades’ Connecticut State Championship last fall.

He also worked closely with our club when planning larger Northeast events over the years. On June 4, several Renegades joined in celebrating Shad’s life by participating in a memorial match in his name at Felton Field in Barre, Massachusetts.

The Renegades invite professional mounted shooters to Connecticut to help our members reach their goals. This year, we welcomed Jessica Flores of Rusted Star Ranch in Berlin, Maryland. Jessica is a Pro Ladies’ Level 6 with multiple Overall, Overall Cowgirl, and Overall Shotgun titles. Members and their horses were guided through several schooling drills with Jessica on Friday, June 24, at the Old Bethany Airport. She provided individual instruction and tips for all riders. Andrea

Galuska of Granby and her horse, Blaze, earned the most-improved title from Jessica for the major progress the pair made in one afternoon. The Friday clinic was followed by the Amity Mayhem match on Saturday where Jessica continued to coach all the clinic participants before and after each stage. The immediate feedback following each run was a beneficial learning exercise for all riders.

There are several more matches on our 2022 shooting calendar and our Connecticut State Championship is September 24 – 25 at the Old Bethany Airport. All events are open to the public and we welcome spectators to come by and introduce themselves. For more information about our club, including upcoming events, please visit ctrenegades.com or our Facebook page: CT Renegades – Mounted Shooters.

y Allison Forsyth

Granby Horse Council

Heather Hicks

The GHC has been busy with trail rides and events. We’ve had our annual Poker Ride, Steep Rock Ride, Blessings Ride, parade practices, and participated in the Granby Memorial Day Parade.

We have many events coming up. Our Obstacle Challenge and Game Day is September 3, the Wethersfield Ride is

Chris Anson on Arrow and Joan Davis on Cherokee at the GHC Poker Ride.

September 10, and the Open Farm Day is September 17. Rounding out the month is the monthly meeting on September 21, which will be a field trip to Brookside Friesians and Stallion Station.

Our October events begin with the Bill Strain Memorial Beach Ride on October 1, followed by the White Memorial/St. Jude Ride on October 15. The monthly meeting is October 19, the Robinson State Park Ride is October 22 and the Great Pumpkin Ride is October 29.

The Last Hurrah Ride is November 5 and November 16 is the monthly meeting.

The Holiday Party/December monthly meeting is on December 21.

If you’re interested, please join us. You don’t need a horse — there are many volunteer jobs that can be done without a horse. Our meetings are always open to the public and we welcome new people.

We travel in the warm weather to different locations for our meetings, and in the winter our meetings are at Holcomb Farm workshop.

To learn more, visit granbyhorse councilct.com.

y Heather Hicks

Hampshire County Riding Club The club scheduled an ambitious calendar of events this year, which made for an exciting horse-filled summer, with more events still to come. We hosted two new clinics, Introduction to Ranch Riding with clinician Jay Quinlan, and Harmony Horsemanship presented by Melissa Ellis, bringing new interest and members to our club. The Versatility Clinic and Competition with Peter Whitmore and crew was once again an annual favorite.

Our club-sponsored Fun Day, featuring horseback games for all ages, even leadline riders, took place in June, with another scheduled at our club grounds for Sunday, October 9, hosted by the Hilltown Misfits 4-H Club. We also hosted two local trail rides: one at Chesterfield Gorge, the other at DAR State Forest. Our club teamed up with the Barre Riding and Driving Club to enjoy our annual horse camping weekend at Wagon Wheel Campground in Warwick. After a two-year hiatus, we once again joined in the Chesterfield 4th of July parade with an enthusiastic group of participants.

We’ve continued to hold monthly Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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meetings on the third Wednesday of every month, alternating a business meeting with a speaker series. A Zoom presentation on Senior Horse Care by Carlin Jones, VMD, was popular since many of our members are riding and caring for senior horses. For

Horses and handlers at the Peter Whitmore Versatility Clinic and Competition at the HCRC grounds in Goshen, Massachusetts.

another monthly presentation, club member Diane Raucher Miller provided a hands-on demonstration and description of the types of leg wraps used on horses for different purposes. Her very patient horses supplied legs for us to practice on. Coming up, Deb Martin will be giving a talk and barn walk-through at member Diane Merritt’s farm covering fire and barn safety. Rounding out our speaker series will be Mary Koncel, an employee of the American Wild Horse Campaign, who has adopted two rescued wild burros and is fighting for federal horse and burro management policies to be re-examined.

Our annual meeting, awards, and elections will take place on November 16.

The fall trail riding season will feature a ride at the Kenneth Dubuque (Hawley) Memorial State Forest on September 25.

This is a scenic New England forest with 50 miles of trails and woods roads. The Fall Foliage Ride will be at Northfield Mountain and Recreation Center on October 16, followed by a potluck barbecue at the picnic area. Both rides are for HCRC members and their guests.

The annual Hunter Pace at Corinthian Farm in Chester will take place 94

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on October 23, with trails situated on 100 acres of field and forest over varied terrain.

To learn more about our club and events, visit hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

y Diane Merritt

Massachusetts Quarter Horse Association The MQHA had a great spring show season. We extend a big thank you to Marge and Andy Tanner, our show management team. We would also like to thank the MQHA leadership and board of directors for their ongoing collaborative efforts throughout the year so that these shows can happen. We’re especially grateful for the many sponsors without whose support we could not offer the wonderful prizes that we do. It really does take a village!

As the cooler weather approaches, we wish the best of luck to our exhibitors who are traveling to the majors this year!

Please consider joining the MQHA. Our annual meeting will be held on Saturday, November 5. For more information, please visit our website, massqha.com, and follow us on Facebook.

y Lori Mahassel

Middlebury Bridle Land Association We hope to see everyone on Sunday, September 18, for the MBLA’s Annual Fall Hunter Pace at the Larkins’ Farm in Middlebury! MBLA vice president Sylvia Preston, her husband, Tom, and our treasurer, Debbie Carlson, have regularly been out on our trails, both on foot and on horseback, evaluating conditions, clearing and maintaining the trails throughout the year, and they are looking great!

New to hunter paces? The MBLA Annual Fall Hunter Pace is the perfect pace to introduce your horse to this type of event. It’s a pace event with less chaos, fewer distractions, and more of a relaxed picnic-type atmosphere. It’s also the ideal hunter pace for the veteran rider who simply loves a casual pace that offers some of the most beautiful vistas in Connecticut.

The MBLA Annual Fall Hunter Pace is part of the Associated Bridle Trails Fall Pace Series. There will be four divisions:

Hunt, Western, Junior, and Pleasure, and all jumps will have a go-around. There will be no checkpoint, but there will be mandatory walk sections instead. Riders are asked to bring their own water and hay, and safety helmets must be worn by all riders.

Appropriate footwear with heels is required for all divisions. First through tenth place ribbons will be awarded in each division with prizes for the first-place team in each division. Points will be earned toward trophies in the Associated Bridle Trails Fall Pace Series.

Pre-registration is mandatory!

September 10 is the cut-off date for receipt

Members who haven't yet submitted their payment are asked to please do so. Our membership fees have not increased in many years. Although our club’s expenditures have grown, we have not added to our membership fees in order to make it easier for our new and continuing members to enroll in our club. Every dollar you contribute counts and the money collected is spent only on trail and equipment maintenance, and of course, our hunter pace.

As MBLA members we are privileged to be able to ride some of the most scenic and well-groomed trails in the area, so please renew! We’re counting on you.

y Sally L. Feuerberg

New England Equestrian Center of Athol Wow, what a year! If you blinked, you likely missed one of the many new and exciting events held at NEECA in North Central Massachusetts this year. Some of the highlights were Lise Krieger’s Saddle Fitting Clinic, a Northeast Six Shooters Mounted Shooting Demonstration, a hunter jumper

of a complete, printed registration form, waiver, paper copy of current negative Coggins test, and payment. But don’t fret!

We offer a No Worries Registration. If you don’t ride, for whatever reason, your check will be returned to you.

The cost for MBLA adult members is $50 and adult nonmembers is $65. Junior MBLA members are $35 and junior nonmembers are $45. Lunch is available for $20 for nonriders, and, of course, lunch for riders is included in your registration.

For registration and release-of-risk forms, as well as directions, visit middleburybridle.org. For more information, contact ShawnaLee at (203) 598-0065 or info@middleburybridle.org.

Thanks to those who have already sent in their 2022 MBLA membership dues.

Debbie Martin

The MBLAS Annual Fall Hunter Pace is coming up on September 18 at the Larkins’ Farm in Middlebury, Connecticut.

Lise Krieger of New England Saddle Fit gave a workshop for NEECA in Athol, Massachusetts.

show series, the Donkey and Mule Show, a hunter pace, Peter Whitmore’s Versatility Clinic, and a Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) Large Animal Rescue Clinic that was so popular we had to add additional dates to satisfy the demand. We are also expanding Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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y Debbie Martin

Pomfret Horse and Trail Association On a brilliant July day, 60 riders enjoyed the pristine woods and fields of one of the oldest farms in Pomfret. The second 96

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annual Chandler Farm Hunter Pace was hosted by owners Katy Holzer, Alex Williams, and Marjorie Corker-Holzer as a fundraiser for the PHTA. We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) volunteer organization established in 2007 to preserve the local, centuries-old trail system for riders and hikers. Proceeds from our fundraisers are donated to the Wyndham Land Trust, the Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret, the Last Green Valley, the New England Forestry Foundation, the Connecticut

Yvette Hollenbeck.

the use of the park and had a phenomenal turnout combining NEECA and the Athol YMCA for our first annual Triathlon. All of this was in addition to our regular schedule. Stay tuned for next year’s calendar, which comes out in early 2023 at neeca.org.

Drivers finally have a dedicated space at NEECA to practice, attend clinics, or just have fun. Althea Bramhall has spearheaded this new area of the park. If you’ve never tried driving this is a great place to come and check it out.

Our newest board member, Linda La Blanc, has added a new dimension to NEECA by offering birdwatching opportunities and a chance to learn about the flora and fauna in our wonderful multi-use park. Linda has put together an informational brochure. If you are interested, please come by the park and pick one up.

NEECA also has an updated map of the park, available at neeca.org.

We purchased a small building to house our new food booth. As always, we’re looking for volunteers to help with the additional events and to put in a few hours at the food booth. If you would like to meet fellow horse and nature friends and help with the local community, please reach out to any board member. Volunteering at any of our events is a great way to make new friends and have fun at the same time.

The board members have been hard at work planning the future of NEECA, which is very exciting for our horse community and all nature enthusiasts who share this incredible vision. Stay tuned for more information.

The park is growing and growing. If you would like to be part of it, please come by and see what NEECA is about. You’ll find supportive people, a lot of fun, diverse events, and of course, many equestrian activities. Please check our events calendar at neeca.org.

There’s sure to be a fun event for you!

Follow us on Facebook and learn more at neeca.org. We look forward to seeing you soon!

PHTA President Penny Foisey on Pip at the Chandler Farm Hunter Pace, Pomfret, Connecticut.

Horse Council, and the Windham-Tolland 4-H Horse Camp.

Katy and Alex worked for months to build jumps and cut trails through woods and fields, creating a six-mile, familyfriendly trail with jumps for all levels of riding. Riders competed in divisions that ranged from jumping to slower-paced trail riding. Everyone can ride at their own pace. The organizers aimed for a fox-hunting pace, which adjusts for the terrain and simulates the varying speeds of following hounds. Times ranged from 54 minutes in the Jumper division to nearly two hours for Trail Blazers. I placed fourth in Trail Blazers, proof that older riders like me can ride slowly and still be in the ribbons.

The course began at Chandler Farm, established in 1708 in the north end of Pomfret, and continued through neighboring land, thanks to the generosity of owners Barbara Lussier, Robert Craig, and the Wyndham Land Trust. Local photographers Jim Goodwin and Yvette Hollenbeck were among the many volunteers who

made the hunter pace a memorable community event.

Ride secretary Susan Jackson said the history and the beauty of the property made the event a privilege to ride. “Families have been farming this property for hundreds of years,” Susan says. “We’re incredibly fortunate to have landowners who still farm the land and who support our mission of preserving trails. We could not offer our fundraising events without them.”

The next event for PHTA is a Fall Foliage Ride on Sunday, October 16, in Woodstock, at the Cabbage Hill Preserve, which was recently donated to Wyndham Land Trust. For more information, visit pomfrethorseandtrail.com.

have been well attended. Our fall hunter pace will be held at Tyrone Farm on September 25, and our Intro to Foxhunting will also be held at Tyrone Farm in September.

Additionally, we will start hunting each weekend in September on Sundays, except when we have another event that day. We generally hunt until December, and if weather permits, after the first of the year.

y Lisette Rimer

Our biggest event of the year, the regional hound show, was held on Sunday, May 22.

As a member of the Masters of Foxhound Association (MFHA), each hunt club is required to host a hound show for two years in a row. The show in May was the 91st annual event for the New England region, of which there are seven hunt clubs. The MFHA represents hunt clubs throughout the U.S. and Canada. Our second-year hound show will be held in May 2023.

The show was held at Tyrone Farm in Pomfret. Established in 1742, Tyrone Farm is a beautiful event location for weddings and retreats. Tanheath Hunt Club also holds a hunter pace at Tyrone Farm, as well as our introduction to foxhunting, and several hunts throughout the season.

We have had several hunts throughout the spring and will resume hunting in early fall. Huntsmen Sherri Colby and John Ryan, along with Whipper-In Leslie Cashel, continue to work with the hounds to prepare for the fall season. In addition to caring for and housing the hounds, the hunt staff works with the hounds by exercising them, working them around horses, and exploring new locations. The older hounds generally mentor the younger hounds. We are a drag hunt, which means we lay a scent that the hounds can follow.

The scent can be laid by walkers, horseback riders, or persons on bicycles.

Our first two hunter paces of 2022

Jiri Schindler

Tanheath Hunt Club Tanheath Hunt Club future members showing hounds at the New England Hunts Hound Show hosted by the Tanheath Hunt.

We welcomed a new Master of Foxhounds, Karl Lieder, to the club. Karl was with the Long Lake Hounds in Minnesota before coming to Connecticut.

He’s replacing Kara Waldron who stepped down due to the demands of running a barn and an active lesson program. Thank you, Kara!

Foxhunting clubs usually have several masters who are responsible for the overall management and conduct of the hunt.

One of their most important duties is coordinating with landowners, which requires a fair amount of work and diplomacy.

Without the gracious support of landowners on whose property we hunt our club would cease to exist.

For details on upcoming events and general news about the club, visit tanheathhunt.org or our Facebook page. We invite you to attend our hunts as a spectator; a number of people do. And, if you are interested in foxhunting be sure to attend the Intro to Foxhunting event, where you can bring your horse or come on foot.

Feel free to contact Darcy Johnson MFH at bhf329@hotmail.com or (860) 942-6448 with questions.

y Raymond Hill

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Duntley 1895

This Olde Horse

Narragansett Pacer It’s not exactly clear when the first horse officially called a Narragansett Pacer appeared in Rhode Island, though it was likely in the late 1600s. Its emergence marked the first true American breed of horse.

In 1672, John Hull, the Massachusetts mintmaster who had properties in Narragansett and Cape Cod, wrote his partners with a proposal. If they fenced in part of their land and imported some particularly fine horses from Europe they might well produce a horse bred specifically for New England.

The region had few streets and riders needed horses different than English horses.The most prized English horses were bred for speed in flat racing. And work horses had lanes in which to work. Neither breed could master New England’s wilderness. Within a couple of decades, Hull’s vision would become reality.

Breeders in Rhode Island took an active role in promoting the horse perfect for the new colonies: The Narragansett Pacer. Unlike a racehorse bred to produce quick, bursting speed over a flat course, it was a relatively small horse, but bred and trained to move swiftly over rough terrain with tremendous endurance. As a pacer, it could carry a man 50 miles or more in a day.

The Narragansett was possibly an ambling horse, rather than a true pacing breed. It was known as a sure-footed, dependable breed, although not flashy or always good-looking. They were frequently crossed with other breeds, and provided the foundation for several other American breeds, including the American Saddlebred, Standardbred and Tennessee Walking Horse.

By the early 1770s, horses ranked among the top 10 colonial exports. Shipments of horses regularly left New England for the southern colonies and the Caribbean.

The Narragansett Pacer soon became the gold standard of horses in the colonies. George Washington owned a pair, which he highly valued. Paul Revere was said to have ridden a Narragansett Pacer on his famous midnight ride.

Though highly popular for more than 200 years, the Narragansett Pacer doesn’t exist today. As American roads improved in quality and travelers used coaches more widely, the pacer’s gait and size made it less desirable. Meanwhile, the horse would only get more attractive in the Caribbean for work on plantations and on the rough island roads. That led some to suspect the breeders simply shipped away the last of the Narragansett Pacer over time.

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Amesbury

This Olde Horse

This Olde Horse Clinton

Walton Groceries Wagon, Clinton, Connecticut.

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events CONNECTICUT

August 17 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Fox Ledge Farm, East Haddam. foxledgefarm.net.

18 – 21 FAIRFIELD “A” SHOW, Westport. huntclubonline.org.

19 DAN LOGUE MEMORIAL BUCKLE RUN, All In Farm, Woodbury. (203) 948-3374.

10 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW SERIES, Salem. treasurehillfarm.com.

10 CHSA CHJA SHOW, Avon. chsaonline.com.

10 WETHERSFIELD RIDE, Granby. granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

20 POLO MATCH, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

11 POLO MATCH, Greenwich. greenwichpoloclub.com.

20 – 21 UCONN HORSE WEEKEND, Overview of horse ownership and horsemanship, Storrs. uconnsummerriding.uconn.edu.

11 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW,Suffield. rideiea.org.

21 HORSE SHOW, Woodbury. frazierfarmct.com.

21 SNEHA SHOW SERIES, Glastonbury. snehassociation.com.

26 – 28 CHSA FINALS, Westbrook. chsaonline.com.

27 MOUNTED SHOOTING MATCH, Bethany. ctrenegades.com.

27 POLO MATCH, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

28 POLO MATCH, Greenwich. greenwichpoloclub.com.

28 HORSE TRIALS, Lakeville. useventing.com.

September

11 THE PINES, South Glastonbury. chsaonline.com.

17 CHSA CHJA SHOW, Suffield. endofhunt.com.

17 GHC OPEN FARM DAY, Granby. granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

17 POLO MATCH, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

17 CDA DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Columbia. ctdressage.org.

17 HAY BURR INN CONCERT ON THE ROOF, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

18 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Tolland. rideiea.org.

18 HORSE TRIALS, Woodbury. frazierfarmct.com.

2 – 4 CTRA LABOR DAY WEEKEND CAMPOUT, Camp Boardman, Goshen. cttrailridesassoc.org.

18 SNEHA SHOW SERIES, Glastonbury. snehassociation.com.

3 GHC OBSTACLE DAY, Granby. granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

18 CHJA CHSA SHOW, Simsbury. follyfarmshowstables.com.

3 POLO MATCH, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

18 MBLA FALL HUNTER PACE, Larkins’ Farm, Middlebury. Rain or shine. Pre-registration is mandatory. middleburybridle.org.

3 CHSA CHJA NEHC SHOW, Gales Ferry. nehc.info.

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10 POLO MATCH, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

4 CHSA CHJA SHOW, New Milford. quietreinfarm.com.

18 LYME HUNTER PACE, Lord Creek Farm, Lyme. lymetrailassociation.org.

4 POLO MATCH, Greenwich. greenwichpoloclub.com.

19 NEHC SHOW, Ashford. nehc.info.

4 CDA DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Bethany. ctdressage.org.

23 – 25 WESTBROOK GRAND FALL CLASSIC, Westbrook. nehc.info.

4 INTRO TO FOXHUNTING, Tyrone Farm, Pomfret Center. tanheathhunt.org.

24 POLO MATCH, Farmington. farmingtonpoloclub.com.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

24 NEHC CHJA CHSA SHOW, Simsbury. nehc.info.

24 – 25 CTRA MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND CAMPOUT, Camp Boardman, Goshen. cttrailridesassoc.org.

24 – 25 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MOUNTED SHOOTING MATCH, Old Bethany Airport, Bethany. ctrenegades.com.

25 END OF HUNT FALL SHOW, Suffield. endofhunt.com.

25 SUNSHINE SHOW SERIES, Somers. shallowbrook.com.

25 CROSS-COUNTRY DERBY, Ayer Mountain, North Franklin. sites.google.com/site/ayermountain.

25 NEHC CHJA SHOW, Westport. nehc.info.

25 CCBA SHOW, Glastonbury. connecticut-color-breedassociation.mailchimpsites.com.

25 TANHEATH HUNT FALL HUNTER PACE, Tyrone Farm, Pomfret. tanheathhunt.org.

26 NEHC SHOW, Ashford. nehc.info.

October 1 RRRC FUN DAY, Stafford Springs. reddingtonrockridingclub.org.

1 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Lebanon. rideiea.org.

1 CHSA CHJA SHOW, Avon. chsaonline.com.

Fox Ledge Farm

2 CTRA COCKAPONSETT STATE FOREST RIDE, Chester. cttrailridesassoc.org.

Dressage Training with a Winning Tradition

2 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Simsbury. rideiea.org.

Ann Guptill

2 CDCTA DRESSAGE AND COMBINED TRAINING SCHOOLING SHOW SERIES, Treasure Hill Farm, Salem. cdctaonline.com.

2 BLESSING OF THE HOUNDS, Little Dipper Farm, Brooklyn. tanheathhunt.org.

2 VERSATILITY CLINIC, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

2 THE PINES, South Glastonbury. chsaonline.com.

7 SUSAN FAY CLINIC, Dream Rider Farm, Ridgefield. onehorsemanship.com.

7 – 8 CROSS-COUNTRY DERBY, Canterbury. horsepowerfarm.info.

8 CREEPIN’ INTO HALLOWEEN MOUNTED SHOOTING MATCH, Old Bethany Airport, Bethany. ctrenegades.com.

USET Pan Am Dressage Team Silver USDF Certified Instructor & Examiner USDF “L” Judge Graduate USPC Graduate A

Offering:

age Dress Show ling Schoo eries S ly 20 2 . Ju June 2 ust 17 Aug

Board . Training . Lessons . Clinics All Levels Welcome . Exercise & Layup Conditioning Show Prep, Coaching . Indoor & Outdoor Facilities Schooling Show Series . Trails & Open Fields Staff On Site 24/7

29-A Daniels Road, East Haddam, CT (860) 873-8108 . eqarts@snet.net www.foxledgefarm.net Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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8 USEF CHJA SHOW, Ridgefield. steppingstonefarmct.com.

16 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Granby. rideiea.org.

8 CHSA CHJA SHOW, Hebron. chsaonline.com.

16 CHSA CHJA SHOW, Avon. chsaonline.com.

8 CHJA SHOW, Ethel Walker School, Simsbury. chja.net.

16 HAY BURR INN HAUNTED TRAIL, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

8 VERSATILITY COMPETITION AND TRAIL CHALLENGE, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

22 THE PINES, South Glastonbury. chsaonline.com.

9 SNEHA FUN SHOW, Glastonbury. snehassociation.com.

9 OPEN SCHOOLING SHOW, Portland. white-birch-farm-llc.com.

9 CHSA CHJA SHOW, Gales Ferry. chsaonline.com.

10 THRILLS IN THE HILLS, Morris. foxcrossingequestrian.com.

15 WHITE MEMORIAL RIDE, Litchfield.granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

15 CHJA CHSA SHOW, Simsbury. follyfarmshowstables.com.

15 – 16 NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC, Dream View Farm, Meriden. (203) 537-7233.

16 HORSE SHOW, Woodbury. frazierfarmct.com.

16 PHTA FALL FOLIAGE RIDE, Woodstock and Pomfret. pomfrethorseandtrail.com.

HORSE POWER FARM An Eventing Facility Lessons • Boarding Clinics • Test & Tune Schooling

Cross-Country Derbies August 5/6 . October 7/8 Paperless Entry & Payment

Ann Bowie BHSII(T) Canterbury, CT horsepowerfarm.info 860.334.1772 102

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

22 HAY BURR INN HAUNTED TRAIL, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

23 USEF/USDF DRESSAGE SHOW, Bethany. centerlineevents.com.

23 FROST ON THE PUMPKIN HUNTER PACE, Newtown. nblact.com.

23 CHSA SHOW, Suffield. endofhunt.com.

28 HAY BURR INN HAUNTED TRAIL, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

29 RRRC FALL RIDE AND HALLOWEEN PARTY, Stafford Springs. reddingtonrockridingclub.org.

29 GHC GREAT PUMPKIN RIDE, TBA. granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

29 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Avon. rideiea.org.

29 RATED SHOW, Somers. shallowbrook.com.

29 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Manchester. rideiea.org.

30 CHSA SHOW, Westbrook. chsaonline.com.

30 VERSATILITY CLINIC, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

30 HALLOWEEN FUN RIDE, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

30 SCHOOLING SHOW, Bridle Brook Barns, Marlborough. bridlebrookbarns.com.

30 CMHA LANCE WETMORE MEMORIAL TRAIL RIDE, East Lyme.

Approximately 10 miles, open to all breeds. ctmorgans.org.

November 5 CTRA ANNUAL BANQUET AND MEETING, Monticello Banquet Facility, Meriden. cttrailridesassoc.org.

5 VERSATILITY COMPETITION AND TRAIL CHALLENGE, Babcock Hill Horses Naturally, Coventry. babcockhill.com.

5 GHC LAST HURRAH RIDE, Granby. granbyhorsecouncilct.com, 5 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Lebanon. rideiea.org.

5 CHSA SHOW, Avon. chsaonline.com.

6 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Manchester. rideiea.org.

6 CHSA SHOW, Gales Ferry. chsaonline.com.

12 THE PINES, South Glastonbury. chsaonline.com.

12 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Manchester. rideiea.org.

13 HOLIDAY MARKET, Old Lyme. highhopestr.org.

13 HUNTER TRIALS, Franklin. tanheathhunt.org.

13 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Avon. rideiea.org.

13 USEF CHJA SHOW, Ridgefield. steppingstonefarmct.com.

Join us!

We are a small but dedicated group, passionate about horses and hounds, friendly and helpful to newcomers.

Intro to Foxhunting September 4 Fall Hunter Pace September 25 Blessing of the Hounds October 2 Hunter Trials November 13 Turkey Trot November 20

13 CHSA SHOW, Westbrook. chsaonline.com.

19 CHSA SHOW, Hebron. chsaonline.com.

19 – 20 LISA SCHMIDT CLINIC, Bethany. sperryviewfarm.com.

20 BSTRA THOMPSON RACEWAY RIDE, Thompson. bstra.org.

20 TANHEATH HUNT TURKEY TROT, Bass Farm, Scotland. tanheathhunt.org.

20 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Simsbury. rideiea.org.

www.TanheathHunt.org Follow us on Facebook: Tanheath Hunt Club Darcy Johnson MFH (860) 942-6448 Karl Lieder MFH (612) 859-0202 William Wentworth (860) 933-3523

20 TURKEY TROT, Bluff Point State Park, Groton. ctmorgans.org.

20 RATED SHOW, Somers. shallowbrook.com.

26 CHSA SHOW, Westbrook. chsaonline.com.

27 CHJA CHSA SHOW, Simsbury. follyfarmshowstables.com.

December 4 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Somers. rideiea.org.

18 HAY BURR INN WINTER TRAIL OF LIGHTS, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

29 WINTER TRAIL OF LIGHTS, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

January 7 WINTER TRAIL OF LIGHTS, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

29 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Tolland. rideiea.org.

February 13 HAY BURR INN BE MY VALENTINE VIRTUAL EVENT, Plainfield. hayburrinn.org.

r no Rai e!

Shin

FALL HUNTER PACE Sunday, September 18 Larkins’ Farm, 747 South St., Middlebury, CT Divisions: Hunt, Pleasure, Junior, Western 1st-10th place ribbons in each division Prizes for 1st place team in each division.

Points earned toward trophies in Associated Bridle Trails Series.

Pre-registration is mandatory!

By September 10, 2022. Don’t worry, MBLA offers a no-worries registration — if you don’t ride, for whatever reason, your check will be returned to you!

Register at middleburybridle.org.

Questions? Shawnalee at (203) 598-0065 or info@middleburybridle.org.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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events MASSACHUSETTS

August

18 – 19 JERRY SCHURINK CLINIC, Millis. appleknoll.com.

15 – 19 NORFOLK HUNT PONY CLUB CLINIC, Millis. appleknoll.com.

18 – 21 NEHC SHOW, Westport. nehc.info.

17 JUMPER SHOW SERIES, Millis. appleknoll.com.

19 JUMPER NIGHT, Uxbridge. azraelacres.com.

17 BRIGGS STABLE MINI SHOW, Hanover. briggsstable.com.

20 EQUINE RESCUE AND SAFETY CLINIC, Millis. crdressage.org.

17 SOUTH COAST JUMPER SHOW, Valinor Farm, Plymouth. southcoastseries.com.

20 – 21 LUKE REINBOLD CLINIC, Uxbridge. azraelacres.com.

17 – 20 MASSACHUSETTS MORGAN SHOW, West Springfield. massmorgan.com.

17 – 21 SUMMER SHOWCASE I, Halifax. fieldstoneshowpark.com.

20 – 21 NEPHC SUMMA’ IN THE HAMPTONS SHOW, Northampton. nephc.com.

21 HDA DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Briggs Stable, Hanover. heritage-dressage.org.

21 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Xenophon Farm, Montague. mente.dressage@gmail.com.

18 MHC NEHC SHOW, Ipswich. backbayfarm.com.

We Speak Fluent Neigh!

A Few Stalls Available Now! Boarding . Training . Onsite Leases Accepting Students Ages 8 and Up Owner is an Eventer . Open to all riding styles!

All-day Turnout, Stalls with Run Outs, Individual Turnouts, and Pasture Board Heated Tack Room . Indoor Arena Round Pen . Trails . Outdoor Arena

Kate Cameron

4 Plain Road, Hatfield, Mass.

(978) 739-4707 www.RedMareFarm.com RedMareFarmLLC@gmail.com 104

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

hase Two-P e Show ssag & Dre 30 er

Octob

on up Poles ice of d n u o o ors ch nd Gr ine a competit ts.

L d a Le tes nly USDF age-o .

Dress USEA or attire m r al o f n i but Neat

Apple Knoll Farm Events Lynne Kimball-Davis Clinics August 13 & 14 September 10 & 11 . October 15 & 16 contact cburkhart3636@gmail.com

Norfolk Hunt Pony Club Clinic August 15 – 19

Jerry Schurink Clinic

Lainey Ashker Clinic

August 18 & 19

October 29 & 30 contact zinabaltopouloseventing@gmail.com

Charles River Dressage Association Equine Rescue & Safety Clinic August 20 . crdressage.org

Northbridge Equine Challenge Series

Jumper Shows

IEA Dressage Shows

Aug. 10 . Aug. 17 . Aug. 24 August 31 - Finale with Awards

August 21 . October 23

Area I Schooling Horse Trials Championships

Dressage Schooling Shows August 7 . Sept. 18 crdressage.org

September 17

USEA Horse Trials October 1

New England Miniature Horse Society Show Aug. 6

nemhs.org

lists Prize forms r t n y . and e knoll.com le e p p at: a the websit Check as events often dded! are a

Our MISSION is to provide a safe, comfortable, and well-equipped facility for horses and riders to develop the skills and confidence required for the sport of Eventing.

APPLE KNOLL FARM 25 Forest Lane, Millis, Massachusetts (508) 376-2564 | AppleKnoll.com Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

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21 IEA DRESSAGE SHOW, Millis. rideiea.org.

3 HDA DRESSAGE VIRTUAL SHOW. heritage-dressage.org.

21 BSTRA GALLOPING GOURMET RIDE, Royalston. bstra.org.

3 USEF USEA HORSE TRIALS, Sherborn. coursebrookfarm.com.

21 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Independence Stable, Belchertown. independencestablellc.com

3 CAPE COD HUNTER FINALS, Next Venture Farm, Medway. capecodhunter.com.

21 WNEPHA SHOW, White Horse Hill, Richmond. wnepha.com.

3 – 4 BLANDFORD FAIR SHOW, Blandford. (413) 695-8343.

21 NEECA GYMKHANA, Athol. neeca.org.

3 – 4 MYOPIA HUNT SHOW, South Hamilton. myopiahunt.com.

21 TWO-PHASE AND DRESSAGE SHOW, Dracut. cutterfarm.com.

4 SCHOOLING JUMPER SHOW, Athol. heronscreststables.com.

21 MHC NEHC SHOW, Haverhill. ridecornerstone.com.

4 WNEPHA SHOW, Harmony HIll, Great Barrington. wnepha.com.

21 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIAL, Plymouth. valinorfarm.com.

4 HRC OPEN SHOW, Hanover. hansonridingclub.com.

21 CHARLES RIVER PANORAMA HUNTER PACE, Medfield. norfolkhunt.com.

4 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS, Sherborn. coursebrookfarm.com.

23 – 27 SUMMER SHOWCASE II, Halifax. fieldstoneshowpark.com.

4 SOUTH COAST HUNTER SHOW, Grazing Fields Farm, Buzzards Bay. southcoastseries.com.

24 NEECA TRY IT OUT DAY/GUIDED TRAIL RIDE, Athol. neeca.org.

4 CAPE COD HUNTER V, Medway. capecodhunter.com.

24 JUMPER SHOW SERIES, Millis. appleknoll.com.

7 – 11 NORTHEAST CLASSIC, Halifax. fieldstoneshowpark.com.

24 BRIGGS STABLE MINI SHOW, Hanover. briggsstable.com.

10 LUKE REINBOLD CONFIDENCE THROUGH HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC, Lanesboro. stonebridgegypsies.com.

26 JUMPER NIGHT, Uxbridge. azraelacres.com.

26 – 28 SUMMER CLASSIC, West Springfield. nefhc.com.

27 OPEN SHOW, Uxbridge. azraelacres.com.

27 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Plympton. rideiea.org.

28 CMHSS SHOW, Camp Marshall, Spencer. cmhss.org 28 MHJ FINALS, Halifax. fieldstoneshowpark.com.

28 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Amherst. rideiea.org.

28 MHC NEHC SHOW, Haverhill. ridecornerstone.com.

28 WNEPHA SHOW, SJH Equestrian, Richmond. wnepha.com.

28 CCEA GYMKHANA SERIES, South Yarmouth. ccequineassoc.com.

10 LENOX TUB PARADE, Lenox. colonialcarriage.org.

10 NEECA MICROCHIPPING CLINIC, Athol. neeca.org.

10 – 11 LYNNE KIMBALL-DAVIS CLINIC, Millis. appleknoll.com.

11 MHC PLEASURE CLASSIC SHOW, Hanover. mahorsecouncil.com.

11 MERRIMACK VALLEY DRESSAGE SHOW, Bradford Equestrian Center, Haverhill. (978) 374-0008.

11 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Hatfield. rerponies.com.

11 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Lakeville. belandstables.com.

28 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Middleboro. rideiea.org.

11 ZONE 1 ASPCA MACLAY REGIONALS, Halifax. fieldstoneshowpark.com.

31 JUMPER SHOW SERIES, Millis. appleknoll.com.

11 WNEPHA SHOW, Bellwether Stables, Richmond. wnepha.com.

September

11 MHC WNEPHA SHOW, Hancock. bellwetherstable.com.

2 JUMPER NIGHT, Uxbridge. azraelacres.com.

106

10 COW SORTING, Attleboro. countrysidefarmma.com.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

11 MHC NEHC SHOW, Haverhill. ridecornerstone.com.

WNEPHA JOIN US!

The Western New England chapter of the Professional Horsemen’s Association of America holds Hunter, Jumper, and Dressage Shows.

HUNTER/JUMPER EQUITATION SHOWS August 14 . Grindstone Mountain, Southampton, MA August 21 . White Horse Hill, Richmond, MA August 28 . SJH Equestrian, Richmond, MA September 4 . Harmony Hill, Great Barrington, MA

FINALS

r9

Octobe

September 11 . Bellwether Stables, Richmond, MA

om epha.c Visit wn r mo e! to learn

September 18 . White Horse HIll, Richmond, MA September 25 . SJH Equestrian, Richmond, MA October 2 . Harmony Hill, Great Barrington, MA

October 9 . WNEPHA FINALS, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center South Hadley, MA October 23 . Muddy Brook FArm, Amherst, MA

Year-end awards in many divisions.

Full schedule can be found at

WNEPHA.com An organization for horsemen, by horsemen.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

107

11 RRDC OPEN SHOW, Rowley. rowleyridinganddrivingclub.webs.com.

18 CRDA DRESSAGE SHOW, Millis. crdressage.org.

11 CCEA OPEN SHOW, South Yarmouth. ccequineassoc.com.

10 – 11 REGIONAL 4-H SHOW, Northampton. regional4hhorse.com.

14 – 18 BIG E HUNTER SHOW, West Springfield. nehc.info.

15 GYMKHANA SERIES, Apple Creek Farm, Northfield.

(413) 977-9847.

16 SUMMERTIME SCHOOLING SERIES, Chana Dero Stables, Douglas. (774) 276-6039.

16 – 18 NBHA STATE FINALS, Northampton. ctnbha01.com.

17 NEECA HUNTER PACE, Athol. neeca.org.

17 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP, Millis. appleknoll.com.

18 IEA DRESSAGE SHOW, Amherst. rideiea.org.

18 WRC TRAIL RIDE, Knightville Dam, Huntington. westfieldridingclub.org.

18 SCHOOLING TWO-PHASE AND DRESSAGE SHOW, Dracut. cutterfarm.com.

18 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Buzzards Bay. rideiea.org.

18 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Independence Stable, Belchertown. independencestablellc.com 18 SOUTH EAST HUNTER III, Medway. southeasthunter.com.

18 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Xenophon Farm, Montague. mente.dressage@gmail.com.

18 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Holliston. rideiea.org.

18 NEECA GYMKHANA, Athol. neeca.org.

18 MIDDLESEX KNIGHT RIDERS 4-H CLUB GYMKHANA SHOW, Westford. (978) 424-1241.

18 BSTRA SUE BRAINARD MEMORIAL FALL HUNTER PACE, Douglas. bstra.org.

18 SCHOOLING JUMPER SHOW, Wildflower Stables, Norfolk. wildflowerstables.com.

MHC Pleasure Classic Finals Sponsored by the Massachusetts Horsemen’s Council Double Point MHC Show Affiliated with NEHC, SSHC Open and Breed Classes More than 100 exhibitors compete for great prizes and awards offered in a multitude of Open, Breed, Pleasure, Western, Saddle Seat, and Equitation classes in two rings to ensure a variety of classes.

Sunday, September 11, at Briggs Stable, 623 Hanover Street, Hanover, Mass.

Show Begins Promptly at 8 a.m.

Pleasure Classic Finals: Hunter, Saddle Seat, Western Walk Trot Pleasure Classics: MHC Walk Trot 10 & Under, SSHC Walk Trot 11 & Older (No qualifying needed for Walk Trot Classics)

Lifetime Pleasure Horse Achievement Award • Community Horse Youth Award

For more information, please visit mahorsecouncil.com.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

18 WNEPHA SHOW, White Horse Hill, Richmond. wnepha.com.

21 – 25 BIG E SHOW, West Springfield. nehc.info.

23 – 25 NHHJA FALL CLASSIC AND MEDAL FINALS, Northampton. nhhja.com.

RO

BIN

D. P E T E RS

EN

24 HORSE TRIALS, Uxbridge. azraelacres.com.

24 NEXT VENTURE SHOW VII, Medway. nv-farm.com.

24 COW SORTING, Attleboro. countrysidefarmma.com.

25 CMHSS SHOW, Camp Marshall, Spencer. cmhss.org.

25 HCRC RIDE, Hawley. hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

25 IEA WESTERN SHOW, Pepperell. rideiea.org.

MHC NEHC HORSE SHOWS May 15 & August 18 50 CANDLEWOOD RD., IPSWICH, MA

BACKBAYFARM.COM

978-356-0730

25 MHC NEHC SHOW, Bolton. centurymillstables.com.

25 WNEPHA SHOW, SJH Equestrian, Richmond. wnepha.com.

25 SPECIAL OLYMPICS OF MASSACHUSETTS EQUESTRIAN, Hanover. briggsstable.com.

29 – October 2 MHC DAYS OF CHAMPIONS, Northampton. mahorsecouncil.com.

October 1 NEECA ELWIN BACON DAY, Athol. neeca.org.

1 BSTRA WILD WEST RIDE, Upton. bstra.org.

1 USEA HORSE TRIALS, Millis. appleknoll.com.

x Training x Drill Team

Lessons Clinics

Horse Shows Games Nights Summer Camps

2 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, Hanover. heritage-dressage.org.

2 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Hatfield. rerponies.com.

2 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Acton. rideiea.org.

2 WNEPHA SHOW, Harmony HIll, Great Barrington. wnepha.com.

2 IEA WESTERN SHOW, Orange. rideiea.org.

2 NEECA GYMKHANA, Athol. neeca.org.

6 – 7 BILL RICHEY DESENSITIZATION CLINIC, Four Seasons Stables at Tabletop Farm, Lanesboro. (413) 442-8292.

CrimsonAcres.org Orange, MA

110

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

8 – 9 BILL RICHEY DESENSITIZATION CLINIC, Four Seasons Stables at Tabletop Farm, Lanesboro. (413) 442-8292.

8 NEXT VENTURE SHOW VIII, Medway. nv-farm.com.

8 COW SORTING, Attleboro. countrysidefarmma.com.

8 – 9 BRDC FALL TRAIL RIDE WEEKEND, Barre. barreridingdrivingclub.com.

9 MHC NEHC SHOW, Bolton. centurymillstables.com.

9 HILLTOWN MISFITS 4-H FUN DAY, Goshen. hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

9 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Lakeville. belandstables.com.

9 HUNTER & EQUITATION SHOW, Byfield. evenstrideltd.com.

9 ONBH HUNTER PACE SERIES, Red Rail Farm, Lincoln. oldnorthbridgehounds.org.

9 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS, Groton. grotonponyclub.org.

9 GYMKHANA AND FUN DAY, Blandford. (413) 695-8343.

9 WNEPHA FINALS, Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Center, South Hadley. wnepha.com.

9 CCEA GYMKHANA SERIES, South Yarmouth. ccequineassoc.com.

15 CNEER FALL FESTIVAL, West Brookfield. centralnewenglandequinerescue.com.

15 –16 LYNNE KIMBALL-DAVIS CLINIC, Millis. appleknoll.com.

16 SCHOOLING TWO-PHASE AND DRESSAGE SHOW, Dracut. cutterfarm.com.

16 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Groton. rideiea.org.

16 HCRC FALL FOLIAGE RIDE, Northfield Mountain. hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

22 GHC ROBINSON PARK RIDE, Agawam. granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

22 SPHSS OPEN SHOW, South Hadley. mhcriding.com .

23 WNEPHA SHOW, Muddy Brook Farm, Amherst. wnepha.com.

23 SCHOOLING TWO-PHASE, Rehoboth. palmerriver.com.

23 HCRC HUNTER PACE, Corinthian Farm, Chester. hampshirecountyridingclub.org.

23 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIAL, Plymouth. valinorfarm.com.

23 DRESSAGE SCHOOLING SHOW, White Spruce Farms, New Braintree. whitesprucefarms.com.

Presents the 28th

Equine Expo & Tack Sale Saturday, April 22, 2023 . 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Large vendor marketplace selling new and used items!

Plus services for the horse, rider, and driver. Demos. $5 Admission . children under 10 free Vendor Spaces Available . Free Parking Held Indoors . Arena Building at the Topsfield Fairgrounds

Contact Kay at: 978-768-6275 or kljoreo@aol.com Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

111

Independence Stable

23 IEA DRESSAGE SHOW, Millis. rideiea.org.

29 MHC NEHC SHOW, Haverhill. ridecornerstone.com.

29 – 30 LAINEY ASHKER CLINIC, Millis. appleknoll.com.

30 BSTRA BIG PUMPKIN RIDE, Upton. bstra.org.

30 SCHOOLING HORSE TRIALS, Sherborn. coursebrookfarm.com.

Dressage Schooling Shows Traditional & Western Dressage Tests

June 12 . July 10 August 21 . September 18 Personalized Boarding & Training Riding & Carriage Driving Instruction

404 S. Washington St. Belchertown, Mass.

(413) 284-0371

independencestablellc.com

Hampshire County Riding Club Events!

30 SOUTH COAST HUNTER SHOW, Grazing Fields Farm, Buzzards Bay. southcoastseries.com.

30 TWO-PHASE AND DRESSAGE SHOW, Red Mare Farm, Hatfield. redmarefarm.com.

November 5 NEECA SOCIAL, Ellinwood Country Club, Athol. neeca.org.

5 MHC SHOW, Pembroke. riverwindfarm.com.

5 GHC LAST HURRAH RIDE, Granville. granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

6 BSTRA TURKEY TROT, Carver. bstra.org.

6 SCHOOLING DRESSAGE SHOW, Lakeville. belandstables.com.

6 EASTERN REGIONAL PLEASURE RIDE, North Brookfield Sportsmen’s Club, North Brookfield. (508) 867-7855.

12 NEXT VENTURE SHOW IX, Medway. nv-farm.com.

13 MHC NEHC SHOW, Haverhill. ridecornerstone.com.

SEPTEMBER 25 - Hawley State Forest Ride OCTOBER 9 - Hilltown Misfits 4-H Club Open Fun Day, Goshen OCTOBER 16 - Northfield Mountain Fall Foliage Ride

19 NEECA CASH GYMKHANA, Athol. neeca.org.

19 MHC SHOW, Pembroke. riverwindfarm.com.

26 MHC SHOW, Pembroke. riverwindfarm.com.

27 SCHOOLING JUMPER SHOW, Dracut. cutterfarm.com.

OCTOBER 23 - Hunter Pace at Corinthian Farm in Chester

27 HUNTER & EQUITATION SHOW, Byfield. evenstrideltd.com.

Some rides are members only. Learn more about all our events and meetings and join us today at

December

HampshireCountyRidingClub.org Hampshire County, Massachusetts

112

19 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Berlin. rideiea.org.

Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

4 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Medway. rideiea.org.

Want to see your event(s) here?

Event listings are free! Submit your event date, name, location, and contact website, email, or phone number to events@communityhorse.org by February 5, 2023 to be in the Spring/Summer 2023 issue.

events RHODE ISLAND

August

13 – 14 ERI 4-H FAIR, Glen Park, Portsmouth. web.uri.edu/4h/programs/animal-projects/horse/.

17 RIHA, NEHC, SEHA SHOW, Portsmouth. sandypointstables.com.

19 –21 KINDFUL TRAINING WITH CATHY DRUMM, Fairwinds Farm, North Kingstown, cathydrumm.com.

16 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Smithfield. rideiea.org.

16 NEHC RIHA SHOW, East Greenwich. dapperdanfarm.com.

28 – 30 KINDFUL TRAINING WITH CATHY DRUMM, Fairwinds Farm, North Kingstown. cathydrumm.com.

30 RIHA, NEHC, SEHA SHOW, Portsmouth. sandypointstables.com.

20 NEHC RIHA SHOW, East Greenwich. dapperdanfarm.com.

30 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Smithfield. rideiea.org.

September

30 SCHOOLING SHOW, Westerly. dphorses.weebly.com.

3 – 4 RI EQUITATION CHAMPIONSHIPS, Mystic Valley Hunt Club, Gales Ferry. rihorsemen.com.

11 OPEN SCHOOLING SHOW, Foster. cornerstonefarmri.com.

17 – 18 EQUINE FIRST AID TRAINING, Brookside Equestrian Center, North Smithfield. equinefirstaideastcoast@gmail.com.

18 IEA HUNT SEAT SHOW, Tiverton. rideiea.org.

18 SCHOOLING SHOW, Downeast Performance Horses, Westerly. dphorses.weebly.com.

November 6 RIHA SHOW, Hunter Ridge, Ashaway. nehc.info.

13 RIHA, NEHC, SEHA SHOW, Portsmouth. sandypointstables.com.

27 NEHC RIHA SHOW, Hunter Ridge, Ashaway. nehc.info.

BLAZE ORANGE HORSEWEAR

18 HORSE PLAY RESCUE’S BENEFIT RIDE, Goddard Memorial State Park, East Greenwich. horseplayrescue.org.

24 RIHJ SHOW, Coventry. (508) 561-1298.

25 RIHA, NEHC, SEHA SHOW, Portsmouth. sandypointstables.com.

30 – October 2 KINDFUL TRAINING WITH CATHY DRUMM, Fairwinds Farm, North Kingstown, cathydrumm.com.

October 1 GHC BEACH RIDE, Charlestown. granbyhorsecouncilct.com.

1 NEHC RIHA SHOW, East Greenwich. dapperdanfarm.com.

1 YELLOW HORSE FALL FESTIVAL, Ashaway. yellow-horse-equine.com 9 OPEN SCHOOLING SHOW, Foster. cornerstonefarmri.com.

15 RIHJ SHOW, Coventry. (508) 561-1298.

For hunting season, riding safety, and visibility.

vests . tailbags . half sheets . halters helmet covers . collars . dog vests

The Original Equine Protectavest protectavest.com . (207) 892-0161 Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

113

Directory Connecticut CAT SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC

TEAM Mobile Feline Spay/Neuter Clinic Throughout Connecticut (888) FOR-TEAM; everyanimalmatters.org TEAM brings affordable spay/neuter and vaccination services for cats to more than 25 communities statewide. Any Connecticut cat — domestic, barn cat, stray, or feral — is welcomed aboard. Low cost. Call now to book your appointment.

DRESSAGE

Fox Ledge Farm Ann Guptill; East Haddam, CT (860) 873-8108; foxledgefarm.net USET Pan Am Dressage Team Silver, USDF Certified Instructor and Examiner, USPC Graduate A, and USDF “L” Judge Graduate. Training, lessons, board, clinics.

All levels welcome. Schooling show series. Wooded trails, and open, rolling fields. Ad on page 101.

EDUCATION, RIDING PROGRAMS

The Ethel Walker School Simsbury, CT (860) 408-4200; ethelwalker.org Pamela J. Safford, Assistant Head for Admission and Enrollment admission@ethelwalker.org At Walker’s, riders train on campus in the hunter, jumper, and equitation disciplines to achieve regional and national titles under the guidance of our nationally recognized trainers. Ad on page 47.

EQUESTRIAN ATTORNEY

Sean Hogan, Esq. Westport, CT (203) 221-3250; seanhoganlaw.com Attorney focusing on estate planning and assisting trainers, owners, and investors in equine-related transactions and litigation in Connecticut, New York, and before the USEF. Ad on page 43.

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Community Horse Fall/Winter 2022

EQUINE DENTISTRY

Dillon’s Equine Dentistry Edward F. Dillon Serving New England (508) 528-2242 (voice/text); dilloneq.com Overall dental care for horses, ponies, minis, and donkeys. Twenty-five years experience. Tooth extractions, no power tools, no sedation required, no farm call fee. New customers welcome.

EQUESTRIAN PROPERTIES

Vogel Team at William Raveis Real Estate (860) 840-4720; lorivogel.com Team Vogel is dedicated to the listing and sale of equestrian estates, luxury properties, and professional horse facilities throughout southern New England. Years of experience and award-winning service. We understand it’s not just a home, it’s a lifestyle. Ad on page 123.

EQUINE MASSAGE

Equine Massage by Kathleen Curran Redding, CT (203) 297-3008; kathy.curran@snet.net How about a nice massage? For your horse! Certified

by Equissage. Call or email for your introductory offer!

EQUINE RESCUES

Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue East Hampton, CT (860) 467-6587; ctdraftrescue.org CDHR rescues, rehabilitates, retrains, and rehomes at-risk draft horses in the Northeast. We host gelding clinics, educate horse owners about responsible care, and help struggling horse owners.

Rising Starr Horse Rescue Wilton, CT (203) 257-8345; risingstarrhorserescue.org We rescue, rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome at-risk horses. Adoptions, sponsorships, and volunteer opportunities. Programs with weekly fun and education. We give horses a second chance. 501(c)(3).

FEED & FARM SUPPLIES Benedict’s Home & Garden 480 Purdy Hill Road, Monroe, CT (203) 268-2537; benedictsgarden.com Serving Monroe and surrounding area since 1950.

Feeds: Blue Seal, Nutrena, Triple Crown, Kalmbach/ Tribute, New Country Organics. Hay, shavings, straw.

Horse/pet supplies and poultry/poultry supplies.

Lock, Stock & Barrel Bethany, CT; (203) 393-0002; lsbfarmsupply.com Blue Seal, Purina, Standlee, Triple Crown, Cavalor, Nutrena, and more. Shavings, hay, tack, supplements, barn supplies, fencing, tractors, power equipment, and equipment service. Ad on page 124.

Pleasant View Farms Somers, CT (860) 698-2388; pleasantviewfarmsinc.com Premium quality hay, small and large square bales, large round bales, timothy, timothy/orchard grass, orchard grass/alfalfa, alfalfa. Bagged and bulk grains, bagged shavings pellets, hemp, and straw. Pick up and delivery. Ad on pages 16 and 17.

FINANCING & LOANS Farm Credit East 240 South Road, Enfield, CT (800) 762-3276; countrylivingloans.com Loans for building a country life. Financing for farms, home construction, land, equestrian facilities. Our lending experts specialize in financing rural properties.

Ad on pages 28 and 29.

HORSEMANSHIP

Babcock Hill Horses Naturally Dawn Bonin Horsemanship Coventry, CT; (860) 985-7611 (cell); dawnbonin.com Lessons, versatility clinics and competitions, versatility course, sales/leases, two outdoor rings, indoor arena, miles of trails. Competitions. Ad on page 26.

Rebecca Hathaway Horsemanship Manager, Sandy Hook Equestrian Center Newtown, CT (203) 313-6389 (voice/text); rebecca-hathaway.com

Riding lessons, horse training, natural horsemanship, boarding. Equitation, jumping, dressage lessons, horsemanship groundwork/riding, haul-ins welcome.

Self-esteem and confidence building, improve cognitive skills, problem solving, games, and fitness.

INSURANCE

A & B Insurance Group Licensed in MA, NH, VT, ME, CT & RI (978) 399-0025; abinsgroup.com Insurance for all your equine needs. Farm and equine, equine mortality, horse owner’s liability. Our agents have been serving the equestrian community for a combined 50 plus years. Ad on page 8.

American National Lisbon: (860) 376-2393 or (860) 808-6608 Middlefield: (860) 349-7064 Ad on pages 68 and 69.

Don Ray Insurance Terri Ray Serving CT, MA, and RI (781) 837-6550; donrayinsurance.com Competitive rates, educated service, and help substantiating values. Mortality and major medical, farm packages, horse associations and clubs, directors and officers, horse shows, clinics, expo coverage, instructor liability, and payment plans. Ad on page 18.

JUMP EQUIPMENT & TACK BOXES

Salty Dawg Equine Services Serving MA, CT, and RI (508) 259-6924; saltydawgequine.com Custom-made jumps, tack trunks, bit boxes, and more.

Great for year-end awards. View photos at saltydawg equine.com and on Facebook. Ad on page 4.

MANURE REMOVAL

Associated Refuse Hauler Newtown, CT (203) 426-8870; associatedrefuse.com Containerized manure removal for one to 100 horses; containers from 4- to 30-cubic yards. Serving Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield Counties in CT, Westchester and Putnam Counties in NY. Ad on page 78.

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REHAB, LAYUP, AND RETIREMENT BOARDING

Amberfield Farm Newtown, CT (203) 209-1439; amberfieldfarm.com A boutique-style equine rehab, layup, and retirement facility with many amenities to ensure the comfort and safety of your horse. We offer fully customized care, access to therapeutic equipment, specialized medical management, quality feeds, and a variety of turnout choices. Careful consideration is given to every aspect of your horse’s well-being.

TACK REPAIRS & LEATHER WORK

Awl for the Horse Fran Hornick (203) 371-5635; awl4thehorse@gmail.com Repair work for English, western, harness, and more.

Refinishing, conditioning, custom work, leather carving. By appointment only; leave detailed message.

TACK SHOPS

Equestrian Outfitters Somers, CT; (860) 749-4420; revct1@yahoo.com Your source for all things equine new and used.

Riders helping riders since 1986! English, western saddle seat, and dressage. Supplies, blanket cleaning, horse clothing, gifts, tack, apparel. Ad on page 41.

THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS

High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Old Lyme, CT; (860) 434-1974; highhopestr.org High Hopes is seeking volunteers to support its inclusive equine-assisted services — riding; carriage driving; unmounted horsemanship; field trips; summer camps; and specialty programs including leadership development, memory care, youth development, and veteran programs.

New Canaan Mounted Troop New Canaan, CT (203) 966-0634; newcanaanmountedtroop.org We are a 501(c)(3) youth development and therapeutic equestrian center. We operate a comprehensive horsemanship program for youth ages 7 to 17 and a therapeutic program.

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SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center 174 Morgan Road, Canton, CT (860) 841-9930; spirithorsect.org Therapeutic horseback riding and nonriding lessons for people of all ages, with and without disabilities.

Early intervention program, one-hour mentorship lessons, summer programs, and equine-unified vocational agricultural training program.

TRAINING, LESSONS & BOARD

Horse Power Farm Ann Bowie, BHSII(T) Canterbury, CT (860) 334-1772; horsepowerfarm.info Eventing farm specializing in lessons, boarding, clinics, and test and tune. Cross-country derbies, perfect for the green eventer and the professional with a young horse. Dressage, stadium jumping, and crosscountry training. Ad on page 102.

TRANSPORTATION

East Coast Horse Transportation Crystal & Osman Villalta New England to South Carolina and Kentucky (925) 705-0640 voice/text Regular trips from New England to South Carolina and Kentucky and everything in between.ME DOT/MC Authorized. Four-horse slant load, matted walls and floors, dust-free shavings, soaked hay, water buckets, Ulcerguard available. Stalled layovers. No deposit required. Ad on page 41.

VETERINARIANS

Beckett & Associates Veterinary Services Chip Beckett, DVM, Jennifer Webb, DVM Caitlin McIntosh, DVM, Stephanie Tornaquindici, DVM Glastonbury, CT (860) 659-0848; beckettvet.net; info@beckettvet.net Farm calls and trailer-in appointments. Preventative care, medical diagnostics, dentistry, sports medicine, ophthamology, surgery, alternative medicine, vaccinations, reproduction, and emergency services.

Tri-State Veterinary Services Lisa Dauten, DVM Litchfield, CT (860) 459-0986; tristatevetservices.com

Mobile large animal veterinary practice serving CT, MA, and NY. We provide skilled and reliable veterinary services to equines, cattle, swines, small ruminants, and camelids through science-based medicine, client education, and management ingenuity.

Massachusetts ANIMAL COMMUNICATION

Mindful Connections® with Animals Nicole Birkholzer Phone consultations; barn calls serving MA, CT, and RI nbirkmc@gmail.com Is your horse suddenly shying at the mounting block?

Not getting along with a pasture mate? There’s a reason for it. A phone call/barn visit gives you insights and clarity and provides you with a plan to bring your horse’s world back into balance. Ad on page 59.

APPAREL

Anni Lyn Sportswear anni-lyn.com Your source for fashionable and affordable riding apparel! Interesting colors and patterns, well thought-out designs and all at an affordable price. Free shipping, free returns, and no minimum, ever! Ad on page 27.

EQUESTRIAN ATTORNEYS

Kathleen A. Reagan Quincy, MA; (617) 773-1597; kathleenreaganlaw.com Horses, farms, livestock, and pets. Sales agreements, lease agreements, veterinary disputes, administrative law hearings, representation of nonprofit associations, racing industry needs, civil litigation, and mediation services.

Sowerby & Moustakis Law, PLLC Massachusetts & New Hampshire (603) 249-592; info@SMLPLLC.com MassachusettsEquineLaw.com Horse owner Peter A. Moustakis has developed a passion and appreciation with matters related to equine law including contract law, transactional work, personal injury, and trust law. Equine contracts including purchase agreement, bill of sale, transportation release, equine facility boarding, liability, and lease agreements.

BRUSH CLEARING/PASTURE RECLAIMING M5 Landworks Serving MA, RI, CT (508) 510-2004; m5landworks.com Pasture restoration, field mowing, fence line clearing, underbrush clearing, bridle trail creation, forestry mulching. We assist property owners looking to address or manage their overgrown land. Ad on page 82.

EQUESTRIAN PROPERTIES

Equine Homes Real Estate Sally Mann (800) 859-2745; equinehomes.com Featuring equestrian and country properties in New England and Florida. Our team of Realtors understands and appreciates the unique nature of these properties and looks forward to matching you to the property that is right for you. Ad on page 3.

Hometown Realtors Althea Bramhall Serving Central and Western MA (617) 678-9300; althearealtor@gmail.com Let more than 30 years of experience work for you by hiring Althea to sell your farm. Ad on page 83.

EQUINE DENTISTS

Dillon’s Equine Dentistry Edward F. Dillon Serving New England (508) 528-2242 (voice/text); dilloneq.com Overall dental care for horses, ponies, minis, and donkeys. Twenty-five years experience. Tooth extractions, no power tools, no sedation required, no farm call fee. New customers welcome.

Northeast Equine Veterinary Dental Services, LLC Leah Limone, DVM, DAVDC/Eq & Kim Allshouse, DVM Topsfield, MA (978) 500-9293; nevds.com Board-certified equine dental specialists licensed to practice in MA, NH, VT, ME, RI, and CT. Comprehensive oral/dental exams, routine maintenance, advanced diagnostics with digital radiography and oral endoscopy, basic and advanced extractions.

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EQUINE LAUNDRY

Jenn’s Tack & Blanket Service, LLC Jennifer Safron Gardner, MA (978) 340-5576 (voice/text); jennstackandblanket.com State-of-the-art equine laundry and repair facility.

Delivery available at many stables throughout central Mass. Visit website for pick-up/drop-off locations or drop off at the shop. Expert tack repair. Gently used blankets and tack for sale. Since 1980. Ad on page 48.

EXPOSITIONS & SALES

Equine Tack & Paraphernalia Sale Topsfield, MA Kay at (978) 768-6275; kljoreo@aol.com April 22, 2023 in the Arena Building at the Topsfield Fairgrounds. Large vendor marketplace selling new and used items, services for the horse, rider, and driver. Vendor space available. Ad on page 111.

INSURANCE

A & B Insurance Group Licensed in MA, NH, VT, ME, CT & RI (978) 399-0025; abinsgroup.com Insurance for all your equine needs. Farm and equine, equine mortality, horse owner’s liability. Our agents have been serving the equestrian community for a combined 50 plus years. Ad on page 8.

American National Boxborough: Donald Ludwig (978) 467-1001 Carver: Richard Blair (508) 866-9150 Centerville: Mark Sylvia (508) 428-0440 Great Barrington: Dominic Sinopoli (413) 528-1710 Middleborough: Kevin Sullivan (508) 998-0512 North Adams: Kim Perry (413) 398-5011 Northborough: Jeff Pichierri (508) 393-9327 South Deerfield: Tim Viles (413) 665-8200 Southwick: The Mason Agency (413) 569-2307 Topsfield: Scott Brockelman (978) 887-8304 Wilbraham: Sean Rooney (413) 887-8817 Williamstown: Maureen O’Mara (413) 458-5584 Worcester: Thomas Carroll (508) 752-3300 Ad on pages 68 and 69.

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Don Ray Insurance Terri Ray Serving CT, MA, and RI (781) 837-6550; donrayinsurance.com Competitive rates, educated service, and help substantiating values. Mortality and major medical, farm packages, horse associations and clubs, directors and officers, horse shows, clinics, expo coverage, instructor liability, and payment plans. Ad on page 18.

JUMP EQUIPMENT & TACK BOXES

Salty Dawg Equine Services Serving MA, CT, and RI (508) 259-6924; saltydawgequine.com Custom-made jumps, tack trunks, bit boxes, and more.

Great for year-end awards. View photos at saltydawg equine.com and on Facebook. Ad on page 4.

MANURE REMOVAL

Mitrano Removal Shirley, MA (978) 425-6181; mitranoremoval.com We provide large and small horse farms with a manure removal program that suits the farm’s needs.

Retain a 10- to 30-yard container and we provide removal service. Choose to stockpile your manure and we provide removal service. Ad on page 34.

SADDLES & SADDLE FITTING

New England Saddle Fit Lise Krieger Serving New England (203) 685-2308; newenglandsaddlefit.com Certified saddle fitter for English and western saddles.

Saddle assessments, fitting evaluations, flocking, repairs, consignments, and sales. Ad on page 51.

TACK SHOP

Briggs Tack Shop & Trailer Sales Hanover, MA (781) 826-3191; briggstackshop.com A full-service tack shop with everything for the horse and rider. Authorized dealer of Kingston Trailers for more than 50 years! Ad on page 53.

THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM

Blue Rider Stables, Inc. South Egremont, MA (413) 528-5299; bluerider.org Where happy horses help make happy humans. We offer a holistic educational environment in which people and animals can safely interact, and through their mutual therapeutic experiences, broaden the scope of their lives. Year-round programs for children and adults, with and without disabilities.

THERAPIES

Grey Mare Magna Wave Jenny Cournoyer Serving MA, CT, and RI (774) 329-7489; greymaremagnawave.com Grey Mare Magna Wave offers the best in pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. Serving all of New England. Sessions to suit all needs. Rentals available.

Ad on page 21.

TRACTORS/EQUIPMENT

Bacon’s Equipment Williamsburg, MA (413) 268-3620; baconsequipmentinc.com Kubota, Stihl, Land Pride, and Husqvarna. Sales and repairs for more than 40 years. Family owned and operated. Competitive pricing and always changing inventory. We have what you want! Ad on page 55.

TRAILERS & TRAILER REPAIRS

Briggs Tack Shop & Trailer Sales Hanover, MA (781) 826-3191; briggstackshop.com Authorized dealer of Kingston Trailers for more than 50 years! A full-service tack shop with everything for the horse and rider plus we’re a Stübben Custom Authorized Dealer and Fitter. Ad on page 53.

Whitehorse Truck & Trailer Service & Sales Northbridge, MA (508) 641-9212; whitehorsetruckandtrailer.com We come to you for complete trailer service! New and used trailers for sale, trailer consignments, prepurchase inspections, gooseneck and hitch sales and installation, truck modifications, brake controllers and repairs, and wheel/tire replacement. Ad on page 49.

TRAINING, LESSONS & BOARD

Apple Knoll Farm Millis, MA (508) 376-2564; appleknoll.com Our mission is to provide a safe, comfortable, and well-equipped facility for horses and riders to develop the skills and confidence required for the sport of eventing. Facility rentals. USEA horse trials, jumper show series, clinics, and more. Ad on page 105.

Back Bay Farm Ipswich, MA (978) 356-0730; backbayfarm.com A premier hunter equitation training and boarding stable. Riding lessons, showing, training, full board, sales, and leasing. Horse shows on farm; beach and country rides off farm. Travel to USEF local shows.

New riders welcome! Ad on page 110.

Bob Burrelli Natural Horsemanship Plymouth, MA (508) 224-9430; bobburrelli.com Natural horsemanship trainer and clinician with more than 40 years experience training and teaching all disciplines. Learn from the best to become your best.

Create a better partnership with your horse through gentle, effective, and traditional Vaquero training methods. Starting colts, helping problem horses, and helping horse and rider partnerships. Ad on page 23.

Bradford Equestrian Center Keith & Lynda Angstadt Haverhill, MA (978) 374-0008; leangst@comcast.net Dressage training and instruction, full-care facility, individualized programs, excellent footing, indoor and outdoor arenas, ample turnout, reasonable rates, dressage competitions and clinics, and truck-ins welcome.

Carrier’s Farm Nancy Carrier Southampton, MA (413) 527-0333; facebook.com/CarriersFarm Indoor arena, outdoor riding ring, round pen, fields, obstacles, trails, individual or group turnout, friendly adult atmosphere. All disciplines welcome, owner lives on premises.

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Cathy Drumm Teaching throughout the Northeast (413) 441-5278; cathydrumm.com Clinician, trainer, and coach of western dressage, working equitation, and mountain trail. Kindful training for horse and rider. Happy, relaxed horses and riders are my objective.

Crimson Acres Whitmore Family; Orange, MA (978) 575-0341; crimsonacres.org Lessons, training, clinics, drill team, horse shows, game nights, boarding, and summer camps. We provide a safe educational environment. Dare to Dream Educational Farm Program. Ad on page 110.

Double B Ranch Plymouth, MA; (508) 746-8545; doubleb-ranch.com Horsemanship for all disciplines. Natural horsemanship training, lessons, boarding, and certification.

Ranch/trail obstacle course, cow working/cow sorting, ranch roping, team penning, reining, training performance horses, flat work/jumping, and equitation/classical dressage. Ad on page 23.

Fuller Family Equestrian Lori Brogle & Emily Coggins Westhampton, MA (413) 539-1242; fullershorsefacility.com Intimate boarding environment and quality care.

Matted stalls, indoor arena, jumping field, outdoor arena, private and neighborhood trails, all-day turnout, indoor wash stall. Lessons with Chrysanthi Gavagan or bring in your licensed, insured trainer.

Horses With A Heart Shana Holland; Chester, MA; (413) 354-7744 Infants through advanced riders. Problems, restarts, mounted and unmounted, horse therapy. Horses connect and communicate through body language, energy, and space. Body riding is safer, more harmonious, and healthier for horses. Will travel.

Independence Stable Dottie Foreman Belchertown, MA (413) 284-0371; independencestablellc.com 120

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Dressage schooling shows with traditional and western dressage tests. Riding and carriage driving instruction.

Board and training with highly personalized attention for each horse and rider. Ad on page 112.

It’s a Pleasure Training Peter Whitmore Orange, MA (978) 652-2231; itsapleasuretraining.com Peter specializes in starting young horses correctly.

More than 25 years experience starting horses as well as fixing existing problems. Available for clinics and events. Board available as well as internship program.

Ad on page 66.

Red Mare Farm Kate Cameron Hatfield, MA (978) 739-4707; redmarefarm.com Young horse training and starting. Lessons on your horse or ours. Kids and adults. Boarding with all-day turnout, stalls with run-outs, individual turnouts, and pasture board. Two-phase and dressage shows.

Eventing barn, open to all riding styles. Ad on page 104.

RER Ponies Heather Dostal; Hatfield, MA (413) 427-2026; rerponies.com Lessons, summer programs, clinics, training, starting, Pony Club. Adults and children. Heather is a USDF “L” graduate and bronze medalist. Dressage, crosscountry, stadium jumping. Ad on page 62.

Stonebrook Farm Devin Burdick Phillipston, MA (978) 696-1269; stonebrookfarmdb.com Specializing in starting young horses for riding and driving. Boarding, lessons, training, and coaching.

Dressage and carriage driving focus. Devin is a USDF bronze medalist. Ad on page 62.

TRANSPORTATION

J.R. Hudson Horse Transportation West Bridgewater, MA (508) 427-9333; jrhudsonhorsetrans.com Dedicated to excellence in horse transportation. Serving

the horse community for more than 35 years. Our goal is to provide our clients with the safest, most dependable service. Serving the lower 48 states and Canada.

VETERINARIANS

EquidDoc Veterinary Services Caitlin Eaton, DVM, Liz Forbes, DVM; Tessa Lumley, DVM Central MA and beyond (508) 885-4205; equiddocvet.com Veterinary care for your horses including 24/7/365 emergency coverage for our clients, preventative health care, lameness exams, parasite management, radiography and ultrasound, dentistry, prepurchase exams, geriatric exams, and more. Ad on page 15.

North Bridge Equine Associates Fred Nostrant, DVM, Stephanie Shen, DVM Laura Parisio-Wood, BVetMed, MRCVS, CVMMP Eastern and Central MA, Southern NH (978) 337-1260; northbridgeequine.com Progressive sport horse medicine, performance evaluations, acupuncture, chiropractic, dentistry, wellness exams, emergency care. Compassionate and progressive veterinary practice that provides high-quality, personalized veterinary care. Ad on page 33.

South Deerfield Veterinary Clinic Samantha C. Clay, DVM & Andraya Cole, DVM South Deerfield, MA (413) 665-3626; sdvconline.com Under new ownership. We provide preventive care and medical care for large and small animals. We’re accepting new clients! Ad on page 34.

EQUINE DENTISTRY

Dillon’s Equine Dentistry Edward F. Dillon Serving New England (508) 528-2242 (voice/text); dilloneq.com Overall dental care for horses, ponies, minis, and donkeys. Twenty-five years experience. Tooth extractions, no power tools, no sedation required, no farm call fee. New customers welcome.

INSURANCE

A & B Insurance Group Licensed in MA, NH, VT, ME, CT & RI (978) 399-0025; abinsgroup.com Insurance for all your equine needs. Farm and equine, equine mortality, horse owner’s liability. Our agents have been serving the equestrian community for a combined 50 plus years. Ad on page 8.

American National West Greenwich: Ashley Johnson (401) 397-1050 Ad on pages 68 and 69.

Don Ray Insurance Terri Ray Serving CT, MA, and RI (781) 837-6550; donrayinsurance.com Competitive rates, educated service, and help substantiating values. Mortality and major medical, farm packages, horse associations and clubs, directors and officers, horse shows, clinics, expo coverage, instructor liability, and payment plans. Ad on page 18.

JUMP EQUIPMENT & TACK BOXES

Rhode Island ARTIST

Betsey MacDonald Rhode Island; bmacdonald.net Animal portraits and paintings by Betsey MacDonald.

Betsey will work with you to create a special portrait from your photos in the medium of your choice.

Salty Dawg Equine Services Serving MA, CT, and RI (508) 259-6924; saltydawgequine.com Custom-made jumps, tack trunks, bit boxes, and more.

Great for year-end awards. View photos at saltydawg equine.com and on Facebook. Ad on page 4.

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