Private 10.83-acre equestrian estate with a 4Br/3.5Bth pool home with open concept living & expansive patio with screened cabana w/summer kitchen & bar, great for entertaining. There are 2 barns totaling 24 stalls. The 14-stall centeraisle barn with 5 grooming stalls boasts two 2Br/1Bth apartments. The second 10-stall courtyard barn also has two apartments, a 2Br/1Bth and a 1Br/1Bth. There are multiple riding areas for training with an outdoor arena, grass grand prix field and CBS covered riding arena w/ viewing platform. There are 12 grass paddocks, 6-horsewalker, 2 covered outbuildings for aqua-treadmills & round pen. Now Offered at $11,500,000
20 acre farm on south shore blvd within minutes of both showgrounds & IPC! The farm boasts 2 barns totaling 32 stalls, 150' x 300' riding arena with new footing, 10acre grass riding field, 9 generous grass paddocks, round pen, euro-walker, two 3Br/1Bth apartments and lounge with bar, full bath. The 10-acre field is high & dry and the ideal location for your home, Grand Prix field and covered riding arena. The location is great for hacking out your horses on the quiet bridle paths of south Wellington. Offered at $11,500,000
Peaceful 25-Acre oasis in the gated equestrian subdivision of Wellington Preserve. Nestled up against a nature preserve and an interior lake, this serene property offers one-of-a-kind views & privacy. Build your equestrian estate here where you can enjoy your family and horses with miles of hacking trails and paved road access for car lovers. An unparalleled opportunity for maximum privacy in Wellington, yet only a few minutes away from all the equestrian competition venues. A must see to appreciate! Offered at $12,375,000 Also offered as 15 Acres at $7,425,000 or 10 acres at $4,950,000
5-Acre equestrian property, 4,390 sq. ft. 4Br/4Bth pool home. 11-Stall center-aisle stable, 250' x170' riding arena & 6 paddocks. The property boasts 2,000 sq. ft. storage garage with 3 bays & full bath, large enough for your RV, horse van or boat. The home features a center island kitchen, gas Thermador range, marble floors, plus an 1,800 sq. ft. great room for hosting socials with a wet bar, wine cooler and expansive sliding glass doors out to the screened pool, hot tub & summer kitchen. Covered arenas are allowed. Offered at $2,795,000 • SOLD
Buyer and Seller Representation
Wellington, Florida • Palm Beach Point
Contemporary, light & bright equestrian property featuring a 4Br main residence and 12-stall center-aisle barn with 2Br apartment. The main residence boasts open concept living with expansive views to the backyard & stable beyond, stone floors & center-island kitchen with gas cooking. All bedrooms have in-suite bathrooms and sliding glass doors to the rear patio & yard. The stable has 2-dry grooming stalls, 2-wash stalls, rubber pavers, large tack room, lounge with kitchenette, laundry room, half-bath, and feed & storage rooms. There is a round pen, 6 grass turnout paddocks and 230' x 150' arena. Offered at $7,875,000
and Seller Representation
JOHNSON ENGEL & VÖLKERS FLORIDA
Selling Wellington and the Palm Beaches M +1 561-313-4367 matt.johnson@evrealestate.com Learn more at mattsells.com
Ocean Breeze
$7,875,000
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The Reimagined SHOW STRIDES
THE PLAID HORSE QUESTIONNAIRE WITH
Geoff Case
STATUS: Professional PROGRAM: Horseshoe Bend Sales
As a horseman, I am most proud of... The accomplishments of my wife, Taylor Kain, and all of the students I have helped along the way. I’m also proud of the horses we've produced and sold and the careers they’ve have gone on to have with their new owners. • As a horseman, I would most like to improve... Personally, I just want to keep learning more from other horsemen and horsewoman. There is infinite knowledge out there and you should never stop learning and trying to improve. On a larger scale, I would like to improve the pipeline to the senior teams in the US.•The best thing riders can do to prepare to clinic with me is ... Come with an open mind. I don't expect to change everyone's system, horse, or riding style completely. My goal in every clinic is to give the students tools that they want to add to what they're already doing.•One of the things I say most when teaching is … "Remember to have fun." The sport has gotten so chaotic and expensive that I think often we lose sight of the very basic fact that we do this because we love horses and because it's fun.•The most important quality for a student of our sport to have is ... Hunger. You have to want it more than the next person. You have to want to work hard, want to learn, and want to improve. •My favorite horse book is Seabiscuit•My favorite nonhorse book is Shantaram•The best part about living in the Netherlands is ... The access to the top sport, low cost of
living, and the cleanliness/ safety.•I’m a sucker for … Good food and a good mare. •On Mondays, you’ll find me At the stable or on an airplane.•The horse person I most admire is... To pick one seems unfair. There are so many current horsepeople and ones from the past that have paved the way for us. If forced to, I think I would have to pick McLain Ward. •One of the best horse names
I’ve ever heard is ... Clear Rounds Then Party •The future of our sport depends on… Good horsepeople and good stake holders. •My absolute favorite show is Aachen because of the history and level of the sport there. We haven't had a chance to compete there yet, but it's one of our top goals. •My favorite thing about judging is ... Seeing the horses and riders grow over the years.
The legends of our sport are all on the Plaidcast. Are you listening?
Hosted by Piper Klemm, Ph.D., and Tonya Johnston, M.A.
Award Winning Expert in Equestrian Real Estate
With 35+ years of experience in the equestrian community, I offer personalized service for buying/selling and renting properties in Wellington Florida. With a proven track record, I guide clients in achieving their real estate goals.
FITTON ENGEL & VÖLKERS WELLINGTON 10620 W. Forest Hill Blvd | Suite 40 | Wellington | FL 33414 M +1 561-758-1634 | O +1 561-791-2220 scott.fitton@evrealestate.com Learn more at scottfitton.evrealestate.com
Ryan Kenny
Inside His Remarkable Developing Pro Challenge Win
RYAN KENNY didn’t have winning the Developing Pro Challenge on his bucket list this year. Only six months into his professional career, and only 20 years old, Kenny’s mindset the night of the prestigious class was to go into the ring and have a good experience–to set a foundation for future success.
“I didn’t go into the class thinking I was going to win it right off the bat–I thought, ‘I’m going in this year to prepare for next year, so if we win it, great, but that’s not the goal,’” he tells The Plaid Horse of his Capital Challenge victory.
Kenny shattered his expectations, and broke his personal record twice to win that night.
Kenny spent his last junior year as a working student at Windsor Stables under owner/trainer Michael Britt-León, and says throughout his career catch-riding and showing sales horses, he has “gotten a couple 89s,” and has really been “pushing for that score in the 90s.”
Judges rewarded his hard work after he put down a beautiful trip in the first round of the Developing Pro Challenge, and kept his cool for the second to lead the class by an impressive 8-point
difference. He received a first round average score of 91.33, only to top it with his stunning second round’s score of 93.
“He did a brilliant job and really couldn’t have ridden the class any better. The horse jumped beautifully, and they impressively handled the pressure of coming back,” says Geoff Case, one of the judges of the class.
Kenny adds, “walking into the second round I was very nervous, but I went around the first corner and my horse helped show me right where I was. I instantly relaxed—I knew he had my back.”
Kenny’s experience as a working student helped him quickly adjust to the ride on his winning mount, Outshine. He says, “I’ve had the privilege to ride really great horses over the years, but my partnership with the horse I have this year is just incredible.”
“I’ve had ‘Paul’ since March, and he came to us not necessarily in the best condition. He hadn’t done much recently, he was skinny, he had a bad coat, and he wasn’t fit at all. He’s also a little older; he’s 17 this year, so we’ve been working hard on getting his fitness back up. He definitely had to be livened back up again,
and we took that on project because Michael saw that he had so much left to give and that he wasn’t done yet.”
Kenny developed a bond with Paul during a few shows this past summer and a lot of personal time at home just figuring each other out. Going on 18 years old, Paul has some quirks and habits that Kenny couldn’t fight but had to learn to work with.
“I hack him lightly–he still works for a long time to build his stamina, but I don’t ask him to do too many strenuous things, and I don’t work him on the bit very hard because he has a really strong personality.
He has a very specific way he likes to be ridden and is specific about who he wants to be ridden by. If he doesn’t like a certain person, he can definitely have some attitude.”
In competition, the freshness of their partnership doesn’t show. The first two weeks Kenny ever showed Paul, he won consecutive championships in the 3’6” performance hunters–instantly validating Britt-León’s hunch that this horse still has a lot left to give.
It seems Britt-León has an eye for talent because, as Kenny jokes, “coming into his barn, I was not the best rider in
Kenny and “Paul” on course at The Capital Challenge Horse Show 2024 (Upper Marlboro, Maryland). Britt-León purchased “Paul” for Kenny to show in the professional divisions. “We invest in horses and invest in clients all the time, and it’s important to invest in the next generation of professionals in this sport,” says Britt-León
COVER STORY
2024 World Champion Hunter Rider Developing Pro Finals Winner Ryan Kenny and Michael BrittLeón’s Outshine
the world. More like a diamond in the rough. He definitely built me up from a low point.” Kenny doesn’t come from money; he relied on hard work and the generosity of others to reach this level of the sport.
“It’s just been incredible to watch his journey. Whenever he has success, I get to say I had a part in that, and that’s really rewarding both as a trainer and just as a person,” says Britt-León. He recruited Kenny out of a local barn to be a working
student for him and has been with him for every step.
Which is why it was a fairytale ending for the night of October 2 for him to have won the 2024 Developing Pro Challenge because he represented the class’s origin and target: to showcase the country’s upand-coming professionals and encourage owners and sponsors to invest in them.
“I am so incredibly grateful to Michael Britt-Leon and Windsor Stables for giving me all of my opportunities, and taking me
on and giving me the position of assistant trainer. I also owe so much to Kelly Sims for the horses she gave me to ride from when I was a junior until now—that’s brought me to where I am.”
After tactically executing the final and trickiest jump of the second round course, Kenny says, “I heard silence for a minute over the last jump, and then the most incredible sound and feeling: my whole team at the gate and my peers in the stands cheering for me.”
ON COURSE WITH RYAN
KENNY
» “I was quite petrified for the second round. In the first round I got my first ever scores in the 90s, and I didn’t want to let that get to my head to distract me from the next course. Paul just tried his hardest. I think he knew it was an important class and that he had to really step up,” says Kenny.
» “I was leading from early on in the first round of the class, so I had to take a step away from watching everything, because I was working myself up about going back. Heading to the most challenging jump, I angled him a little, got his attention on it, he just perked his ears forward and he knew exactly what he was doing. At that point, I was like ‘Ok, he has me,’ so I just let him take me up there and then it was over.”
Kenny scored his two first ever scores in the 90s during the first and second round to lead both rounds and ultimately win the 2024 WCHR Developing Professional Challenge
Far View Farms Equestrian Center
Far View Farms Equestrian Center
San Marcos, CA
San Marcos, CA
Offered at $4,000,000
Offered at $4,000,000
Coastal Professional Equestrian Facility
Coastal Professional Equestrian Facility
San Diego, CA
San Diego, CA
Offered at $6,000,000
Offered at $6,000,000
Milberry Farm
Milberry Farm
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Offered at $9,995,000
Offered at $9,995,000
Ultra Chic Equestrian Estate
Ultra Chic Equestrian Estate
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Offered at $10,350,000
Offered at $10,350,000
PETER WYLDE
WHEN I WAS A KID,
I used to canter down my driveway, pretending I was holding reins, and jumped the cracks in the pavement.
I pretty much did the same strides each time, but if I was in a hurry, I could leave a stride out on all the lines which was kind of fun. This was usually the case going to my stable—a small two car garage converted into a two stall horse barn with aisle and tack room.
It was down the long driveway from my childhood home, so there were plenty of cracks to jump. And, I was almost always in a hurry to get to the stable.
On the way back to the house, which usually meant time for homework, I could train my horse to be polite in the bridle by adding a stride or two, working on collection.
This imaginary riding was something I did simply by nature, just out of my complete desire to be riding all the time.
Unfortunately, I learned pretty quickly that I should probably only do this when I was alone—or at least out of sight of most people. This meant never at school, not in public, and definitely not in front of my father or at any family gatherings. My father even told me not to do it.
PHOTO: JESS WINDHURST
From Imaginary Riding to Olympic Gold Medalist
Thanks to Joe Dotoli
It was the first time in my life that people, mostly male, mocked or teased me for what I was doing, and in essence, for who I was.
I was a very good athlete as a kid. I was the fastest in my class, and a first string soccer and hockey player. And when I was doing sports, I was pretty cool. At least, I felt pretty cool. But my desire to ride, both a real or imaginary horse, was something that people, again mostly males, seemed to have a hard time with. For them, it definitely wasn’t cool. Fortunately, my drive to ride outweighed any feelings of shame that were inflicted upon me. I was the happiest when I was riding. It just felt good.
When I was 13, I began training with Fran and Joe Dotoli.
Although Fran was the main coach at their Young Entry Stables, my parents really wanted me to train with a man. Joe, at the time, was still teaching high school in Boston, but he was able to teach me once a week on Thursday afternoons and on the weekends at shows. Their stable was a 20 minute hack through the woods from my house, so I could ride my pony to my lesson on Thursdays after school and still make it back before dark.
Working with Joe gave me confidence. He brought me back to the basics and taught me to believe in myself. The pony I
had was young—a 5 year old we had bought from Jeri and Tracy Freels. He was very talented, but green, and I was a little bit lost with him. Joe made things simple and encouraged me to ride correctly.
In a very short time, everything came together. Joe gave me strength. He gave me courage. And most importantly, he taught me to believe in myself. Of all the males in my life, Joe allowed me to be the person I wanted to be. To be the boy that I was. Not something I was supposed to be. He never judged me for anything I did, and he never made me feel shame— and that was empowering.
The training and confidence that Joe gave me set me on a trajectory to achieve a lot with horses—a lot. I was very successful during my junior career with Joe and Fran by my side, guiding me and allowing me. And although later as an adult and professional I trained with some of the most important trainers in the world, as a mentor, Joe and his words never left me.
To this day, I am eternally grateful to Joe Dotoli, for teaching me little adages like, “A good carpenter never blames his tools!”
But I am most grateful to Joe for giving me the strength and confidence to be myself, to be the boy, young man, and eventually, the person that I wanted to be. Joe allowed and encouraged me to flourish, and as a result, I was able to achieve great things.
Peter Wylde and Graf at the Vermont Summer Festival in 2024
Equestrian Elegance at Wheatland Farm
15158 Berlin Turnpike | Purcellville, Virginia | $11,500,000
Wheatland Farm is a premier 43-acre equestrian property in Loudoun County and a USEF Center of Excellence. Host to shows and clinics, the state-of-the-art facilities include indoor and outdoor arenas with Attwood Equestrian Surfaces, a cross-country field, and an enclosed perimeter trail. Two immaculate barns feature twenty-six European-style stalls with individual auto waterers, heated tack and feed rooms, restrooms, a manager’s office, significant storage areas, and laundry room. Wheatland offers a magnificent manor home overlooking a 9-acre lake, a heated saltwater pool, two beautiful guest homes, a great barn for entertaining, a boat house and numerous other buildings that make this the ideal property for both the amateur and professional. This thoughtfully designed property provides ramps and accessibility features for individuals with disabilities. Web# VALO2077300
Co-Listing Agent
Jeremy Dalpiaz
Lic. Assoc. R.E. Broker
O 703.552.4180 | M 703.785.5721
jeremy.dalpiaz@elliman. com
Co-Listing Agent
Samantha Fisher
Principal Broker, Owner O 703.408.4261
onthemarketwithsam@gmail.com
—GEOFF TEALL
TIPS FOR RIDING SUCCESS: BE A WORKER
Workers show up. They are ready to learn from the moment they get to the barn. We all get distracted, but a worker is the one who puts in the extra time. They pick up, and help around the farm with whatever is needed. When they ride, they ride with a plan. They do transitions, and figures and have a goal. They ride without stirrups, without reins. They put in days of long, boring fitness rides because it is the right thing for the horses. They do the hard things, because it makes them stronger and better.
PHOTO: ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOS: SHAWN MCMILLEN
KERRY Mc CAHILL
Boutique Training Rooted in European Ideals—and Loving Horses
IT WAS NOT LONG AFTER Kerry McCahill started riding that she knew that horses would be a part of her future. She began in the sport at a very young age and spent most of her childhood developing a firm foundation within the American system, moving up the hunter and equitation ranks.
McCahill, however, had big plans for her future, and knew the jumper ring was her goal. She dreamed of becoming a professional show jumper and international Grand Prix rider. McCahill remains in awe and has gratitude for the amazing opportunities she’s had in her career from whom she was able to train and learn from. Each professional she has been able to train with has greatly inspired her own career in developing her niche within the immensely competitive global show jumping industry.
After 10 years of training among the best in the industry as an avid student, McCahill turned professional and launched her own business in November 2023. The business has several professional services which make it unique in the industry; such as traveling around the world to source horses to match with riders, young horse development, sales, and training students.
She grew up riding in New Jersey, and eventually trained in the Hamptons on Long Island, NY for several years.
McCahill is optimistic and excited to return to her roots in creating a new
northeast base from spring to fall each year, while also continuing to spend winters showing at the prestigious Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). McCahill’s keen observation skills, developed over several summers spent show jumping in the best programs in Europe and the United States, allow her to notice the slightest details in pristine barn and horse management, as well as management of students.
Most importantly, McCahill says, “Love of horses remains paramount for me, both in my business and my daily life in this industry, even though I am a professional athlete who loves competing and bettering myself.” She repeats the phrase “love of horses remains paramount” like a motto that is deep in her core, affecting every decision.
OPPORTUNITY FOR INSPIRATION
McCahill left the United States at only 17 years old for an opportunity to fully commit to the jumpers, where she trained
with Ireland’s Darragh Kenny at Oakland Stables based in Holland. McCahill split her time between Europe and Wellington, FL. She rigorously trained and competed at the best shows in the world, which helped shape her as a young professional on a world stage. Her experience with Kenny is one she will never undervalue or forget. One of her many successes while part of Oakland Stables was the opportunity to be a team member on the Global Champions League on the Global Champions Tour across Europe, where she was able to learn from team members she admired and move up the ranks, jumping at the 5* level.
In 2018, McCahill joined another Irish Olympian, Greg Broderick, based at BallyPatrick Stables in Tipperary, Ireland. While riding with Broderick, she spent a year in Europe and competed in the Sunshine Tour Montenmedio Tour in Vejer, Spain. While abroad, she had many international wins with her team of horses and grew her skills of young horse development in Broderick’s program. After 3 1/2 years dividing her time between Ireland and Florida, McCahill wanted to continue to push the envelope regarding who she could train with as a young professional in the industry.
McCahill was presented with the opportunity to learn from some of the most decorated and well respected figures in the show jumping industry, Markus and Meredith Beerbaum. McCahill
WORDS: JESSICA SHANNON
joined the Beerbaum’s farm in Germany and spent winters in Wellington with the Beerbaums. While deeply immersed in their program, McCahill learned how to manage her own team of horses and develop top quality young horses to the highest level, while honing more skills as a rider and horsewoman. McCahill fully absorbed all the knowledge she could from the Beerbaums, who also became McCahill’s good friends and mentors. Surrounded by her idols on the difficult German show jumping circuit. She collected top results with her team of horses who she was both developing, as well as older horses, in highly competitive
FEI divisions in both Europe and Florida. McCahill spent a total of nine years training, living, and competing in Europe. She rode to top finishes in 5* classes in the Global Champions Tour, as well as wins and placings in 2*, 3*, and 4* classes and Grand Prix. She had similar results at WEF each winter. As her skills developed, McCahill watched what top riders and trainers did in barn management, training, young horse development, and riding.
“With this industry you never stop learning, so I try to take what I‘ve been able to learn from the best programs and apply it in a way to create a unique, top notch professional program,” she says.
“The best ways I’ve also learned are from making a ton of mistakes. Many of the greats say that is when you learn the most, something I’ve really taken on in my showing and entrepreneurial experience.”
Under the Beerbaums’ tutelage, she enjoyed learning how to operate as a professional in the industry, both abroad and in the United States. She was taught about horse management, including safety education, while producing quality young horses and intentional preparation for training experienced and younger horses for top level shows. McCahill’s training in Germany heavily influenced the direction of her boutique business, as well
PHOTO: EQUIFO EQUESTRIAN SPORT PHOTOGRAPHY
Kerry McCahill and Charly Chaplin S, at the 2021 European Championships in Riesenbeck, Germany
as igniting her passion for training and producing young horses.
As she learned to manage her young horses, she found that simplicity, patience, and tailoring a show schedule based on what the horses are ready for is key. McCahill also noted the importance of focusing on safety while bringing along young horses, which is something she carries with her as a vital part of her own business for both horses and students.
“Although I have every ambition in continuing my huge aspirations as a professional rider, I never want to be stretched too thin for the demands of my business,” she adds. McCahill aims to remain flexible for students’ and horses’ needs. She wants her business to be about the individuals and horses within the program and to cater to all of their goals and needs, allowing their time to be devoted to all they want to accomplish.
BOUTIQUE MEANS INDIVIDUALITY
Having a boutique business means McCahill can realize students’ aspirations and get the most out of their horses. She says, “I never want to be a business owner who doesn’t have time for their students or the horses. That is a mistake I see happen quite often, and although I love being busy, I want it to be while dedicating time wisely to the horses and students. It’s something I want to remain stringent on in order to get the best results for everyone involved.”
Along with McCahill’s strong background in show jumping, flatwork has always been a constant for her. She has had the opportunity to learn dressage-based flatwork from top riders, including Olympic dressage riders who have majorly shaped her understanding of flatting her own horses as well as training students on the flat.
“Good flatwork is vital for your connection with your horse,” she says. “It helps promote the soundness of your horse and rideability, which in turn bonds riders with their horses. It also hugely improves results in the show ring.” She also thoroughly enjoys the flatwork, and she finds it to be a necessary part of any successful program.
Responsible horse management is the highest priority for McCahill’s business. The ribbons are a result of being focused on the horse’s and rider’s well being, their goals, and what they are ready to push and do, or not do. Ensuring horse and rider are well
matched is a huge aspect of this, as well as what McCahill focuses on in her sourcing horses for the right riders.
McCahill aims to build confidence and comfort in her riders, who appreciate the care provided for each horse and rider combination. She finds it is vital to understand the goals of the riders she helps, as well as ensuring they’re matched with a horse that is capable of helping them feel confident and able to progress with whatever that goal may be. McCahill also never undervalues the importance of her highly educated team members around her. Her top grooms, vet, and farrier are key aspects to her business and horses’ success. And she listens intently to their expertise in doing what is always best for the horse, which, in turn, helps the rider.
For the training and sales of McCahill’s boutique business, she thoroughly enjoys the process of young horse development and sales. She finds deep satisfaction and joy in seeing horses she has developed have success with their new owners and riders. McCahill has been developing horses for about seven years, and some of the horses McCahill has produced have gone on to jump 5* level both in the United States and abroad.
“Seeing the time, hard work, and joy you’ve put into the development process of these young horses result in their huge success with new people after me is hugely rewarding. It’s a reason I also wanted to pursue that in my business. There are not many women who also do it in the in the US too, so that also makes it really exciting,” says McCahill.
From ages 17-27, McCahill put the riding and training aspects of her career as her primary focus. She is currently enjoying the new entrepreneurial part of running her own business and applying her skills to the unique services she provides to help others. “Even though I have no intention of ever losing my drive to achieve being the absolute best rider and competitor I can be, I have discovered a shift in my career as far
as how much I enjoy seeing the success of the horses I’ve developed after they’ve sold, as well as the rider’s success that goes along with it. This also ties into the horses I’ve matched with riders.”
RED, WHITE, AND BLUE —AND EUROPEAN
McCahill adds that when was a teenager riding in the United States, she started to become confused at times as to where her place in the industry would be when the sport seemed to be glamorized as an expensive hobby, rather than the incredible sport it is with a horse first mentality. She felt she was always a sports person and aspiring athlete growing up, and she wanted to move more into treating the sport as a serious professional athlete, and eventual entrepreneur, who loves what she does and works hard.
Her time riding, training, and living in Europe ignited her direction and passion as to what the sport can be. “The top level of the sport over there and generations of loving horses is so heavily rooted in European show jumping culture, and that is exactly what reminded me of why I loved this sport as a child,” she says.
A fan of both the American and European systems, McCahill combines the best values of what each culture offers, creating what she believes to be a practically perfect system for success.
McCahill is currently based in Wellington, FL during the winters and New York during the spring to fall months, where she looks forward to welcoming clients. After the winter in Wellington, McCahill’s next step is to be based in the Hamptons.
“I’m looking forward to all the possibilities for my business in the northeast, including in the Hamptons next season,” she says. No matter where she is working, McCahill repeats her mantra, “Love for the horse is paramount.”
To learn more about Kerry McCahill’s program, visit www.kerrymccahill.com
Sophia Petri
MARE EHLERS
Taking EHV-1 Education Into Her Own Hands
WORDS: JESSICA SHANNON
THERE ARE NOT A LOT of high school seniors who can say they have published a book, but Marian “Mare” Ehlers has that on her résumé, among many other accomplishments. Ehlers lives in Bend, OR, and she is a prime example of how to be an advocate for others, a leader, and how to work well on a team.
Ehlers has been a board member of High Desert Hunter Jumper Association (HDHJA) since 2022, and she has chaired their silent auction and social media teams for the last two years.
She has been a creative force as an ambassador for both JustWorld International and Healing Reins since 2018. Ehlers also volunteers at a local food pantry and is active in school clubs, sports, and academic societies. Her riding accolades demonstrate her dedication, abilities, and bond with every horse she rides, in all three rings.
One of Ehlers’ most admirable traits, however, is her ability to take moments of fear, sadness, and anxiety and turn them into moments of hope and education. She is passionate and knows how to use her voice. Her mother Megan tells The Plaid Horse, “She likes being a leader and crowdsourcing friends and the community for a cause she believes in. She believes that people working together can get powerful things done.”
In 2022, Ehlers and her equestrian community faced tragedy together.
TURNING TRAGEDY INTO ADVOCACY
A 2022 Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) outbreak affected Ehlers, her friends, and her fellow local riders. There were strict biosecurity precautions taken as a result, and Ehlers took note. On February 11,
2022, her own horse became symptomatic with a fever and other signs of EHM. He was put in an isolation tent before testing postive for EHV-1, which can be a result of EHV-1 when it attacks the cells in a horse’s central nervous system, damaging blood vessels that supply both the brain and spinal cord.
With this diagnosis, horses lose feeling in their nerves and hind legs. Those who test positive have a small chance of standing back up if they lie down. Ehlers and her family took shifts, sitting in camping chairs in an isolation tent, and sang songs to keep her horse awake and standing up. Their round-the-clock shifts lasted all two weeks of his illness. Thankfully, he survived and was soon retired, but not all horses were so lucky.
S’more, Ehlers’ friend’s horse, contracted EHV-1 and subsequently EHM, and he was the first to pass away during the outbreak.
“This horse was like her pet,” Ehlers says of her friend’s relationship with her beloved horse. S’more’s owner is younger than Ehlers, and her grief was heavy. Ehlers sat in her trailer at the horse park and knew she had to take action. She wrote a mnemonic device in S’more’s honor that educates equestrians on EHV related biosecurity. She jotted down “Sanitize, Monitor temp, Observe symptoms, Report sick horse, Educate, Separate horses and supplies.” Ehlers showed her mnemonic to S’more’s owner. Throughout the process of creating and advertising the mnemonic, Ehlers stayed in contact with her friend’s mom.
Ehlers next reached out to Katie Flynn, DVM, head USEF veterinarian, to ensure her EHV facts were correct and receive feedback. Flynn was excited and encouraged her to proceed with S’MORES.
Ehlers created posters with a QR code that link to USEF’s biosecurity website. In December 2023, posters began appearing at Sonoma Horse Park in time for the 2024 show season to start. Soon after, Desert
International Horse Park in Thermal, CA requested S’MORES posters. Enthusiasm for the catchy biosecurity posters spread quickly. Ehlers saw a need out of a tragedy, and she took action. It would only be the beginning of her advocacy for EHV biosecurity education.
SHE SAW A PROBLEM & SOLVED IT
After the success of the S’MORES posters hitting the aisles of show venues, Ehlers decided she wanted to reach children who were not going to shows or may not know a lot about viruses.
“I wanted to educate kids on creating healthy habits for biosecurity” she says. “They’ll have good habits as adults if they’re built as their core. In the long run, it’ll prevent more outbreaks.”
Ehlers decided the best way to engage and educate children would be to write a children’s book. Her mom knew who to call for guidance. A friend who wrote a book published by Trafalgar Square Books connected the family with publisher Rebecca Didier. Writing the children’s book quickly became a mother-daughter project with the support of a growing team.
Ehlers was encouraged to find inspiration for horse illustrations online as a starting point. She was astonished when the illustrator of a beloved equine children’s book character, Fergus, excitedly agreed to illustrate her book and
“I wanted to educate kids on creating healthy habits for biosecurity”
— MARE EHLERS
use Fergus as the book’s star. The book team consisting of Ehlers, Didier, Martha Cook, Managing Director, and illustrator Jean Abernethy, was quickly formed.
The team clicked right away. “As a mother, I learned that nothing is done alone. I could not believe this team; they were so excited to do this project,” says Megan. The team communicated back and forth for nearly a year to share their input on illustrations until they were perfected, and Fergus Learns S’MORES Code was officially complete and ready to hit children’s bookshelves.
A VOICE FOR HORSES AND THE COMMUNITY
“I put my heart and soul into this book, and I can’t take all the credit.” says Ehlers, who launched Fergus Learns S’MORES CODE at The Hampton Classic this August, and she will have a second launch
this fall at Desert International Horse Park’s Sunshine Series.
“I was surprised how much power her little hands had. I think she has inspired kids to realize they have the power to make a change,” says Megan.
Ehlers is thrilled that both the poster and books are successfully sharing a powerful message, and she has loved every step of the process. The work has also changed Ehlers’ future. The past two and a half years sparked an interest in business, publishing, and entrepreneurship.
The moral of the story? No matter your age, everyone has the power to make a difference.
To learn more about S’MORES Code and be up to date on the release of Fergus Learns S’MORES Code, please see Ehlers’ websites: www. smorescode.com and marianehlersequ.com
—Susie Schoellkopf, USEF “R” judge
Take charge of your future.
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SHOW STRIDES 1: School Horses & Show Ponies
BY RENNIE DYBALL AND PIPER KLEMM
Reprinted with permission from Andrews McMeel
DOWN IN THE TACK ROOM, Tally gathered up her helmet, Sweetie’s saddle, pads, and bridle and then hurried down the aisle, hoping that the mare hadn’t rolled in the mud overnight.
“Hi, pony,” she said affectionately when she reached Sweetie’s stall. At fourteen-point-three or fifteen hands (depending on who you asked), Sweetie was, quite frankly, an undesirable height for showing. She was just a couple inches too big to compete in the large pony division, and her size would keep her from being competitive over big fences in the horse divisions. At shows, horses and ponies had to make it down the lines—two jumps in a row with a set number of strides between them. The smaller your horse’s stride, the more difficult it would be to make the numbers. This wasn’t such a problem at the barn’s in-house schooling shows, where the lines were set shorter with a school horse’s step in mind, but it would be a stretch for Sweetie to do the numbers at a bigger show.
Tally groomed Sweetie quickly with a hard brush, and the mare pinned her ears to express her distaste for the rushed treatment. Sweetie usually preferred a more relaxing grooming.
“Sorry, girl,” Tally whispered, “We’re in a hurry today.” She tacked Sweetie
up fast, something else the little school horse wasn’t thrilled about, and walked her out of the stall and out the aisle, glancing again at her watch as they walked. She had two minutes before the lesson started. “New record,” Tally whispered under her breath.
Up at the ring, a couple of riders were flatting their horses. The two girls with whom Tally usually took lessons, Maggie and Jordan, were walking around the ring with each of their horses on a loose rein. Tally mounted quickly and Sweetie tossed her head and walked toward the rail just as Tally put her right foot in the stirrup. The
mare did not like being hurried.
“Hey guys,” Meg said as she strode into the ring. “Let’s make sure we walk a full lap and then pick up a posting trot.”
The girls settled into the usual rhythm of the flatwork at the start of all their lessons, and Meg threw in some more unusual exercises—aimed at getting ready for the medal class, Tally thought with a little thrill.
“Drop your irons,” Meg called. Tally kept her calves as firm as she could against Sweetie’s sides as she slipped her feet out of her stirrups. As soon as Sweetie felt the irons moving against
Kids
her barrel she scooted forward a little bit, and Tally sank deeper into the saddle, whispering “whoa” to the mare.
“Good, Tal,” Meg said, “Just keep riding through that. She’ll settle. Maggie, great job using your lower leg, even without your stirrups. Keep it up.”
Tally glanced at Maggie—her lower leg position did look great—and she thought about the rider on the shiny chestnut pony down in the smaller indoor. That rider had a great position too—it was obvious from just the couple of minutes that Tally watched her. Tally stretched up a bit taller in the saddle as she continued sitting the trot without her stirrups.
“I saw that, Tally. Nice work sitting up tall, hold that there.”
The lesson continued with the girls recovering their stirrups, then jumping a grid, followed by a small course of jumps.
The girls settled into the usual rhythm of the flatwork at the start of all their lessons, and Meg threw in some more unusual exercises— aimed at getting ready for the medal class, Tally thought with a little thrill.
When it was time to walk their horses and cool out, Meg suggested that Tally, Maggie, and Jordan take a walk around the property, a little treat reserved for the most competent riders in the lesson program. Maggie, a rider the same age as Tally, walked up next to her once they were past the gate of the outdoor ring. Both girls were about five-foot-three, so they ended up riding a lot of the same horses in the Oaks lesson program. They both loved riding Sweetie and had fun
comparing notes on her after lessons.
“Sweetie looked really good today. She’s jumping so cute,” Maggie said.
Tally thanked her friend, enjoying the familiar thrill that followed a great lesson. Maggie took riding really seriously, just like she did, so it was always fun to talk through all the details together.
Show Strides 1: School Horses & Show Ponies is available now for purchase, and everywhere book are sold on September 24.
For more than 100 years, Garrison Forest School riders have been learning selfconfidence, improving their skills, having fun and making friends through our nationally recognized equestrian programs.
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SHOW STRIDES 2: Confidence Comeback
BY RENNIE DYBALL AND PIPER KLEMM
Reprinted with permission from Andrews McMeel Kids
“OH MY GOSH, GOOSE , you are gorgeous!” Tally whispered. The pony perked his ears and took a couple of tentative steps toward her. He was a dark dapple gray—gray horses and ponies got lighter in color as they aged; Goose was obviously quite young, with a neatly pulled, silvery mane and the most adorable dished face. He had a pink muzzle and looked cozy in his plaid blanket. Meeting him reminded Tally of opening model horses on Christmas morning and marveling over just how perfect they looked. And here she was, in the stall of a pony just like that. Only this one was real. Tally gave Goose a scratch on his forehead before going to the tack room
to collect the pony’s tack and brushes. Ryan had a college-aged working student who was meticulous about labeling everything. Tally felt, yet again, a wave of gratitude for her work, since it saved her from having to ask someone to show her where things were every five minutes.
As Tally brushed the pony, she first took off the front of his blanket to groom that half, then replaced it and pulled up the back half to groom. Goose was body-clipped, and she didn’t want him getting too cold. She quickly noticed just how curious he was. Maybe it was his age, or the fact that she was a new person to him, but he took great interest in everything from the soft brush she ran
across his neck to her coat when she bent over to pick out his feet.
At first, she jumped when he placed his head on the small of her back—a flinch that came from years of grooming certain schoolies who’d try to nip you when you weren’t looking. Goose looked mildly offended when Tally flinched, so she rubbed his neck and told him it was okay. When she picked out the other front hoof, Goose tentatively placed his chin on her back again and Tally giggled quietly. She finished getting the pony ready, the two of them quietly enjoying each other’s company.
Ten minutes later, Tally had walked Goose around the ring on a loose rein,
and then once more, picking up some contact with his mouth. Ryan told her to trot the pony around, do some circles, and generally just let him see the ring.
Tally picked up the trot and was immediately taken aback by what the pony felt like underneath her. It was not at all what she expected out of a small pony, a full two hands shorter than the mare she was used to riding.
“What do you think?” Ryan asked. “He’s pretty special, huh?”
“There’s just . . . so much stride,” Tally replied. Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, he covers a lot of ground. Tons of stride. He measures 12.2 so he’s technically a small, but he’s really big-bodied, so he probably rides a lot bigger than he actually is. Keep circling and bending him and let him see the ring. Oh, and don’t get any taller, okay? You just barely fit on this one.”
Tally smiled and kept trotting around
The pony perked his ears and took a couple of tentative steps toward her. He was a dark dapple gray—gray horses and ponies got lighter in color as they aged; Goose was obviously quite young, with a neatly pulled, silvery mane and the most adorable dished face.
on Goose. Though she had hacked Danny at least a dozen times, the concept of flatting a pony herself—without the usual instruction and direction of a lesson—was still a fairly novel one. She felt so special making circles around the jumps and guiding this fancy little newcomer around while Ryan taught another student.
As for the pony, he behaved under saddle a lot like he did on the ground. Giving his surroundings a careful look,
but doing so calmly. He had a lot to observe, but without actually spooking. Tally changed directions and sat an extra beat to change her diagonal, grinning to herself at what it felt like to sit just an extra beat of this pony’s huge trot. She couldn’t imagine having to do a sitting trot on him.
Show Strides 2: Confidence Comeback is available now for purchase and everywhere book are sold on October 8.
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a school horse,
it’s my job to teach people how to ride.”
great pride in giving riding lessons, moves to a new barn that’s full of he begins to doubt himself and his world—all while his rider is doing story of self-acceptance and friendages, Good Boy, Eddie captures the we form with animals, and what about ourselves along the way.
GOOD BOY, EDDIE
By Rennie Dyball
Order your copy at theplaidhorse.com/books
CHAPTER 1: NEW BARN
Up, FLOP. Up, FLOP. Up, FLOP.
DYBALL
RENNIE DYBALL
Good Boy,
Good Boy,
EDDIE
“That’s it, you’re starting to get it: Up, down. Up, down. Up, down. That’s how you post the trot,” says the instructor. “But try to sit more lightly on Eddie and not come crashing down like a sack of potatoes, okay?”
I’m teaching my first lesson at New Barn and things are going pretty well. I am a school horse, and it’s my job to teach people how to ride. The instructor, Melissa (she’s the person who teaches the lesson with me), is standing in the middle of the ring while I trot around her in a big circle. The way my rider flops down in my saddle doesn’t hurt, it’s just a little uncomfortable. But I can tell that she’s new to riding, so it’s fine with me. We go around and around the ring. There are walls on every side to keep the wind out. Wooden beams crisscross the high ceiling and I think I can see some birds’ nests tucked up in the corners. Before I came here to this New Barn, I taught lots of riding lessons at a place much bigger than this one. I was one of about fifteen school horses back at the Old Barn. I had so many riders I
eventually lost count! I really liked it back at Old Barn and I’m not sure why I had to leave, especially because I thought I was good at my job.
My new rider—Melissa keeps saying “Kennedy,” so I suppose that’s her name—was very nice to me in my stall when we were getting ready for the lesson, chatting the whole time. She smelled like soap and flowers. I don’t know exactly what she was talking about, but she had a lot to say. And I was happy to listen.
You might be surprised to know that horses understand about seven to ten spoken words. I call them spoken words, rather than English words, because the people I know speak more than one language. I personally know nine words. But the really great thing is that I don’t need a whole lot of words to communicate with people because I can interpret so many emotions. I get body language, too, and I always know kindness when I feel it. Basically, I understand much more than people think.
The specifics vary from horse to horse, but I personally understand all the following words when they are said aloud by people:
Walk
Trot
Canter
Whoa Halt
Carrot
Good boy
Eddie
When you take the words that Melissa just said to Kennedy, for example, all I really got out of that was trot. So, I kept trotting. Melissa’s voice also sounded kind and encouraging, which are good signs that I should continue what I’m doing; that I’m helping my rider learn.
entirety. I love a good boy, Eddie. We walk a lap around the ring before Kennedy steers me to the center. Melissa pats my head. Gallagher, one of the horses who gets turned out in the paddock with me, is also in the ring now. His lesson is about to start. We give each other a look, like a changing of the guard.
It’s his turn now to take care of his rider. I love what I do, but I’m still a bit relieved when the lesson is done. It’s hard work to keep a rider safe. Also, the end of the lesson means I get a nice brushing, and sometimes a carrot.
As I walk past Gallagher, I wish him good luck. Horses don’t communicate out loud the way people do, but I can hear what other horses are telling me, and they can hear what I tell them, especially once we get to know each other. People don’t pick up on this, of
I can interpret so many emotions. I get body language, too, and I always know kindness when I feel it. Basically, I understand much more than people think.
I also know the meaning of two sounds that aren’t technically words. I know that the clucking sound—when people suck down tight on their tongue and then release it—means to move forward. If I’m already moving forward, then the “cluck” means to go faster. (I’ve come to learn that people can mean more than one thing based on a single sound. It gets a little confusing.) I also know the sound of someone shaking my grain in a feed bucket, which means it’s time to come into the barn to eat.
ALL of us know that sound, even from two paddocks away.
I feel pressure as my rider pulls on the reins, drawing the metal bit back into the corners of my mouth. I slow from a trot to a walk before I even hear Melissa say whoa.
“Good boy, Eddie,” she says with a laugh. Now that, I understood in its
course. If they did, we’d all understand each other with a whole lot less fuss! Horses do “speak” to each other from time to time, but mostly it’s just listening and feeling. If you ask me, I think people could probably benefit from less talking and more feeling.
Horses use our bodies, too, to show what we are thinking. People can usually decipher our body language, if they’re paying attention. Pinned ears means we’re angry, and ears perked forward means we’re concentrating on something. One or both ears cocked gently back means we’re listening. It all seems much easier than the way people communicate.
Kennedy takes her feet out of the stirrups and swings one leg over the back of my saddle. Melissa is taking her through the steps of dismounting. Next, Kennedy slides down my left side,
gripping the saddle with both hands as she allows her body to slink down to the ground. When her feet hit the dirt, she stumbles back a few steps as she regains her balance. I may not be very big for a horse, but it’s a long way down when you’re not very big for a person.
Kennedy gives me a big pat on my neck. It was a good first lesson. Melissa leads me out of the ring, and we walk outside on the way back to my stall. An evening breeze rustles the leaves on the trees all around us. I watch as a few of them float lazily to the ground.
I think I’m going to like this place.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
RENNIE DYBALL
Rennie Dyball is the co-author of the Show Strides novel series and managing editor for The Plaid Horse magazine. Rennie grew up riding school horses and now shows on the A circuit in the adult hunter and equitation divisions. She hopes that Eddie will remind readers of all the “schoolies” they’ve known and loved. Learn more about Rennie at renniedyball.com.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE PLAID HORSE AND RENNIE DYBALL
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power of natural ingredients, Keelin Redmond Hurd, DVM, has created a line of products to help even the most sensitive equine skin issues
WORDS: APRIL BILODEAU
SKIN IRRITATIONS can be some of the most difficult horse care issues that owners have to deal with. While allergies and bugs are some common culprits for the average equine, some horses just have the tendency to have more sensitive coats and skin than others.
Keelin Redmond Hurd, DVM, an Aiken, SC-based veterinarian, noticed that the amount of horses with skin issues in the more humid climate was significantly higher than other areas she previously lived, such as California and Kentucky.
“Skin is bad down here. I see all kinds of different issues,” Dr. Hurd tells The Plaid Horse. “People would bring out what I call ‘the box,’ which is a bunch of half empty bottles of things that weren’t working or burning their horses.”
At first, she was doing what most veterinarians do when they have a patient with tricky skin by compounding medications, adding antibiotics and steroids to certain creams, shampoos, and more.
“There are two problems with this,” says Dr. Hurd. “The law states we can only hand them to horses in our care, and
the components are drugs, so they test positive in a variety of situations.”
With the prescribed medications presenting usage problems and the over-the-counter products being messy and ineffective, Dr. Hurd started doing her own research to find a solution for her patients.
“I started looking at some ridiculously old text books and talking to some older horsemen about what they learned from their mentors about skincare,” she adds.
In her research, Dr. Hurd discovered that equine skin products previously used sulfur, which was something that modern products weren’t listing as an ingredient.
WHY SULFUR?
Dr. Hurd began tinkering with sulfur—a product anyone can buy on Amazon. So for a product so readily available, she
wondered why it had stopped being an active ingredient in today’s products.
“The reason we got away from it is it’s almost too simple, as in, you put it on and it clears things up,” says Dr. Hurd. “It’s difficult to use, however, because it’s not water soluble. I had to take time to figure out how to get it on the horse.”
As the owner of an integrative veterinary practice, Avoca Equine, Dr. Hurd works to use all the tools that she can to better the horse.
“My hope is to use all of the natural options possible,” says Dr. Hurd.
Sulfur, being a natural product, fit right into her mission.
While she admits she did ruin some stoves doing her science experiments with sulfur, she also handled everything without gloves as she wanted to make
sure whatever she put on her patient’s skin, she could put on her own.
Dr. Hurd also extensively tested her sulfur-based products on humans before ever being used for animals. “You know how horse people are!” she says.
About 76 iterations later, Dr. Hurd found the combinations that worked best and in 2020, Medica Equine was born.
MEDICA PRODUCTS
The veterinarian created three different products, a wash, a lotion, and a salve, each with a sulfur base and a specific focus for the horse.
The Treatment Wash is a competition safe formula that gently and effectively aids in the treatment of rain rot, ringworm, and leg scurf among other skin diseases. The blend of sulfur and essential oils work
together to kill fungus and bacteria. While most anti-fungal shampoos are harsh on skin, often causing worse infections or even burns, the Treatment Wash gently cleanses and treats skin issues.
“It won’t lather like a dish soap, but it does lather a bit,” says Dr. Hurd. “Leave it for 10 minutes and then rinse it off. No need to scrub or agitate it!”
The Lotion is the most unique of the three products as it is similar to the Treatment Wash, but is able to be used dry, so if you’re in colder weather, you can still get the same results from a sulfur product. The Lotion is a leave-in formula that helps all the same skin conditions as the Treatment Wash while leaving the skin smooth and conditioned.
“It’s water-based, not oil-based, so you don’t have to worry about putting it on
BEFORE AFTER
tack, etc.,” says Dr. Hurd. “It’s also the best product for dogs!”
Lastly, the Salve is an ointment that aids in the treatment of scratches, dew poisoning, cracked heels, and other moist dermatitis. The Salve uses sulfur plus lavandin oil, which kills bacteria and fungus, as well as calendula oil, which acts as a natural anti-inflammatory.
“The calendula oil acts like a steroid and cuts inflammation and itch,” says Dr. Hurd. “Seriously, any redness will be gone by the morning!”
Not only are the results that Medica Equine clients have seen impressive, but the products are also affordable, costing no more than $36 a bottle.
To learn more about Medica Equine, or to buy a product of your own, visit medicaequine.com
PHOTOS: CHRIS QUINN (LEFT); PAULA KRAMER (TOP RIGHT)
Medica Salve helps soothe angry, irritated skin and aids in hair regrowth
BLUE SPRUCE FARM
“Nice clients, nice horses, and a nice community”
TRAINERS WILL SIMONS and Colin Caporusso are going back to Wellington, FL for the upcoming horse show season, but this time, they’re returning as new business owners.
After years of working for other operations, the inseparable duo are now combining their talents to offer the Blue Spruce Farm, a top-tier equestrian training program teaching skills to a wide range of riders in a positive, supportive environment. Based in Connecticut, the trip to Florida brings them full circle to where they first met.
“We’ve always gone down there working for other people. Going with our own farm and having our own clients is a huge accomplishment. This is an opportunity to really show everyone what we can do ourselves,” Simons tells The Plaid Horse.
Between both careers, they’ve been exposed to a comprehensive range of equestrian skills. They’ve trained ponies, adult jumpers, and green horses, while learning the tricks of turning out the most healthy, happy and polished animals.
Simons started riding in England, progressing to a job in Belgium that offered his first exposure to a professional show barn. From there, he began a grooming career that took him all over the world, giving him experiences in the best care and training programs available at the 5* level. After traveling as a groom, he moved to the U.S. to manage a group
of horses, again at the 5* level. It’s during this time that Simons began showing for himself and developing his talent in training horses for others.
He saw that successful riding careers were created with great training programs. “I dealt with so many young horses and different varieties of riders from Olympic levels to amateurs,” he says. “I liked seeing
WORDS: JESSICA FARTHING
Will Simons takes the jumps at the Old Salem Summer Series on his own Expecting Balou
everyone improve and also recognizing that they can get to the higher levels.”
Simons combined that positivity for outcomes and the focus on the individual needs of both the horse and their rider to Blue Spruce. The result is often better than his clients expect.
“I think it’s important to know people’s goals going in. Then we have a roundabout idea of how to get there and we’ll achieve probably more than they think they can. We want them to succeed,” says Simons.
Caporusso began his riding career early in Milford, CT, around five years old.
“I was the youngest of four boys and I told my mom that I wanted to do something my brothers haven’t done. I started at a local farm in the area and just loved it,” he says.
He started competitive riding on the circuit, doing equitation and hunters, taking a brief break for college, but still riding every chance he got. When the Covid outbreak shut down the country, he was in Wellington visiting a friend, eventually accepting a job offer with room and board at the farm of Olympic Gold medalist Leslie Howard. He finished his degree from the farm’s office, giving presentations online to complete requirements. A short hop to the other coast of Florida landed him a job in Naples managing a hunter farm, and he soon expanded to more opportunities
where he trained everything from lunge line lessons to riders taking on the big jumps.
From there, Caporusso had positions training ponies, amateurs, and riding all levels of horses. His exposure to the different types of training and riding seemed to cover every aspect of horsemanship, but Simons notes that Caporusso has a particular talent: “Every time he goes to the ring with ponies, they’re champions.”
“People learn in different ways, but they learn better in a positive environment,” says Caporusso. “I think most of our clients do this to have fun, and if you’re encouraging and taking your time and really helping them to be better, then they have fun.”
Several companies agree. Blue Spruce is sponsored by Butet, and also backing the farm is Corro, a one-stop equestrian supply shop, Equine Elixirs natural supplement,s and EquiFit, creator of innovative equestrian performance products. Their support is important to the health of the Blue Spruce herd.
“Our sponsors help our horses be in the best form, outfitting them with their exceptional products,” Caporusso says. “Also, the horses look amazing.”
Both Caporusso and Simons are focused on bringing a quality experience to their customers now, but that doesn’t mean that possibilities for the future of Blue Spruce Farm are ignored.
Simons says,”Buying our own personal farm in Connecticut is a goal for us. But our biggest goal would be to have nice clients, nice horses, and a nice community.”
For now, they feel fortunate to be headquartered at Redgate Farms in Newtown, CT, having access to a beautiful facility with indoor and outdoor arenas, a grass training field, round pen, and turnout paddocks. There are also on-site trails for decompression for both horse and rider.
“There’s plenty of turnout, which is important. Horses need to be out,” says Caporusso.
There are some plans for Simons to use his training experience to produce some young horses for sale. Most of all, they’re excited by the possibilities of this new business and the independence that comes from making their own choices.
Adds Simons: “Winning is great, but winning is not everything. If everyone’s going out and doing their best and they’re happy when they come out, that’s the biggest thing we can ask for. I think that’s how people want to stay with you for a long time.”
You can follow Blue Spruce on Instagram, Facebook and reach them for riding and training opportunities by phone on their website or via email at bluesprucefarmco@gmail.com
Will Simons and Colin Caporusso with their animals
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HAPPIER
TOP 7 WAYS TO HELP YOUR TRAINER HELP YOU
WORDS: TONYA JOHNSTON, MA
YOUR TRAINER helps you and your horse learn, develop, and excel in amazing ways. They teach, demonstrate, encourage, cajole, enlighten, cheerlead, remind, remind again, motivate, facilitate, remind yet again, and continuously provide you both with the support you need. Good trainers are very talented at doing these things, they enjoy their work, and they celebrate when they see progress in you both; it’s their job and it’s their passion.
Now, since you are an awesome team player, you may wonder from time to time, “What could I do to help them with this process?” Although saying “Thank you!” and showing your appreciation with Starbucks and beautifully wrapped Christmas presents are a great start, there are also some additional, specific things you can do to help your trainer help you. Teamwork is key, and helping everyone on your team be their best is part of your job as a teammate. Let’s explore my top seven things you can do to assist your trainer in this process:
1 Show up prepared and positive
Your job as a student is to show up to the lesson or horse show with a “can-do” attitude. How do you do this? By being mentally and physically prepared and radiating positive energy. Paying attention to details like your nutrition,
fitness, speaking kindly and positively, and focusing on your goals for the day will help you and your horse, and it also helps your trainer help you. Being prepared and positive brings constructive energy to the lesson or warm-up ring that you will all thrive on. It also demonstrates respect for the process and the hard work, dedication, and effort your trainer puts in day in and day out to help you and your horse succeed.
2
Listen
Nowadays, riders often get referred to as “clients,” rather than students. However, especially at the ring and in the barn, the best trainers are excited to teach you—their student —about your horse, how to ride your best and how to be a successful competitor. They have a wealth of information to offer, but you need to be ready to hear them and everything they have to say. This means arriving at the barn
with a clear, open-minded attitude. To do this, you may want to unclutter your mind as you drive to the barn by turning off your phone or do a “brain dump” when you park at the barn by making a list of all the to-do items swirling through your head so you can leave them behind while you ride. When your trainer feels you ready to listen and do your best it will help them trust you as an athlete which is an often-overlooked component of your team’s success.
3 Let them know what’s working
Your trainer wants to know when their work or teaching methods are having a positive impact. It’s motivating, it builds understanding, boosts the sense of teamwork between you, and helps them become even more skilled at their job. Did you appreciate it when your trainer provided detailed reasons of why you were finally able to nail the toughest part of your lesson today? For
example, they told you that lifting your eye earlier through the turn and adding more outside leg helped you get straight and nail the distance into the last line. Or maybe it was helpful when the two of you watched your video together at the end of the show day? Let your trainer know how much you learned and how much you appreciated it! Even things that may seem unplanned or insignificant can be valuable to share with them. For example, you might have recognized how much it relaxes you when they tell you a joke or act silly at the back gate to help you stay calm. Be a good teammate—let your trainer know what is working!
4
Do your homework
Your trainer may give you homework between lessons or (because you are motivated and inspired), you may make up your own. For example, when your trainer asks you to work on counting
and keeping a rhythm by jumping over small household “jumps” in your backyard, do it! Or if they want you to build a new habit of keeping your hands above the martingale strap, you can visualize yourself riding a course with this arm position to build muscle memory. This is fantastic homework for the days you can’t get to the barn.
Of course, actual riding time between lessons is always a terrific time to work on the physical homework they may give you. Therefore, try to create a system of how to remind yourself of your homework before you get on your horse, such as making a small list on the whiteboard in the lid of your tack trunk, for example.
5 Be an athlete on and off your horse
Your muscle strength, cardio fitness, nutrition/hydration, suppleness, and balance are just some of the things that will help you tremendously when you are riding. Having stamina and physical ability are musts in a sport that requires such subtle, clear, nonverbal communication with your horse. Your trainer works so hard to manage your horse’s readiness; you will help them immensely by taking care of your own.
6 Keep it simple
When you are highly motivated you can accidentally over-do it (yes, it happens to the best of us). You may do too much analysis, questioning, researching, processing and/or review. This is very well-intentioned, but nevertheless it can slow down even the most spectacularly talented trainer.
Instead, help the process by looking for ways to summarize and simplify whenever possible. Whether it is asking for help clarifying two goals for the course instead of listing the 17 you think are essential or saving a question until the end of a lesson, you can be sure that your efforts to simplify are appreciated by your trainer (and your horse). Your focus will be intensified and improved when it is directed towards a few clear, prioritized ideas.
7
Focus on solutions
When you have a rocky moment in the tack, keep your focus on the solution. Though you may be tempted to dissolve into an overly negative, emotional reaction, be strong! Trainers are all about helping you find solutions to your challenges, but when they must wade through large amounts of frustration, exasperation, anger, etc. it is difficult for them to help you. Was that the last time you will ever jump a one-stride or trot a serpentine, or ask your horse for the counter-canter? Of course not! Help them out by using some quality breathing to let go of any negative reactions, and refocus on what it will take to do it right next time. Then, use your mental and physical skills to make the solution feel like second nature.
THE EXPERT TONYA JOHNSTON
Tonya Johnston, MA, is an equestrian mental skills coach and A-circuit competitor with over 30 years of experience helping riders of all levels be their best. She conducts “Mental Skills for Riders” clinics throughout the country or via Zoom and does phone consultations with individual clients. Her book “Inside Your Ride: Mental Skills for Being Happy and Successful with your Horse” is available on Amazon and Audible. Tonya has a monthly “Inside Your Ride” podcast that is a part of the Plaidcast. Connect with Tonya at 510.418.3664 or TonyaJohnston.com
