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Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship Awarded

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

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 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

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

Jalila Nazerali-Ruddy is the recipient of the Spring 2022 Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship. Welcome to the world, Persephony. This adorable Thoroughbred/Holsteiner filly was born June 3 at Red Mare Farm in Hatfield, Massachusetts.

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. 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

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.”

Michelle Atkinson Martin

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

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 hav-

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 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.

Thinking of Selling Your Horse Property? Consult Althea today!

Let more than 30 years of experience work for you!

Althea Bramhall, Hometown Realtors 617-678-9300 r althearealtor@gmail.com Always Call Althea!

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

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

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 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

Rising Starr Horse Rescue residents Nana and Captain Hook.

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,

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.

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. 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

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 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.

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

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 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.

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

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

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.

n Kayla Ireland & Elaine Pascoe

Hay Burr Inn

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

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 Cynthia Haberin

Hay Burr Inn’s resident, Angus.

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

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

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.

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/. n Jeanna Pellino

Hospital for Special Care

Manes & Motions participant Zoe with equine friend Gaia. Want to see your news here?

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